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Winter 2014

Green Line to open June 14

Elected, appointed and community leaders  surround Metropolitan Council Chair Sue Haigh as she announced Jan. 22 at Union Depot Station that METRO Green Line (Central Corridor LRT) will begin service June 14. 

To-do list for METRO Green Line’s grand opening

 Yours:

• Study safety tips at www.centralcorridor.org/safety
•  Learn about planned Metro Transit bus service changes on June 14 with improved connections to the  Green    Line at www.metrotransit.org/central-transit-study
• Watch for Green Line updates at www.metrotransit.org/greenline 
• Get involved in planning the opening day. Contact: greenlinecelebration@metrotransit.org or 612-353-4889

 Ours:

• Take delivery of 20 additional light rail vehicles (LRVs) January-May
• Complete systems testing, inspections February-May
• Train 61 LRV operators late February to mid-April
• Fix cracked concrete intersections, adjust manhole elevations by mid-May
• Conduct pre-revenue service testing mid-April to mid-June

 Read the opening day news release at http://bit.ly/1dYjD2Z 

STAY OFF TRACKS — Scenes like the one above will become common in late February when daily tests of the Green Line’s systems begin.  

Regular daily light rail vehicle tests will begin late February

Staying off Green Line tracks becomes critical in late February when daily tests will begin of the new light rail vehicles.

Trains will run as often as 10 minutes apart, the same frequency as regular daily service.

“This means anytime is train time from now on. Expect to see a train at any time on any track from either direction,” said Mike Conlon,  director of rail and bus safety for Metro Transit. “Safety is our shared responsibility.”

Remember these four basic safety rules:

• Always stay off the tracks
• Stay off station platforms until service begins in 2014. After service begins, a ticket will be required to enter platforms
• Look both ways for oncoming trains
• Cross only at intersections and legal mid-block crosswalks

Safety is a shared responsibility

Safety near rail stations

• Trains can come on any track, at any time, from either direction. Don’t assume you know when and where to expect a train
• Trains move faster than they appear and can’t stop as quickly as a car
• Be alert near platforms and intersections. Loud music, headphones and mobile devices can distract

Tracks aren’t a place to explore

• Never walk or play on tracks – it’s dangerous and illegal
• Cross tracks only in designated areas
• Never bike or skateboard on the tracks

Listen up! Trains are quiet

• Unlike freight trains, you might not hear a light-rail train approaching
• Pay attention near the tracks. Listen for horns and warning bells
• Look both ways before crossing the tracks by car, bicycle or on foot

Reminders for motorists

• Trains don’t have steering wheels and can’t swerve out of your way
• Never try to beat a train through a light. Trains will clear intersections in a few seconds
• Obey all traffic signals and warning signs

Request safety materials, presentation

• If you are interested in a safety presentation or receiving safety materials for your organization, please contact Dana Happel, community outreach coordinator, at Dana.Happel@metrotransit.org or 651-602-1954.
• Safety videos, PSAs at www.centralcorridor.org/safety
• How to use new bike boxes on Washington Avenue on East Bank
• Green Line quiz bowl video and PSAs covering crossing tracks, mid-block crosswalks and stations 

Green Line Facts

How the line has/will benefit the public

• Employment along the line is projected to grow by more than 90,000 jobs by 2030,bringing total employment in the area to nearly 375,000 workers
• More than 100 projects have been built, are under construction or are in the planning phase along the line, representing more than $1.7 billion in development
• Created 5,470 LRT construction jobs through December 2013, employing workers from more than 60 Minnesota counties ranging from the Canadian border to Iowa
• Estimated to create $252 million in payroll by the time the project is complete
• Created 177 operations and maintenance jobs

Key accomplishments in 2013:

• Overall construction of the line reached 98 percent complete as of November 2013
• 39 of the 59 light rail vehicles had been manufactured and delivered
• Fare collection equipment was delivered
• Operated initial test train with power full length of new Green Line

Green Line by the numbers:

• 9.8 miles of new track, plus more than a mile of existing track shared with the METRO Blue Line in downtown Minneapolis
• 18 stations, plus five shared with the METRO Blue Line in downtown Minneapolis
• Total project budget of $957 million, funded by federal, state and local sources
• Project ridership of more than 40,000 weekday boardings in 2030
• A trip between Nicollet Mall Station in Minneapolis and Central Station in St. Paul will take about 40 minutes

Hours of operation:

• Trains will begin service at about 5 a.m. and run until about 1 a.m. seven days a week
• Trains will run every 10 minutes throughout the day, every 10-15 minutes evenings

 Fares:

• Fares will match existing fares on the METRO Blue Line, Red Line and local bus routes
• Adults will pay $1.75 during off-peak hours/$2.25 during weekday rush hours (6 a.m.-9 a.m./3 p.m.-6:30 p.m.) Seniors 65 and older, youth between 6 and 12 and Medicare cardholders will pay 75 cents to ride during non-rush hours
• Fares can be paid with cash, passes or money-saving Go-To cards and include 2.5 hour transfer for other bus and rail service
• Details available at www.metrotransit.org/fares 

Light rail vehicles facts:

• Number of vehicles for Green Line: 47, with additional 12 for Blue Line, allowing both lines to operate three-car trains during peak times, special events to meet growing demand
• Cost per vehicle: $3.3 million
• Weight of vehicle: 100,000 pounds, 6,000 pounds lighter than an LRV in the existing Blue Line fleet. Lighter cars translate into greater efficiency because they use less electricity
• Anticipated ridership: More than 40,000 boardings per weekday by 2030
• Vehicle passenger capacity: 200 fully loaded (68 seated/132 standing)
• Three-car train capacity: Up to 600 people with just one operator
• Accessibility: Level boarding with room for four wheelchairs per LRV
• Bicycle racks per train: Room for four bicycles per LRV
• Operating speed: Trains normally will not exceed 35 mph. Speeds will be lower in the downtowns and through the University of Minnesota
• Manufacturer: Siemens, Sacramento, Calif., plant
• Number of employees needed to operate, maintain the line: 177
• What else is different about the new LRVs: External color scheme featuring blue with yellow and a splash of red matches the fleet colors featured on Northstar commuter trains and Metro Transit buses. The internal color scheme is gray and blue. Improved insulation will make the ride quieter. The new LRVs also have LED internal lighting as opposed to fluorescent lighting, also saving energy. Riders also will notice warmer rides in the winter because of improved insulation 

Metro Transit to add trips on connecting bus routes to Green Line

Beginning on the Green Line’s opening day, Metro Transit will reinvest bus service hours to provide additional trips on the network of connecting routes, including more evening and weekend service

• Route 83 is a new route that will run on Lexington Parkway
• Route 65 (which runs on Dale Street) will be extended to Grand Avenue
• Route 63 will be extended east to Raymond Avenue Station
• Routes 8 and 67 will be joined into one route running between Franklin Avenue Station on the METRO Blue Line and downtown St. Paul
• Route 50 will be entirely replaced with the new rail service
• Route 16 will offer fewer trips on University Avenue between downtown St. Paul and the University of Minnesota because the Green Line is being added to this corridor
• Route 94 will only operate weekdays during midday and peak

Details of the bus service plan are at www.metrotransit.org/centralstudy

Construction updates — Weekly construction updates ceased with the end of heavy construction in late 2012. Updates will be issued as often as warranted in 2014. To see updates, please visit the www.centralcorridor.org homepage and click on News.  Sign up for construction updates, news releases and newsletters by scrolling to the bottom of the homepage and entering your email address in the white ENewsletter Sign Up box. 

Metro Transit’s customer service hotline has replaced the construction hotline. Calls are being taken by 612-373-3333. 

Follow us at: www.twitter.com/cclrt

For general questions or comments - Call 651-602-1645 or email

centralcorridor@metc.state.mn.us 

About the project:  

The Central Corridor Light Rail Transit Project (Green Line) will link downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis along Washington and University avenues via the state Capitol and the University of Minnesota. Construction began in late summer 2010 on the planned 11-mile Central Corridor line, and service will begin on June 14, 2014. The line will connect with the METRO Blue Line at the Downtown East Station in Minneapolis and the Northstar commuter rail line at the Target Field Station. The Metropolitan Council is the grantee of federal funds. The regional government agency is charged with building the line in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The Central Corridor Management Committee, which includes commissioners from Ramsey and Hennepin counties, the mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota, provides advice and oversight. Funding is provided by the Federal Transit Administration, Counties Transit Improvement Board, state of Minnesota, Ramsey and Hennepin counties' regional railroad authorities, city of St. Paul, Metropolitan Council and the Central Corridor Funders' Collaborative. The Central Corridor LRT Project Website is www.centralcorridor.org.