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In this Issue
For more than a decade now, transit ridership has increased
year over year here in the Twin Cities. In 2015, Metro Transit customers took
more than 85.8 million rides – the highest level since 1981 and a 23% increase
since 2005. We have a region that is choosing to take transit more and more,
and placing higher priority on developing a broader range of transportation
options across the region. A number of corridors in the east metro are
currently being studied for additional transit investment. Perhaps the most relevant
and potentially impactful for District 14 residents is the Riverview Corridor.
The Riverview Corridor runs generally next to the
Mississippi River from downtown Saint Paul to the West 7th and
Highland Park neighborhoods, and extends to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP)
International Airport and into Bloomington and the Mall of America. Transit
ridership on Metro Transit routes 54 and 74 is strong in the Riverview Corridor,
and development of the area was shaped early on by three streetcar lines that
served it until the 1950s. In 2014, the Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority (RCRRA)
began the transit study, which is designed to research, analyze and identify
opportunities to improve transit service along the corridor. They are currently
exploring all modes of transit and this study will help determine which – if
any – should be implemented.
I have served on the Policy Advisory Committee of the
Riverview Corridor for the past two years, and I’m excited by the potential of
this corridor from both a transit and economic development perspective. Routes
54 and 74 carry thousands of residents every day, connecting to places of
school, work and leisure.
Like other areas in the city, the neighborhoods linked by
the Riverview Corridor are growing. By 2040, the corridor population is forecasted
to grow by 63% and employment by 33%. One section of this corridor with
particular development potential is the former Ford plant site and its ability
to add to our housing, our economy and our park system all while being accessible
through high frequency transit service. Analysis of the region’s transit
investments, including the METRO Green Line, demonstrates that better transit
connections expand job opportunities and earning power for residents. I am
strongly interested in continuing Saint Paul’s momentum, and transit represents
a key ingredient to strengthen our neighborhoods and commercial streets.
My hope is that all residents, business owners and other
stakeholders engage in the current dialogue regarding the future of this
corridor. Ramsey County is looking to complete the transit study in the spring
of 2017 and to choose a locally preferred alternative (LPA) at that date. An
LPA would include the specific mode (LRT, BRT, Rapid Bus or “no build”) and the
proposed route. It is vital that we hear from all parties potentially impacted
by this decision and come up with an LPA that best reflects the needs of
everyone involved. Please
visit the Riverview Corridor website for additional information
including proposed routes, most recent actions taken by the PAC, upcoming
community meetings and an updated study schedule. If you have any concerns, please
don’t hesitate to contact me directly, via this email address or by phone at
651-645-4644.
Thank you!
Jon Commers
District 14 Council Member
When people leave their homes, there are a few essential items they’re likely carrying with them, including identification, credit or bank cards and a mobile phone.
Less likely to be in their pocket: a Go-To Card or the exact change it costs to board a bus or light-rail train.
Confusion about the fare and the need to have the right amount ready to board has long been a challenge for new or infrequent riders, sometimes discouraging them from using transit altogether.
Ticket vending machines that accept cash and credit cards at rail and rapid bus stations helped us begin to address this challenge. This week, we took another major step forward as we introduced a new Metro Transit app that allows people to buy and instantly use fares using a smartphone.
With the app, customers can purchase mobile tickets in advance and use them when they’re ready to ride. These customers will prove they’ve paid their fare by showing bus operators or police officers a screen with a unique, moving image that can’t be replicated or used after time has expired.
More about the new mobile app from Metro Transit's Rider's Almanac.
The Metropolitan Council is receiving public comment on the Council's DRAFT 2016 Transportation Public Participation Plan (pdf). This plan provides more specific information about participation strategies for transportation planning and programming efforts. This plan is consistent with the Council’s Public Engagement Plan.
See the draft plan
DRAFT 2016 Transportation Public Participation Plan (pdf)
Comment by 5 p.m. Dec. 9
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Written comments: Metropolitan Council, 390 N. Robert St., St. Paul, 55101
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TTY comments: 651-291-0904
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Email: public.info@metc.state.mn.us
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Record comments on Council’s Public Comment Line at 651-602-1500
Riverview Corridor Policy
Advisory Committee – On Nov. 10, my staff
attended the Riverview Corridor Policy Advisory Committee. This month, the committee
voted on a number of items including preferred routes through downtown St.
Paul, and to the Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and the
Mall of America. These committee meetings are open to the public and I
encourage you to attend if you would like to learn more about the study and
possible future transit along the corridor. The next meeting will be held
on Dec. 8 at Union Depot in St. Paul.
Beacon Prior Crossing Grand Opening - On Nov. 6, I attended the grand
opening event for the Prior Crossing development on University Avenue. Prior
Crossing is a new development by the Beacon housing collaborative and is a
five-story building that will provide safe, high-quality, permanent housing and
intensive support services for 44 young adults experiencing homelessness. The
Council contributed nearly $1 million in Livable Communities Act (LCA) grants
and I am proud to be a partner in this project.
2700 University Ribbon Cutting - On Dec. 13, I will be representing the
Council at the ribbon cutting for the 2700 University housing development
located on University Avenue adjacent to the Westgate METRO Green Line station.
This development is a great example of transit-oriented development and will
help expand the housing stock along the line. The Council partnered with the
developer using our LCA grant funds.
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