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In this Issue
This is a tough time for Minnesota as the COVID-19 pandemic wears on. Though we’ve been seeing promising news in recent weeks, officials are still carefully watching trends and advising care and distancing.
We need to wear our masks and keep our chins up, stay six feet apart, but also focus on the horizon, and avoid large gatherings while remaining as connected to our friends, families, and communities as best we can.
It’s challenging. Yet we persist to provide critical services to our communities each day. For us at the Metropolitan Council, that means continuing to provide transit service, helping provide special transit service for our front-line health workers, ensuring operations at the region’s wastewater treatment plants continue, supporting local governments with their work, and providing options to people who need housing.
The pandemic has provided an opportunity for us to examine new ways to continue supporting our customers and the communities we serve.
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Transit ridership has been down significantly this year, but we have continued to operate local bus and rail service on regular schedules to assure passengers and operators can safely distance on our vehicles.
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Our contracted services group has continued to support Metro Mobility ADA-mandated services, and we have been able to augment services. Throughout the year, contracted services have supported grocery, goods, and food shelf delivery. In addition, contracted services have provided nearly 127,000 trips for people who work at a health care facility.
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Staff have continued to engage communities, at a safe distance, in all aspects of the region’s planning and operations, including a survey of our transit customers about how they feel about transit, safety, and the impacts of community unrest on transit service.
New Metro Transit App
With all the challenges this year, we've worked to make using Metro Transit easier with our new app. Whether you're still riding or planning to return in the future, our official Metro Transit app is the best way to purchase fares on the go - for immediate use or trips to come.
Metro Transit's new app has many advantages:
- No paper tickets to keep track of.
- No need to carry cash, count exact change or find a ticket machine.
- Store tickets on your phone for future use.
- Pay a single fare or multiple fares for a group of riders.
- Use Apple Pay or Google Pay to buy tickets.
- Great for special events.
Watch this video to learn more about the improved Metro Transit App.
The METRO Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit moves ever closer to its opening one year from now. This service will provide a much-needed upgrade for residents along the I-35W Corridor, and connecting bus routes will maximize its benefits. Metro Transit is conducting a Connecting Bus Service Study for routes in the I-35W corridor area in Minneapolis, Richfield, Bloomington, and Edina. Public participation will be important. Stay tuned for opportunities for input early next year.
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The 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan outlines the Met Council's goals and strategies for the development of our world-class regional parks and trails. It describes how the regional parks system will be developed and operated to support Thrive MSP 2040 goals.
In August, the Metropolitan Council proposed to add, modify, or expand 26 parks and trails to the regional parks system, and create or adjust several policies. The public comment period has closed and the plan update will go to the Council for approval on Dec. 23. Learn more about the plan update.
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Metropolitan Council Environmental Services was recently honored by Utility of the Future Today, a joint initiative of clean water agencies, for being forward-thinking and innovative, and adding valuable service to communities.
The Council’s Environmental Services division is among 65 entities recognized this year for stewardship, resource recovery, partnership, and engagement. It marks the second year the wastewater treatment agency has received commendation for “Transformational Programming.”
“This is well-deserved recognition for the work that our Environmental Services division performs around-the-clock, 365 days a year,” said Council Chair Charlie Zelle. “We are nationally known for our excellent service at rates 40% below the national average for agencies of similar size.”
The Met Council has a unique role when it comes to water supply - we are neither a water supplier nor a regulator. Where we add significant value is collaborating with water utilities and other water agencies in long-range planning, providing data and analysis, giving grants for water conservation, and facilitating sub-regional water partnerships. A new report highlights 15 years of the benefits of water supply collaboration.
Metro area residents who want to help shape regional policy and services are invited to apply for one of several advisory committees to the Metropolitan Council. The Met Council relies on these committees to help develop solutions that best serve the entire region.
We are seeking diverse perspectives – across geography, income, age, race and ethnicity, ability and life experiences – to inform our policy-making and operations. Visit our website for more information about the current committee vacancies and application process. Consider applying to serve on one of these four advisory groups:
District 13 residents can apply for openings on the EAC, TAAC, TAB and MPOSC. Priority will be given to applications submitted by December 31.
At this week's Community Development Committee, Council Members continued to look at recommended changes in scoring criteria for the next round of Livable Communities Act grant applications. Participating communities around the metro apply for these grants hoping to jumpstart developments that have affordable housing, connect to jobs and amenities, support transit use, or clean up polluted land. Staff have been working with stakeholders from participating communities, Metro Cities, the Land Use Advisory Committee, community members, and a housing work group (made up of a subset of Council Members) to develop ideas that could make applying for grants an easier, clearer process.
We want to communicate more clearly the program outcomes, better organize the criteria for applicants, and align these better with the purpose of the LCA program. The proposed changes try to address racial disparities in housing while maintaining geographic balance, adjust category points to align with LCA priorities, and adjust readiness criteria to better reflect what leads to a project's success. An overall goal is to make criteria for applicants more objectively measurable. We hope to adopt final changes to the scoring criteria early next year. Please get in touch with me or Hannah Gary in the Livable Communities group at Hannah.Gary@metc.state.mn.us for more information. |
