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Metropolitan Council establishes June 22 launch date for region's first bus rapid transitway
For more information, contact: Michelle Fure, 651-602-1545
ST. PAUL – March 27, 2013 – The Metropolitan Council has
established June 22, 2013 as the launch date for the METRO Red Line bus rapid
transit service.
The METRO Red Line will provide station-to-station service
from the Apple Valley Transit Station to the Mall of America, with additional
stops at 147th Street and 140th Street in Apple Valley
and the Cedar Grove station in Eagan. The Red Line will be the second in the
region’s METRO system, and connect with the METRO Blue Line at the Mall of
America.
“Transit plays an important role in our regional economy, as
a key transportation link for residents and a proven catalyst for economic
development,” said Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh. “The METRO Red Line features
customer amenities and technology advancements that reflect our progress toward
a 21st century transportation system.”
The Cedar Avenue/Highway 77 corridor is one of the busiest
roads in the state – each day, about 90,000 motorists cross the Minnesota River
on the road, and about 70,000 cars travel through the intersection with County
Road 42 in Apple Valley. Express bus service in the corridor carries nearly 650,000
riders annually. The new Red Line service will provide an additional option for
commuters and other travelers to move between the communities in the corridor
and the region at-large.
The METRO Red Line will travel on bus-only shoulder lanes
constructed with the roadway improvements along Cedar Avenue. Buses will
operate every 15 minutes during peak travel periods, from approximately 5 a.m.
to midnight, Monday through Friday, and 7:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday and
Sunday. Buses will serve each station with level boarding, real-time signs, and
other transit advantages, much like service on the METRO Blue Line (Hiawatha
LRT).
While express bus routes will remain the same, local bus
service provided by the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) will be
restructured in conjunction with the launch of Red Line service to enhance connections
with the line.
The Red Line results from a long-time collaboration of many
agencies in the region, including the Metropolitan Council, Dakota County and
its regional railroad authority, MVTA, Metro Transit, the Counties Transit
Improvement Board (CTIB), the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Mall
of America, and the cities of Lakeville, Eagan, Apple Valley, and Bloomington,
as well as local businesses in communities near the corridor.
Funding for the project has come from federal, state, and
regional funds; CTIB; Dakota County; Apple Valley and Lakeville.
“Setting a firm date
for the launch of the METRO Red Line is the culmination of a lot of work by a lot
of people from many different agencies,” said Dakota County Board Chair
Kathleen Gaylord. “But this service—station-to-station, bus rapid transit on
Cedar Avenue, the first in Minnesota—is Dakota County’s baby. Our vision has
always been that this will slow the growth of congestion on one of the busiest
roads in the south metro. It will give our residents mobility options; and it
will be good for business.”
Communities will plan events to help celebrate the launch of
the new service, including a period of time to ride the METRO Red Line for
free.
The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning
organization in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. The Council
runs the regional bus and light-rail system and Northstar commuter rail,
collects and treats wastewater, coordinates regional water resources, plans
regional parks, and administers funds that provide housing opportunities for
low- and moderate income families. The Council board is appointed by and serves
at the pleasure of the Governor.
You can follow the Council on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MetCouncilNews.
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