Bus Operations Plan 5 SWLRT Rev
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Bus Transit Operations Plan (Technical Memorandum) Revision 02.00 July 2015 Prepared by the Metropolitan Council through Its Metro Transit Department of Service Development Route and Systems Planning This page intentionally blank. REVISION TABLE Revision Date Description R01-00 August 2014 2014 New Starts Submittal R02-00 July 2015 2015 New Starts updates Contents Contents Contents ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Corridor Description................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Purpose and Organization of the Bus Transit Operations Plan ................................................................. 7 2 Existing Service ................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 2.1 Primary Routes ............................................................................................................................................................. 8 2.2 Connecting Routes ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.3 Express Routes ........................................................................................................................................................... 10 2.4 Other Affected Routes ............................................................................................................................................. 11 2.5 Other Operators ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 3 Description of No-Build Alternative Bus Network Service Plans .............................................................................. 15 3.1 No Build Alternative ................................................................................................................................................ 15 3.1.1 Primary Routes .......................................................................................................................................................... 15 3.1.2 Connecting Routes .................................................................................................................................................... 15 3.2 Other Affected Routes ............................................................................................................................................. 17 3.2.1 Other Operators ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 3.3 Build Alternative ....................................................................................................................................................... 20 3.3.1 Primary Routes .......................................................................................................................................................... 20 3.3.2 Connecting Routes .................................................................................................................................................... 20 3.3.3 Express Routes ......................................................................................................................................................... 22 3.3.4 Other Affected Routes ............................................................................................................................................. 23 3.3.5 Other Operators ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 4 Operating Requirements ........................................................................................................................................................... 28 Appendix A: Southwest Existing Bus Transit Service Statistics .......................................................................................... 31 Appendix B: Southwest No Build Alternative Bus Transit Service Statistics ................................................................. 34 Appendix C: Southwest Build Alternative Bus Transit Service Statistics ........................................................................ 37 FIGURE 4-1 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 40 Appendix A: Southwest LRT Corridor-Existing Fall 2014-Sunday Regular Route Service Statistics ................ 43 Appendix B: Southwest LRT Corridor-2035 No Build Alternative-Regular Route Saturday Service Statistics ................................................................................................................................................................................. 45 Appendix B: Southwest LRT Corridor-2035 No Build Alternative-Regular Route Sunday Service Statistics .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 46 Appendix C: Southwest LRT Corridor-Build Alternative-Regular Route Sunday Service Statistics ............... 49 List of Figures Figure 1-1: Southwest Study Area Existing Service ........................................................................................................................ 5 Figure 1-2: Southwest Study Area Existing Service ........................................................................................................................ 6 Figure 2-1: Southwest Study Area Existing Service ...................................................................................................................... 14 Figure 3-1: Southwest No Build Alternative .................................................................................................................................. 19 Figure 3-2: Southwest Build Alternative .......................................................................................................................................... 27 Figure 4-1: Annual Operating Statistics .......................................................................................................................................... 29 This page is intentionally left blank. 1 Introduction This technical memorandum presents a summary of existing bus transit service in the Southwest corridor and the No Build and Build Alternative transit service plans for the Southwest LRT Project. Bus and rail service plans in the original Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Southwest LRT (METRO Green Line Extension) are several years old. This plan incorporates recent changes in the bus network and is updated to reflect changes to development patterns in the corridor. 1.1 Corridor Description The Southwest LRT (METRO Green Line Extension) is approximately 14.5 miles of new double track proposed as an extension of the METRO Green Line (Central Corridor LRT) which will operate from downtown Minneapolis through the communities of St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie, passing in close proximity to Edina (see Figure 1-1). July 2015 Figure 1-1: Southwest Study Area Existing Service Bus Operations Plan 5 SWLRT Rev. 2.00 July2015 The proposed alignment includes 16 new stations (including Eden Prairie Town Center Station that is deferred for construction at a later date), approximately 2,500 additional park-and-ride spaces, accommodations for passenger drop-off (kiss-and-ride), bicycle and pedestrian access, as well as new or restructured local bus routes connecting stations to nearby residential, commercial and educational destinations. Major activity centers from Eden Prairie to St. Paul, including UnitedHealth Group campuses, the Opus/Golden Triangle employment area, Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital, the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes, downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, the University of Minnesota, and the State Capitol area, will be accessible by a one-seat ride. Passengers will be able to connect to the greater METRO system, including METRO Blue Line (Hiawatha LRT), METRO Orange Line (I-35W BRT), Northstar Commuter Rail, METRO Red Line (Cedar Ave BRT) via Blue Line, and the planned METRO Blue Line Extension (Bottineau LRT) as well as future commuter rail, planned Arterial Bus Rapid Transit lines connecting at multiple locations on the METRO system. See Figure 1-2. 2040 regional map Figure 1-2: Southwest Study Area Existing Service Bus Operations Plan 6 SWLRT Rev. 2.00 July2015 The Metropolitan Council (Council) is the FTA grantee and will serve as the owner-operator of the completed Southwest LRT Line. The Southwest LRT will operate primarily at-grade and with structures providing grade separation of LRT crossings, roadways and water bodies at specified locations. For just under one half mile, it will operate