Metropolitan Area Transit Finance Report
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This document is made available electronically by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library as part of an ongoing digital archiving project. http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/lrl.asp METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT FINANCE REPORT October 2018 The Council’s mission is to foster efficient and economic growth for a prosperous metropolitan region Metropolitan Council Members Alene Tchourumoff Chair Edward Reynoso District 9 Katie Rodriguez District 1 Marie McCarthy District 10 Lona Schreiber District 2 Sandy Rummel District 11 Jennifer Munt District 3 Harry Melander District 12 Deb Barber District 4 Richard Kramer District 13 Steve Elkins District 5 Jon Commers District 14 Gail Dorfman District 6 Steven T. Chávez District 15 Gary L. Cunningham District 7 Wendy Wulff District 16 Cara Letofsky District 8 The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning organization for the seven-county Twin Cities area. The Council operates the regional bus and rail system, collects and treats wastewater, coordinates regional water resources, plans and helps fund regional parks, and administers federal funds that provide housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. The 17-member Council board is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the governor. On request, this publication will be made available in alternative formats to people with disabilities. Call Metropolitan Council information at 651-602-1140 or TTY 651- 291-0904. Report Cost: The cost of preparing the report elements required by 2016 Minn. Stat. 174.93 is approximately $230,000 for Metropolitan Council, MnDOT transit agency and county staff to compile and analyze data, write and produce the report. Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Transit’s value in a growing region ............................................................................................ 1 Transit funding to meet growth projections ............................................................................... 1 The Regional Transit System ........................................................................................................ 3 Transit services ......................................................................................................................... 4 Transit ridership ......................................................................................................................... 5 Capacity Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 7 Existing transit system ............................................................................................................... 7 New dedicated transitways ........................................................................................................ 7 Arterial Bus Rapid Transitways ................................................................................................. 7 Other transit ............................................................................................................................... 8 Revenue and expenditure assumptions .................................................................................... 8 Capacity analysis summary ..................................................................................................... 11 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 29 Route Performance ..................................................................................................................... 30 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 30 Performance standards ........................................................................................................... 30 Performance measures ........................................................................................................... 30 Appendix A – Legislative Request .............................................................................................. 42 Appendix B – Summaries: Projects in Operation, Construction or Development ....................... 45 METRO Blue Line (Hiawatha Light Rail Transit) ..................................................................... 45 Northstar Commuter Rail ......................................................................................................... 50 METRO Red Line Highway Bus Rapid Transit (Cedar Avenue Transitway) ........................... 55 METRO Green Line (Central Corridor) Light Rail Transit ..................................................... 59 A Line (Snelling Avenue Arterial Bus Rapid Transit) ............................................................... 64 C Line (Penn Avenue Arterial Bus Rapid Transit) ................................................................... 68 METRO Orange Line (I-35W South Highway Bus Rapid Transit) ........................................... 72 METRO Green Line Extension (Southwest Light Rail Transit) .............................................. 77 METRO Blue Line Extension (Bottineau Light Rail Transit) ................................................... 82 METRO Gold Line (Gateway Corridor Dedicated Bus Rapid Transit) ..................................... 87 Rush Line Corridor Dedicated Bus Rapid Transit ................................................................... 90 Riverview Corridor Modern Streetcar ...................................................................................... 94 Appendix C – Summaries: Corridors with Study Recommendations – Incomplete Funding Plan .................................................................................................................................................... 98 D Line (Chicago-Emerson-Fremont Arterial Bus Rapid Transit) ............................................. 98 B Line (Lake Street – Marshall Avenue Arterial Bus Rapid Transit) ...................................... 102 E Line (Hennepin Avenue Arterial Bus Rapid Transit) .......................................................... 106 Nicollet-Central Modern Streetcar ......................................................................................... 109 METRO Red Line Highway Bus Rapid Transit (Cedar Avenue Transitway) – Future Stages .............................................................................................................................................. 113 Midtown Corridor Rail ........................................................................................................... 117 Red Rock Corridor Highway Bus Rapid Transit .................................................................... 120 West Broadway Modern Streetcar ........................................................................................ 124 Highway 169 Mobility Study (Highway Bus Rapid Transit).................................................... 127 Appendix D – Summaries: Corridors without Study Recommendations ................................... 130 Robert Street Corridor ........................................................................................................... 130 METRO Orange Line Extension ............................................................................................ 135 I-35W North ........................................................................................................................... 138 Ford Corridor ......................................................................................................................... 139 Appendix E – Intercity Passenger Rail Corridors ...................................................................... 141 Northern Lights Express (NLX) - Minneapolis to Duluth High Speed Passenger Rail .......... 141 Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago Intercity Passenger Rail Service Phase 1 Study ................ 145 Twin Cities to Milwaukee Portion - High Speed Rail Corridor to Chicago .......................... 148 Appendix F – Other Transit ....................................................................................................... 151 University of Minnesota ......................................................................................................... 151 Minnesota Department of Transportation – Team Transit ..................................................... 152 Appendix G – Transit System Financial Summary ................................................................... 154 Appendix H – Regional Route Performance Data Summaries ................................................. 155 2015 Route Performance Detail ............................................................................................ 155 2016 Route Performance Detail ............................................................................................ 170 2017 Route Performance Detail ............................................................................................ 184 Introduction In 2010 the Minnesota Legislature adopted Minn. Stat. 174.93, which required the Minnesota Department of Transportation to prepare, in collaboration with the Metropolitan Council, a biennial report on the status of “guideway” projects in the state, with an emphasis on funding sources and project progress. MnDOT, with the Council’s assistance, produced