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Minneapolis Streetcar System | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Locale | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
Transit type | Streetcar |
Number of lines | 5 |
The Minneapolis Streetcar System was a proposed streetcar system for the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Extensive studies and plans for the new system were completed in 2007 and presented to the Minneapolis City Council in January 2008; [1] on April 2, 2010, the Council voted to approve the plans and seek funding. [2] On December 21, 2010 the Federal Transit Administration granted $900,000 to further study the Nicollet and Central Avenue corridors. [3] In June 2021, after no further development on the system, a bill authorized the Metropolitan Council to use funds collected for the Nicollet-Central line to be spent on bus rapid transit funding. [4]
Based on similar federal funded streetcar programs in the USA (mainly Portland, Oregon) streetcars are rarely separated from other traffic and are not given traffic-signal priority over other vehicles (like Light rail), except in a few situations to allow the rail cars—which cannot turn as sharply as most other motor vehicles—to make some turns. In Portland, using this "mixed traffic" operation has reduced the cost of constructing each segment and—by not closing traffic lanes permanently to other traffic, as is typically done with light rail—also minimized disruption to traffic flow, and allows curbside parking to be retained, but also means slower operating speeds compared to light rail. Additional factors making the Portland Streetcar line less expensive to build per mile than light rail are that use of city streets largely eliminated the need to acquire private property for portions of the right-of-way, as has been necessary for the region's light rail lines, and that the vehicles' smaller size and therefore lighter weight has enabled the use of a "shallower track slab". The latter means that construction of the trackway necessitated excavating to a depth of only 12.2 inches (310 mm) instead of the conventional (for light rail) depth of around 18.3 inches (460 mm), significantly reducing the extent to which previously existing underground utilities had to be relocated to accommodate the trackway.
Each Portland streetcar is 66 feet (20.12 m) long, whereas light rail cars are typically 80 to 95 feet (24.38 to 28.96 m) long (Portland's Lightrail are between 80 and 95 feet (24.38 and 28.96 m). long) and streetcars are operated as single cars at all times, never coupled into trains. The shorter cars keeps station construction expense lower than would be the case for a light-rail station, but the smaller cars do not provide equal carrying capacity as that of a light-rail train. A single articulated Portland streetcar is only about one-third the length of a two-car Lightrail Trains. It can be assumed that the Minneapolis streetcars would follow similar design standards or acquire ex-Twin City Rapid Transit PCC streetcars from Newark City Subway.
Examples of Portland streetcars:
The streetcars would cost either as much as Metro light rail ($2.00 non-rush hour, $2.50 rush hour) or slightly less due to slower travel speeds ($2.05 all day-like Portland). Discounted fares for disabled riders and veterans would also apply. Ticket boxes would be the same ones used at Metro light rail and Northstar Commuter Rail stations, and would accept day, event 6 hour, metro, U, college, and student passes, as well as super savers.
Use of Nextrip signs would also be used at the stations, to allow riders to determine the time of the next arriving train or bus at the station. The streetcars would be operated by Metro Transit a division of the Metropolitan Council.
The current plans include five lines, [5] which with the exception of the Midtown Greenway line follow former Twin City Rapid Transit streetcar routes that were removed in the early 1950s. [6]
It appears that the Nicollet Ave/Central Ave Line would be the first line to be built, due to its importance in helping revitalize both Northeast and South Minneapolis
This line would run along Nicollet Avenue, Nicollet Mall and Central Avenue NE (Minnesota State Highway 65) from 46th Street South through Downtown Minneapolis (connecting to the Metro Blue and Green lines at Nicollet Mall Station) to the Columbia Heights Transit Center in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. The line would cross the Mississippi River via the Third Avenue Bridge. There is an at-grade railroad crossing at 36th Avenue NE that would have to be altered to ensure steady traffic flow for the streetcars. Other than the railroad crossing, there are no major construction or engineering issues along the corridor.
The total length of the line would be 9.6 miles (15.4 km). The cost of track for the line would be approximately $185 million. Ridership estimates for the line are around 14,500 to 17,500 weekday riders. Compared to the 30,500 riders per weekday on the 12.3 mile Blue Line from Target Field in Downtown Minneapolis to Mall of America. Travel time from the I-35W & 46th St. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Station to the Columbia Heights Transit Center would be approximately 35 minutes.
The route follows the northern leg of TCRT's Bloomington–Columbia Heights line and southern leg of TCRT's Nicollet–Northwest line.
This line would run along Lake Street between St. Louis Park & Hiawatha Avenue, connecting the future proposed Green Line extension, Metro Blue Line and several major housing sites together.
Although TCRT streetcars never ran along the rail corridor that is now the Midtown Greenway, the Minneapolis leg of the Selby-Lake line ran one block south on Lake Street.
This line would run from downtown along Hennepin Avenue from the Uptown Transit Center through Downtown Minneapolis (connecting with the Metro Blue and Green lines at Warehouse District / Hennepin Avenue Station) to University Avenue, continuing east to Oak Street. The line would cross the Mississippi River on the Hennepin Avenue Bridge.
The line would be 3.9 miles (6.3 km) long. The track would cost approximately $80 million. Ridership estimates for the line are approximately 9,500 to 12,000 weekday riders.
The route follows the TCRT's Oak–Harriet line.
This line would run along West Broadway (Hennepin County Road 81) and Washington Avenue from the Robbinsdale Transit Center to Nicollet Mall in Downtown Minneapolis.
The line would be 11.4 miles (18.3 km) long. The track would cost approximately $135 million. Estimated ridership for the line would be approximately 4,500 to 5,500 weekday riders.
The route follows TCRT's 28th Ave–Robbinsdale line.
This line would run along Chicago Avenue from 38th Street South to Nicollet Mall in Downtown Minneapolis via 9th and 10th streets. The line would then run along Nicollet Mall to 5th Street. It would terminate at Nicollet Mall Station on the Metro Blue and Green lines.
The line would be 3 miles (4.8 km) long. The cost of track for the line would be approximately $80 million. Ridership estimates for this line are approximately 11,000 to 13,000 riders on weekdays.
The route follows the southern leg of TCRT's Chicago–Penn line.
The Metro Blue Line is a 12-mile (19.3 km) light rail line in Hennepin County, Minnesota, that is part of the Metro network. It travels from downtown Minneapolis to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport and the southern suburb of Bloomington. Formerly the Hiawatha Line prior to May 2013, the line was originally named after the Milwaukee Road's Hiawatha passenger train and Hiawatha Avenue, reusing infrastructure from the former and running parallel to the latter for a portion of the route. The line opened June 26, 2004, and was the first light rail service in Minnesota. An extension, Bottineau LRT, is planned to open in 2028.
The Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT), also known as Twin City Lines (TCL), was a transportation company that operated streetcars and buses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Other types of transportation were tested including taxicabs and steamboats, along with the operation of some destination sites such as amusement parks. It existed under the TCRT name from a merger in the 1890s until it was purchased in 1962. At its height in the early 20th century, the company operated an intercity streetcar system that was believed to be one of the best in the United States. It is a predecessor of the current Metro Transit bus and light rail system that operates in the metro area.
Nicollet Mall is a twelve-block portion of Nicollet Avenue running through downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It is a shopping and dining district of the city, and also a pedestrian mall and transit mall. Along with Hennepin Avenue to the west, Nicollet Mall forms the cultural and commercial center of Minneapolis.
Nicollet Avenue is a major street in Minneapolis, Richfield, Bloomington, and Burnsville in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It passes through a number of locally well-known neighborhoods and districts, notably Eat Street in south Minneapolis and the traffic-restricted Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis.
Metro Transit is the primary public transportation operator in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest operator in the state. Although Metro Transit is one of the smallest transit systems for a large metropolitan area in the United States, it has previously been ranked as one of the best. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 38,794,700, or about 138,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023.
The Metro Green Line is an 11-mile (18 km) light rail line that connects the central business districts of Minneapolis and Saint Paul in Minnesota as well as the University of Minnesota. An extension is under construction that will extend the line to the southwest connecting St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. The line follows the path of former Metro Transit bus route 16 along University Avenue and Washington Avenue. It is the second light-rail line in the region, after the Blue Line, which opened in 2004 and connects Minneapolis with the southern suburb of Bloomington.
The Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue station station is a light rail station on the Blue Line and Green Line in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was the original northern terminus of the Blue Line until the new Target Field station opened on November 14, 2009 to provide access to the new Northstar Commuter Rail line.
Nicollet Mall station is a light rail station on the Metro Blue Line and Green Line in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Adjacent to the light rail platforms is the southbound Metro Orange Line bus rapid transit station Marquette & 5th Street.
Government Plaza station is a Metro light rail station on the Blue Line and Green Line in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The station is located on 5th Street South, between 3rd and 4th Avenues South in downtown Minneapolis. This station opened on June 26, 2004, with initial light rail service in the Twin Cities.
Lake Street is a major east-west thoroughfare between 29th and 31st streets in Minneapolis, Minnesota United States. From its western most end at the city's limits, Lake Street reaches the Chain of Lakes, passing over a small channel linking Bde Maka Ska and Lake of the Isles, and at its eastern most end it reaches the Mississippi River. In May 2020, the Lake Street corridor suffered extensive damage during local unrest following the murder of George Floyd. In August of the same year, city officials designated East Lake Street as one of seven cultural districts to promote racial equity, preserve cultural identity, and promote economic growth.
The Southwest LRT is an under–construction 14.5-mile (23.3 km) light rail transit corridor in Hennepin County, Minnesota, with service between Minneapolis and Eden Prairie. The estimated one-way travel time from Southwest Station in Eden Prairie to Target Field Station in Minneapolis is 32 minutes. The Southwest LRT will extend through St. Louis Park, Hopkins and Minnetonka along the route. Major locations on the line will include Bde Maka Ska, Cedar Lake, the Walker Art Center, the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Target Field in downtown Minneapolis.
The Bottineau LRT is a proposed light rail line extension in the Minneapolis – Saint Paul Metro area, projected to run northwest from Target Field station in downtown Minneapolis along County Road 81 to Brooklyn Park.
The Riverview Corridor is a transit corridor connecting Downtown Saint Paul and the Mall of America in Bloomington via the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. The corridor serves an area from the Saint Paul Union Depot to the Mall via a route along West 7th Street, which runs southwest from Downtown Saint Paul. The corridor creates a triangle connecting opposite ends of the Blue Line and Green Line.
Metro is a transit network in Minnesota serving the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. It also provides service to some suburban areas. As of 2022, the system consists of two light rail lines and five bus rapid transit (BRT) lines all of which are operated by the local public transit company: Metro Transit. The five lines connect Downtown Minneapolis and St Paul with the Bloomington, Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, Roseville, Richfield, Burnsville and Brooklyn Center.
The North South Line is a streetcar service of the Portland Streetcar system in Portland, Oregon, United States. Operated by Portland Streetcar, Inc. and TriMet, it travels approximately 4.1 miles (6.6 km) per direction from Northwest 23rd & Marshall to Southwest Lowell & Bond and serves 39 stations. The line connects Portland's Northwest District, Pearl District, downtown, Portland State University (PSU), and South Waterfront. It runs every day of the week between 15 and 18 hours per day and operates on headways of 15 to 20 minutes.
The Metro A Line is a bus rapid transit line in the Twin Cities, Minnesota operated by Metro Transit. The A Line operates primarily along the Snelling Avenue corridor and travels through the cities of Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Falcon Heights, and Roseville. From the Blue Line in Minneapolis, the line travels past Minnehaha Park, through the Highland Village commercial area, past Macalester College, and connects to the Green Line near Allianz Field. The line continues through Saint Paul, past Hamline University, before traveling through Falcon Heights and Roseville, where the line passes the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, Har Mar Mall, and terminates at Rosedale Center.
The Metro C Line is a bus rapid transit line in Brooklyn Center and Minneapolis, Minnesota operated by Metro Transit. The line is part of Metro Transit's Metro network of light rail and bus rapid transit lines. The route operates from the Brooklyn Center Transit Center along Penn Avenue and Olson Memorial Highway, terminating in downtown Minneapolis. The route is analogous to the existing Route 19 and is projected to increase ridership on this corridor from 7,000 to 9,000 by 2030. Eventually, part of its route will shift south to Glenwood Avenue from Olson Memorial Highway.
The Metro B Line is an under construction bus rapid transit route in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The route will operate mostly on Lake Street in Minneapolis before crossing the Mississippi River into St. Paul and operating mostly on Selby Avenue and ending in downtown St. Paul. The route was identified in Metro Transit's 2014 Arterial Transitway Corridors Study as one of eleven local routes to be upgraded to bus rapid transit. The route will have "train-like" features to speed up service, such as signal priority, all-door boarding, further stop spacing, and specialized vehicles. Planning and design was completed in 2021, with construction beginning in May 2023. The line will join a number of Metro Transit's future Metro system lines, as well as the currently operating A Line, C Line, and D Line. Full funding for the line was secured in October 2020 with a final $35 million from the state of Minnesota.
7th-8th Street & Nicollet is a bus rapid transit station on the Metro C Line and D Line in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. The station is located at the intersection of Nicollet Mall, with the northbound platform located on 7th Street and the southbound platform on 8th Street. The platforms are referred to as 7th Street & Nicollet and 8th Street & Nicollet, respectively. The station is located within the Downtown Minneapolis Fare Zone, where riders can travel in the zone for 50¢ with no transfers.
The Marq2 transit corridor is a north–south thoroughfare in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It consists of the parallel streets of Marquette and Second avenues in the downtown area. Each public streetway has two contraflow bus lanes with two lanes available for general-purpose traffic in the opposite direction. Vehicular transit flows south on Marquette Avenue and north on Second Avenue. The inner curb lane allows buses to stop for riders, while the second bus-only lane allows buses to pass each other along the corridor. Bus routes that operate on the corridor stop at every other block at an assigned gate with each route assigned a northbound and southbound gate. Gates are assigned letters A, B, C, or D on Marquette Avenue and E, F, G, and H on Second Avenue. Custom bus shelters are installed at each stop with heaters and real time transit information. The corridor primarily serves express buses operated by all five public transit agencies in the Twin Cities.