New bus route 612 to serve Minnetonka and Hopkins

Contact: Bonnie Kollodge
651-6020-1357

ST. PAUL--May 2, 2008--Beginning May 31, west-metro residents will have a new east-west bus route traveling between Minnetonka and Hopkins, providing job seekers access to employment centers in both cities. Funding for the new service comes from a federal Job Access and Reverse Commute grant, which supports transportation services that improve access to employment opportunities.

The new Route 612 will provide eight eastbound and eight westbound trips on weekdays, and 10 eastbound and nine westbound trips on Saturdays. The route will travel primarily on County Road 101 and Excelsior Boulevard, serving retail destinations in Minnetonka and downtown Hopkins.

The route will be operated by Transit Team through a contract with the Metropolitan Council. It is considered a demonstration project, lasting at least through September 2009.

When preparing for Route 612, planners at Metro Transit identified more than 4,500 entry-level jobs in the route’s service area. Customers who take Route 612 also can transfer in downtown Hopkins to Route 12 and Route 615, providing access to even more employment centers such as Opus, Ridgedale, Knollwood, Uptown and downtown Minneapolis.

The cash fare for Route 612 is $2 during weekday rush hours and $1.50 at other times.

To celebrate the new service, transit customers can get a free children’s ticket to see You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown at Stages Theatre in downtown Hopkins. To get the offer, customers must present a valid transit pass, bus transfer or rail ticket at the Stages Theatre Box Office and buy one adult ticket to the show. The production runs June 27-Aug. 3.

For trip planning services, customers can get route and schedule information by calling the Transit Information Center at 612-373-3333 or by using the interactive Trip Planner at www.metrotransit.org.

The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning organization for the seven-county Twin Cities area. The Council runs the regional bus and light rail system, collects and treats wastewater, coordinates regional water resources, plans regional parks and administers funds that provide housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. The Council board is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the governor.

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