Congestion mitigation in west metro’s lake country
Council Chair Peter Bell fields questions in western suburbs
ST. PAUL – Nov. 26, 2008 – Congestion mitigation in the metro’s lake country in the western suburbs was a topic of conversation during a recent “District Dialogue” in Wayzata between the Metropolitan Council and elected officials from Lake Minnetonka-area communities.
“We all want traffic that flows. It adds to a higher quality of life,” said State Senator Terri Bonoff, Minnetonka, who asked about securing funds for commuter rail.
“I understand the interest in trains, but we also need to look closely at options that include bus rapid transit, primarily due to the significant difference in cost,” responded Metropolitan Council Chair Peter Bell.
Bell was joined by the District 3 representative on the Council, Mary Hill Smith, at the Nov. 3 session. Chair Bell, along with Council members, is meeting with city, county and state officials throughout the region this year, hearing time and again that transportation investment and congestion rank among the top local and regional concerns.
Light rail costs $60 million to $100 million per mile to build, which underscores the need for population density to make it work efficiently. With continued growth anticipated in the southwestern part of the region, an LRT line is under consideration that would extend from Minneapolis to Eden Prairie.
“Hennepin County is leading the initiative on the planning work and getting the Draft Environmental Impact Study completed,” said Charles Carlson, Facilities Planner for Metro Transit. Once a preferred alternative is recommended to the Metropolitan Council, the Council would take over the project as it moves into the following three phases of engineering, final design and construction.
With a possible Southwest LRT Corridor still years away, Chair Bell encouraged the use of bus transit and park-and-ride lots to reduce congestion. Metropolitan Council District 3 has 13 park-and-rides with a total of 2,534 spaces for either car pools or those taking the bus. The Metropolitan Council made a major investment in the facility at County Road 73 and Hopkins Crossroads in the past year, expanding the lot to 1020 spaces.
“Increasing the number of rides and riders rank among our top priorities,” said Chair Bell, who would like to see transit cover more of its operational costs with actual riders.
“We’re working to double ridership numbers by 2030, to nearly 150 million rides a year, in the metropolitan area.” Bell added that one-third of the funding for transit currently comes from the farebox, and the state subsidizes most of the rest.
Full listing of the Park-and-Ride facilities in the west metro:
Facility |
Capacity |
Usage |
Year Established |
|---|---|---|---|
Southwest Station (SW Transit) & St. Andrew Church (overflow) |
974 |
949 |
2002 |
County Road 73- North and South |
1020 |
467 |
1975/2007 |
Plymouth Road Transit Center |
111 |
108 |
1992 |
Wayzata Blvd & Barry Ave |
102 |
72 |
1981 |
Hwy 212 & Shady Oak Rd (SW Transit) |
72 |
48 |
1988 |
Hopkins Transit Center |
52 |
28 |
1980 |
Mound Transit Center |
50 |
35 |
2007 |
Preserve Village Mall (SW Transit) |
50 |
26 |
2002 |
Hwy 7 & Vine Hill Rd |
27 |
16 |
1994 |
Minnetonka Blvd & Steele St |
25 |
14 |
1975 |
Navarre Center |
25 |
24 |
1980 |
Excelsior City Hall |
20 |
26 |
1976 |
Minnetonka Blvd & Baker Rd |
16 |
13 |
1975 |
Total |
2,534 |
1,826 |
|
The Council’s “District Dialogues” have coincided with public outreach efforts on the draft update of the 2030 Transportation Policy Plan, a long-range plan for transportation investment in the region that is updated every four years, as required by the federal government.
Main elements of the plan:
- Focus on bridge investments and highway preservation, as required by state law, which will use a significant share of the resources made available by the state Legislature;
- Focus remaining resources on maximizing existing highway capacity by investing in low-cost/high-benefit highway projects that help mitigate congestion “choke points.” An example is the third lane added to Highway 100 in St. Louis Park;
- Continue the commitment to doubling transit ridership and expanding the bus system;
- Identify corridors for future investment in light rail, commuter rail and bus rapid transit, with the Southwest Corridor between Minneapolis and Eden Prairie jockeying for position as the next light rail corridor in the region with the Bottineau Corridor between Minneapolis and the northwest suburbs.
The Council expects to adopt the draft plan in January 2009.
The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning agency for the seven-county metro area. The Council runs the regional bus and light rail system; collects and treats wastewater and manages water resources preservation; plans regional parks and administers funds that provide housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. The 17-member Metropolitan Council is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Minnesota Governor.
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