Capitol-area LRT stations incorporate additional accessibility features
The three Capitol area light-rail-transit (LRT) stations on the Central Corridor will have special features to better serve the large number of riders with disabilities who work at and visit the seat of state government and nearby Regions Hospital.
The Metropolitan Council, which is in charge of building the Central Corridor line, has a history of working with members of the disability community through its Transportation Accessibility Advisory Committee (TAAC). The TAAC is a committee of riders and advocates for the disability community who advise the Met Council on short- and long-range management plans and policies for special transportation services.
The Central Corridor LRT Project Office has gathered input from members of the disability community in designing stations and other aspects of the project. Among the people who have provided input are (from left) Ken Rodgers, Rozanne Severance and Margot Imdieke Cross, accessibility specialist with the Minnesota State Council on Disability.
Committee member Margot Imdieke Cross, accessibility specialist with the Minnesota State Council on Disability, recently met with project designers to learn more about the Rice Street, Capitol East and Tenth Street stations. The council describes itself as the “comprehensive disability resource for lawmakers, agencies, nonprofits, businesses and individuals with disabilities.”
Community input helps shape station design
“Input from Margot and her colleagues was one of the reasons for the standardized layout at all stations for ease of access, especially for the visually impaired,” said Robin Caufman, manager of public involvement for the Central Corridor LRT Project. “Margot has also provided input on the small details, such as working with the artists to ensure that there are no sharp or protruding objects that could pose a hazard to the visually impaired or a challenge to navigate for people in wheelchairs.
“Margot reminds the design team that these improvements benefit everyone, such as parents with strollers and visitors unfamiliar with the system,” Caufman said.
Many station features will improve accessibility
- Audible devices are being added to all signalized crossings on the Central Corridor line, including the Capitol area stations, to alert pedestrians of “walk” and “don’t walk” phases.
- All of the 18 new stations on the line from downtown St. Paul to downtown Minneapolis will be accessible from both station platform ends via a short walkway with a gradual incline that meets requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- All stations will have a standard layout for ticket vending machines and other elements for ease of use by all riders.
- The Rice Street Station has two additional mid-platform access points from the eastbound platform directly to Leif Erikson Park on the state Capitol grounds.
- Pedestrian access to the state Capitol from the Rice Street Station is via the signalized intersection of University Avenue and Park Street North/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
- A new traffic signal at 14th Street will allow accessible signalized crossings of Robert Street.
- Safety devices, which will feature red flashing lights and a bell activated by approaching trains, will control all pedestrian-only crossings.
Access to Capitol-area stations detailed
Graphic shows the design of the Rice Street Station near the State Capitol.
The Capitol-area stations and the key destinations accessed from them are:
- Rice Street Station will be east of Rice by Leif Erikson Park. There will be an accessible route from the station to the Capitol via a sidewalk along the south side of University.
- Capitol East Station will be on Robert in front of the Department of Health Building. The track alignment and the station platform locations on Robert necessitate directing pedestrian travel to the east side of Robert.
- Tenth Street Station will be in the middle of Cedar between Tenth and Eleventh streets in front of the Anderson Building. Access to the station is provided from the signalized intersections at Eleventh or Tenth.
In the Capitol area, the LRT tracks will run along the south side of University, east of Marion Street until Robert. At Robert, the track will turn from University and run on the west side of Robert. At 12th Street, the tracks turn right for a two-block jog on the north side of 12th, and then turn south on Cedar where they run in the center of the street.