Monday, August 10, 2015
Green Line Stats
This is a really interesting article for all you policy data geeks about average daily boardings by station along the Green Line from an article in the Star Tribune.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Are Streetcars Losing Their Appeal
An article in MinnPost in April questioned whether the stunning economic development results that followed Portland's construction of streetcar lines was related to the streetcar or would have happened anyway due to a number of other favorable factors.
The MinnPost articlequotes a report to the Met Council that states, "....actual impact of streetcar investments on the local economy versus other City policies and development incentives is elusive and debatable." And also "lamenting the lack of solid research into the economics that would allow planners to isolate the effects of streetcars from other economic factors."
MinnPost continued, "Streetcars are also coming under attack from what might otherwise be a natural constituency — new urbanists who endorse more density and better transit." And, "St. Paul’s hopes for a streetcar are on hold until a study of light rail along the Riverview Corridor is completed. Nancy Homans, policy director for Mayor Chris Coleman, said the studies have asserted that there are no “fatal flaws” in the plans and the council has approved a starter alignment on E. 7th and W. 7th between Arcade Street and Randolph Street, part of the same route being considered for a potential Riverview light rail line between Union Depot and the airport."
The Mineta Institute stressed the need for more study of the impacts of streetcars, and suggested that they should be built as a transportation alternative and not as an economic development tool. "While that seems intuitive, the researchers found that many streetcar projects were primarily development tools, driven first by developers and downtown interests. Poor ridership, therefore, was downplayed in other cities “because the streetcar was not seen as primarily a transportation investment but instead as something else.”
MinnPost continued, "Streetcars are also coming under attack from what might otherwise be a natural constituency — new urbanists who endorse more density and better transit." And, "St. Paul’s hopes for a streetcar are on hold until a study of light rail along the Riverview Corridor is completed. Nancy Homans, policy director for Mayor Chris Coleman, said the studies have asserted that there are no “fatal flaws” in the plans and the council has approved a starter alignment on E. 7th and W. 7th between Arcade Street and Randolph Street, part of the same route being considered for a potential Riverview light rail line between Union Depot and the airport."
The Mineta Institute stressed the need for more study of the impacts of streetcars, and suggested that they should be built as a transportation alternative and not as an economic development tool. "While that seems intuitive, the researchers found that many streetcar projects were primarily development tools, driven first by developers and downtown interests. Poor ridership, therefore, was downplayed in other cities “because the streetcar was not seen as primarily a transportation investment but instead as something else.”
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
MinnPost Story on First Riverview Corridor Open House
Please click on this to view the MinnPost story by journalist Peter Callaghan.
"A decade and a half after falling victim to neighborhood objections and recession-era budget cuts — and just months from being targeted by the Metropolitan Council as an East Metro bus rapid transit corridor — it has been resurrected for a broader study of how to expand transit.
It could still end up being served by bus rapid transit, often referred to as BRT. It could also be designated for light rail, however. That’s what changed when Ramsey County decided to take a more-comprehensive look at the questions of which mode would best serve the area, and which route would work best," writes Callaghan.
"The 12-mile corridor connects the eastern termini of both the Blue Line and the Green Lines, completing the triangle formed by downtown Minneapolis, downtown St. Paul and the Mall of America. Ortega was in office when this corridor was first studied in the late 1990s.
“Twenty years ago I said this is the most-important corridor for St. Paul,” he said of the area that includes Lowertown, downtown, Upper Landing, the West 7th Neighborhood, the Highland Park Neighborhood, the airport, Bloomington’s South Loop and the Mall of America. Ortega said he thinks it could have a bigger economic impact on St. Paul than the Green Line," continues Callaghan." Callaghan interviewed Ramsey County Commissioner Rafael Ortega and Ward 3 City Councilmember Chris Tolbert for his story. He writes, "St. Paul City Council Member Chris Tolbert, whose Ward 3 includes parts of the corridor, thinks enough has changed in attitudes about mass transit since 2000 that residents will be willing to support transit improvements.
“I was in high school when the last planning went on,” Tolbert said. “There wasn’t a light rail line then. Now people have seen it and they think, ‘Hey, this is pretty good.’” Tolbert said he also thinks with more people living in downtown St. Paul, and with the potential of the 130-acre Ford site, that there is more economic development potential from a single-ride connection between existing employment centers downtown and the Mall of America area.
“It’s really a perfect time to be taking another look at this,” Tolbert said.
It could still end up being served by bus rapid transit, often referred to as BRT. It could also be designated for light rail, however. That’s what changed when Ramsey County decided to take a more-comprehensive look at the questions of which mode would best serve the area, and which route would work best," writes Callaghan.
"The 12-mile corridor connects the eastern termini of both the Blue Line and the Green Lines, completing the triangle formed by downtown Minneapolis, downtown St. Paul and the Mall of America. Ortega was in office when this corridor was first studied in the late 1990s.
“Twenty years ago I said this is the most-important corridor for St. Paul,” he said of the area that includes Lowertown, downtown, Upper Landing, the West 7th Neighborhood, the Highland Park Neighborhood, the airport, Bloomington’s South Loop and the Mall of America. Ortega said he thinks it could have a bigger economic impact on St. Paul than the Green Line," continues Callaghan." Callaghan interviewed Ramsey County Commissioner Rafael Ortega and Ward 3 City Councilmember Chris Tolbert for his story. He writes, "St. Paul City Council Member Chris Tolbert, whose Ward 3 includes parts of the corridor, thinks enough has changed in attitudes about mass transit since 2000 that residents will be willing to support transit improvements.
“I was in high school when the last planning went on,” Tolbert said. “There wasn’t a light rail line then. Now people have seen it and they think, ‘Hey, this is pretty good.’” Tolbert said he also thinks with more people living in downtown St. Paul, and with the potential of the 130-acre Ford site, that there is more economic development potential from a single-ride connection between existing employment centers downtown and the Mall of America area.
“It’s really a perfect time to be taking another look at this,” Tolbert said.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Erik Hare's blog post on Riverview Transit
Erick Hare is a member of the Technical Advisory Committee on the Riverview Corridor study. He recently posted in his blog about his observations and knowledge of West 7th Street transit study history. It is definitely worth a read.
Check out his blog in Barataria by clicking here.
He is asking the Fort Road community to enhance, modify, and add to these with input from everyone who is affected by this in our community.
Erik says, "Note that while this study has precluded the study of a streetcar or bus improvements on West Seventh, it doesn’t end them. Creating a high speed through line along existing trackage and/or Shepard Road cries out for a local service along Seventh that connects to the high speed line. The connections become critical in such a system, which is why I’m already focusing on how connections generally can be improved by this project." Administrator's note: The Riverview Corridor Study can look at a small start project such as a streetcar, as well as a new start project such as light rail, but it cannot end up recommending both.
Erik continues, "But it’s important to not get too far ahead of the project at this time. This is when we need public input more than anything else. While there are a lot of good ideas and obvious biases related to this project, they have to be evaluated based on what will serve people the best. That’s what matters most when spending a very large amount of public money."
"What do you think? All comments are most welcome. We’re just getting going on this thing and every bit of input helps," adds Erik Hare.
Check out his blog in Barataria by clicking here.
He is asking the Fort Road community to enhance, modify, and add to these with input from everyone who is affected by this in our community.
Erik says, "Note that while this study has precluded the study of a streetcar or bus improvements on West Seventh, it doesn’t end them. Creating a high speed through line along existing trackage and/or Shepard Road cries out for a local service along Seventh that connects to the high speed line. The connections become critical in such a system, which is why I’m already focusing on how connections generally can be improved by this project." Administrator's note: The Riverview Corridor Study can look at a small start project such as a streetcar, as well as a new start project such as light rail, but it cannot end up recommending both.
Erik continues, "But it’s important to not get too far ahead of the project at this time. This is when we need public input more than anything else. While there are a lot of good ideas and obvious biases related to this project, they have to be evaluated based on what will serve people the best. That’s what matters most when spending a very large amount of public money."
"What do you think? All comments are most welcome. We’re just getting going on this thing and every bit of input helps," adds Erik Hare.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Will Streetcars Revive the Glory Days of Urban Transit?
This article about transit in Tucson, Arizona ran in a January 2014 Governing magazine. Click on the teal-colored letters to link to the article.
Or are the reports of the death of driving great exaggerated? The Daily Planet explores car sales statistics. Hint: they are going up again. The author says, "The auto industry is booming again, with August's sales expected to top any month in the past 11 years."
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
TAB Update to 2014 Regional Solicitation
Excerpt from Metro Cities News, from the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, August 27, 2014:
The Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) is close to finalizing an update to the 2014 Regional Solicitation for projects applying for funding in 2018-19. The regional solicitation is the process by which the TAB expends federal transportation funds.
The update includes new methodology for incorporating affordable housing into the solicitation process, by using a city's Housing Performance Score, rather than the number of affordable housing units built. In previous solicitations, the affordable housing measure accounted for 4% of a score; in the new solicitation that measure now goes to 7%, across all modes. The solicitation also includes a new equity measure that will account for an additional 3 to 13% of an applicant's score, depending on the type of project, or mode. Under the new method, a combined equity and affordable housing score will account for 10% of the total score for roadway projects, 12% for bicycle and pedestrian projects, 20% for transit expansion projects, and 15% for transit modernization projects.
To receive the full points under the equity measure, a project must be located in a racially concentrated area of poverty (RCAP), which have been mapped by the Met Council HERE. Projects Located outside of RCAPS can receive up to 40% of the total equity points for serving populations of color, poverty, children, or the elderly.
The TAB took action at its September 17th meeting. The Met Council can accept or reject the Regional Solicitation recommendations of the TAB, but it is prohibited from making changes to the recommendations. If the Council rejects the solicitation, and if an agreement is not reached by year end, the regional could be at risk of losing approximately $150 million of federal transportation funds. The goal is to open the Regional Solicitation in early October so project applications have time to meet a November 24th application deadline.
Update: October 1, 2014 Metro Cities reports that the Met Council voted to concur with the TAB in releasing the Regional Solicitation.
The recommendation includes a new method for incorporating affordable housing into the solicitation, by using a city’s Housing Performance Score, rather than the number of affordable units built. In previous solicitations, the affordable housing measure accounted for 4% of a score; that measure now goes to 7%, across all modes. The solicitation also includes a new equity measure that will account for an additional 3-13% of an applicant’s score, depending on the type of project or mode. Under the new method, a combined equity and affordable housing score will account for 10% of a total score for roadway projects, 12% for bicycle and pedestrian projects, 20% for transit expansion projects and 15% for transit modernization projects.
The Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) is close to finalizing an update to the 2014 Regional Solicitation for projects applying for funding in 2018-19. The regional solicitation is the process by which the TAB expends federal transportation funds.
The update includes new methodology for incorporating affordable housing into the solicitation process, by using a city's Housing Performance Score, rather than the number of affordable housing units built. In previous solicitations, the affordable housing measure accounted for 4% of a score; in the new solicitation that measure now goes to 7%, across all modes. The solicitation also includes a new equity measure that will account for an additional 3 to 13% of an applicant's score, depending on the type of project, or mode. Under the new method, a combined equity and affordable housing score will account for 10% of the total score for roadway projects, 12% for bicycle and pedestrian projects, 20% for transit expansion projects, and 15% for transit modernization projects.
To receive the full points under the equity measure, a project must be located in a racially concentrated area of poverty (RCAP), which have been mapped by the Met Council HERE. Projects Located outside of RCAPS can receive up to 40% of the total equity points for serving populations of color, poverty, children, or the elderly.
The TAB took action at its September 17th meeting. The Met Council can accept or reject the Regional Solicitation recommendations of the TAB, but it is prohibited from making changes to the recommendations. If the Council rejects the solicitation, and if an agreement is not reached by year end, the regional could be at risk of losing approximately $150 million of federal transportation funds. The goal is to open the Regional Solicitation in early October so project applications have time to meet a November 24th application deadline.
Update: October 1, 2014 Metro Cities reports that the Met Council voted to concur with the TAB in releasing the Regional Solicitation.
The recommendation includes a new method for incorporating affordable housing into the solicitation, by using a city’s Housing Performance Score, rather than the number of affordable units built. In previous solicitations, the affordable housing measure accounted for 4% of a score; that measure now goes to 7%, across all modes. The solicitation also includes a new equity measure that will account for an additional 3-13% of an applicant’s score, depending on the type of project or mode. Under the new method, a combined equity and affordable housing score will account for 10% of a total score for roadway projects, 12% for bicycle and pedestrian projects, 20% for transit expansion projects and 15% for transit modernization projects.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Streetcar Study Hearing at City Council on July 9, 2014
The City Council held a public hearing on authorizing a further study of the East 7th/West 7th corridor for potential streetcar construction on July 9, 2014. The agenda item was identified as: "Approving the Saint Paul streetcar network, and authorizing a detailed study of East to West Seventh from Arcade to Randolph, for the potential of a starter streetcar line."
Click here for video of the full hearing of that agenda item.
The resolution was adopted by the City Council on a vote of 6-0. Councilmember Thune voted for the resolution, saying that this is a vote for the future.
Click here for video of the full hearing of that agenda item.
The resolution was adopted by the City Council on a vote of 6-0. Councilmember Thune voted for the resolution, saying that this is a vote for the future.
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