 |
For immediate release: June 30, 2011
Contact: Hilary Reeves, Transit for Livable Communities: 651-767-0298 x115 (days); 612-554-1795 (evenings); hilaryr@tlcminnesota.org
Potential cuts could shutter park and rides and eliminate commuter routes
June 30, 2011 (Saint Paul, Minn.)--Faced with possible loss of nearly all state general funding, Metro Transit released a preliminary plan that would result in dramatic cuts to transit service throughout the Twin Cities metro area. In addition to cuts, fares could be raised $0.25 to $0.50 per trip. Service overall could be reduced by at least 25%. Metro Transit released this proposed plan for public review as part of federal requirements when major changes to the fare structure and route schedule are being considered.
“These potential cuts are a huge step backwards for the Twin Cities," said Bill Neuendorf, Director of Advocacy for Transit for Livable Communities. “While the funds Metro Transit receives from the state’s general fund are less than 1% of the statewide budget, they make the difference in Metro Transit providing service to more than a hundred thousand riders every day.”
Additional details about Metro Transit’s approach to determining fare increases and service reductions can be found at: http://metrocouncil.org/media/2011/TransitReductionPlanningJun27.pdf. This chart (page 15 of the pdf) identifies some of the Metro Transit bus routes that are under strong consideration for being eliminated. These potential cuts impact not only the central cities and first-ring suburbs, but also most regions of the metropolitan area, from Anoka and Coon Rapids to Lakeville and Stillwater.
From Metro Transit PDF. Routes in red are part of one scenario for dealing with a possible $109m cut in funding.
According to Metro Transit’s presentation, ninety percent (90%) of all existing Metro Transit bus routes are likely to be impacted. Many popular commuter routes could be eliminated despite their high ridership. Direct service to the University of Minnesota could be replaced with local routes. Remaining routes are proposed to have less frequent service, truncated service, and shorter hours of operation.
According to a March 2011 policy brief from Transit for Livable Communities, a fare hike of $0.50 will result in the Twin Cities region having one of the most expensive base fares in the country. Since 2000, base transit fares in the Twin Cities have nearly doubled from $1.00 to $1.75. Although higher fares reduce ridership, transit providers have little choice when operating funds are reduced. Metro Transit has one of the highest levels of “fare box recovery” in the nation, meaning that transit riders here pay more of the cost of operating the system than in peer cities.
Many of the express commuter routes bringing people to and from the downtown business centers are under consideration to be eliminated. Business commuters are among the many groups of riders that would be heavily impacted by these cuts. While these routes have strong ridership, they are among the most costly to operate. Fuel costs are higher (due to the longer distances traveled) and ridership is typically one-way. (In the morning, buses are full headed into the downtowns but are mostly empty as they return outbound. The same is true in reverse in the evening--buses full outbound but empty coming back.)
Metro Transit is holding two public meetings to gather input from transit riders and other concerned parties about how to prioritize and implement potential cuts. The meetings will be held as follows:
- Saint Paul: Wednesday, July 6 – 5:30 to 6:30 PM in the main floor chambers of the Metropolitan Council, 390 N. Robert Street in Saint Paul
- Minneapolis: Thursday, July 7 – 11:30 AM to 1 PM in the Doty Board Room of the Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Transit riders are strongly encouraged to attend these meetings and express their concerns. Input can also be provided in writing to the Metropolitan Council or by contacting the Senators and Representatives at the State Capitol. For additional information visit the Metropolitan Council website at: http://www.metrocouncil.org/newsletter/transit2011/TransitHearingsJun23.htm. Information can also be found on the Metro Transit website: http://www.metrotransit.org/TransitArticles/Story.aspx?pageid=18&mid=393&articleid=460.
Additional public hearings are tentatively scheduled for August to address specific changes to specific routes.
Metro Transit, a service of the Metropolitan Council, provides the majority of mass transit service in the Twin Cities region. Their operational funding is provided by four primary sources: the state’s general fund, a portion of the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST) revenues, federal funding, and fares paid by riders. The State Legislature proposes to reduce general fund support by 85%. This is a cut of $109 million over the two year budget period.
ABOUT TRANSIT FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES Transit for Livable Communities (TLC) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to reform Minnesota’s transportation system. Through advocacy, organizing, education, and research, TLC promotes a balanced transportation system that encourages transit, walking, bicycling, and thoughtful development. www.tlcminnesota.org
# # #
| Metro Transit Routes Under Consideration to be Eliminated |
| Route |
Cities Served |
| 14 |
Robbinsdale, Golden Valley |
| 59 |
Coon Rapids, Spring Lake Park, Blaine |
| 75 |
West St Paul, Inver Grove Heights |
| 111 |
Bloomington, Richfield, Edina |
| 219 |
Mahtomedi, Willernie, Pine Springs, Birchwood |
| 219 |
Landfall, Oakdale, Maplewood, Birchwood |
| 223 |
Rosedale, Little Canada, Maplewood |
| 225 |
Roseville, Arden Hills |
| 250 |
Lino Lakes, Circle Pines |
| 261 |
North Oaks, Arden Hills, Roseville |
| 262 |
Shoreview, North Oaks, Vadnais Heights, Little Canada, Roseville |
| 265 |
White Bear Lake, Gem Lake |
| 265 |
White Bear Lake |
| 270 |
Mahtomedi, Willernie, Pine Springs, Birchwood |
| 270 |
Maplewood |
| 275 |
Lino Lakes, Centerville, North Oaks, Vadnais Heights |
| 275 |
Lino Lakes, Centerville, North Oaks |
| 288 |
Forest Lake, Scandia |
| 294 |
Stillwater, Oak Park Heights, Lake Elmo, Oakdale |
| 294 |
Oakdale, Lake Elmo, Stillwater, Oak Park Heights |
| 350 |
St Paul |
| 361 |
Cottage Grove, Newport |
| 364 |
Cottage Grove, Newport |
| 365 |
Cottage Grove, Newport |
| 375 |
Woodbury, Landfall, Oakdale |
| 415 |
Mendota Heights, Bloomington |
| 417 |
Mendota Heights, West St Paul |
| 452 |
West St Paul, Mendota Heights |
| 467 |
Lakeville |
| 477 |
Lakeville, Apple Valley, Eagan |
| 539 |
Bloomington, Richfield, Edina |
| 542 |
Bloomington, Richfield, Edina |
| 552 |
Bloomington, Richfield, Edina |
| 558 |
Bloomington, Richfield, Edina |
| 568 |
Bloomington, Richfield, Edina |
| 578 |
Bloomington, Richfield, Edina |
| 589 |
Bloomington, Richfield, Edina |
| 597 |
Bloomington, Richfield, Edina |
| 615 |
Hopkins |
| 664 |
Minnetonka |
| 667 |
Minnetonka |
| 670 |
Spring Park, Minnetonka Beach, Tonka Bay, Excelsior, Greenwood, Deephaven, Woodland |
| 671 |
Spring Park, Minnetonka Beach, Tonka Bay, Excelsior, Greenwood, Deephaven, Woodland |
| 674 |
Orono, Wayzata, Long Lake |
| 677 |
Mound, Spring Park, Minnetonka Beach, Wayzata |
| 705 |
Golden Valley, New Hope, Osseo |
| 716 |
Osseo, Brooklyn Center, Crystal |
| 724 |
Osseo, Brooklyn Center |
| 766 |
Anoka, Champlin, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center |
| 767 |
New Hope, Crystal, Brooklyn Center |
| 805 |
Anoka, Coon Rapids, Spring Lake Park |
| 811 |
Anoka |
| 831 |
Blaine, Coon Rapids |
| 850 |
Coon Rapids,Spring Lake Park, Mounds View, |
| 854 |
Blaine, Coon Rapids, Spring Lake Park |
| Prepared by: Transit for Livable Communities, June 30, 2011 |
|
|
| Note (1): This summary is limited to the bus service provided by Metro Transit.In some areas, additional transit service is provided by other providers. |
| Note (2): At this time, Metro Transit has not released specific changes to specific route numbers. Transit for Livable Communities has analyzed the "Concept Bus Service Plan" (dated June 27, 2011) in light of the current route map available from Metro Transit to identify commuter routes under consideration for elimination. Route numbers should be considered preliminary until Metro Transit announces specific details on or about July 29, 2011. |
Contact:
Hilary Reeves
651-767-0289 x115
hilaryr@tlcminnesota.org St. Paul (July 21, 2010)—Transit for Livable Communities proudly announces that Barb Thoman is the organization’s new executive director. Thoman assumes leadership of the organization she co-founded in 1996. Transit for Livable Communities (TLC) was an early advocate for the Hiawatha light rail line and has helped win new funding for bus and rail statewide. With 10,000 advocates statewide, TLC is today the state’s leading transportation advocacy organization and administers Bike Walk Twin Cities, a federal pilot program to encourage bicycling and walking. “Barb is well-known as a persistent leader for more and better transportation choices—a system of bus and rail and routes for biking and walking that serves all Minnesotans and contributes to sustainable economic development. Our state and nation are moving forward in new ways. With Barb’s vision and guidance, TLC will keep Minnesota at the forefront of these exciting changes,” said Jennifer Munt, TLC board chair. Thoman has been acting executive director since March, 2010. She has worked in various capacities at TLC in her many years with the organization: co-authoring many of TLC’s research reports, lobbying for transit funding and complete streets, and working on the organization’s bike/walk program. Before starting TLC, Thoman worked for a decade in the field of solid waste management in Winona and St. Paul, Minnesota, and Sacramento, California. “I am honored to take leadership of this organization at this time. And I am grateful for the many partners in this work—at all levels of government and among our members and allies. We are excited to be a leader in a national movement toward more just, affordable, and sustainable transportation,” Thoman said. “We all spend money every day on transportation—sometimes in ways that are hard to see. By advocating for a more transparent and more multi-modal transportation system, we can bring more options to our residents and, at the same time, bolster our health and our economy. Smart transportation is the way to move Minnesota forward,” she said. The naming of Thoman as executive director follows a national search and interviews with a number of outside candidates with a range of policy and management experience. Transit for Livable Communities, with offices in St. Paul, has a staff of 13 full time employees. Further information about Transit for Livable Communities is available at www.tlcminnesota.org and about Bike Walk Twin Cities at www.bikewalktc.org. ###
St. Paul, MN (March 15, 2010)—A coalition of organizations
(including Transit for Livable Communities, Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1005, Fresh Energy, ISAIAH, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Minnesota Public Interest Research Group, Minnesota Public Transit Association, 1000 Friends of Minnesota, and the Sierra Club) condemn Governor Pawlenty’s choice to line-item veto public transit projects
from the bonding/jobs bill as a choice that moves Minnesota in the wrong direction.
“This veto stalls progress on a truly multimodal transportation system that
will drive Minnesota’s economy in the 21st century. The vetoed
projects will have to move forward,” said Dave Van Hattum of Transit for
Livable Communities, “—if not this year, then next in order to keep the state
from gridlock.”
At a time when interest rates and construction bids are low,
and Minnesotans are out of work, funding transit would have been the wise
choice, creating jobs today by investing in the transit system for tomorrow. In
addition, the Governor’s veto hinders Minnesota’s ability to compete for key
matching federal funds for transitways.
Among the specific items lost in this veto were park-n-ride
facilities along the Red Rock and I-94 corridors and transit facilities along
the Cedar Avenue corridor.
Washington County Commissioner Myra Peterson said, “The
existing park and rides are full. Both park and ride projects were supported by
the Counties Transit Improvement Board, the Met Council, Washington and Ramsey
Counties, and the communities involved.”
Building these projects would have created immediate jobs
and saved Minnesotans money. “With gas prices and air-quality alerts on the
rise, new park-n-ride locations also would keep hard-earned dollars in Minnesotans’
wallets and reduce congestion,” Van Hattum said. In January, a new park-n-ride
opened in Anoka to overwhelming success. The Met Council reported recently that
there is great, unmet demand for transit: more than three times the number of
current transit riders say they would like to ride transit if they could.
Transit projects lead to substantial job creation, allow
Minnesota residents to get to work in an economical fashion, and drive economic
growth. They provide access and congestion relief for drivers—in both cars and
trucks—allowing people and goods to move through the metropolitan region, where
more than three-fourths of recent statewide population growth has occurred.
Mn/DOT identified $29 million in Greater Minnesota bonding
needs that included Mankato, Rochester, Duluth, Northfield and Stewartville.
Bus service provides critical connections for Greater Minnesota residents,
which is why Mn/DOT listed Greater Minnesota Transit in their top three bonding
priorities.
“We applaud the House and Senate for passing a bonding bill
that would effectively put people back to work,” Van Hattum said, “We regret
Governor Pawlenty’s choice to veto transit projects that would benefit
Minnesota’s immediate and long-term economy and all of its residents.”
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 1, 2010 CONTACT:
Cosabeth Bullock, 202-478-6128
cbullock@mrss.com
Ben Grossman-Cohen, 202-478-6185
bgrossman-cohen@mrss.com
With jobs, the economy our quality of life in the balance,
Congress must act now on authorization
WASHINGTON
D.C. – As the national transportation program faces fiscal uncertainty
today following Sen. Jim Bunning’s (R-KY) refusal to extend legislation
to fund transportation and other national programs on Friday, James
Corless, campaign director of Transportation 4 America, released the
following statement: “The problem is not simply that one
Senator was able to thwart a crucial, timely vote. That lone Senator
was able to shut down our nation’s transportation program only because
Congress has left this essential underpinning of our economy on
life-support for far too long. The highway trust fund we created to
build the interstates in the 1950s simply is not up to the job of
building and maintaining the system we need for the 21st century. This
is not a backburner issue, even if Congress has been treating it as
one. “While we lurch, from extension to extension, with our
transportation program teetering on the brink of insolvency, the rest
of the world is not standing still. China is building a $500 billion
rail network. Canada, whose hockey team just beat us for the gold
medal, is beating us in building efficient urban transportation
networks, even as our public transportation systems are being forced to
slash service in the face of Congressional inaction. “American
jobs – millions of them -- are relying on the authorization of our
transportation program. Americans everywhere depend on an efficient,
safe and accessible network of roads and transit systems to get to work
each day. If we are going to right this economy permanently, Congress
must quickly address our nation’s outdated transportation program and
ensure stable funding levels for public transportation, including
operating assistance for struggling systems, for the repair and
maintenance of our highways and bridges, and a robust investment in
projects that will make our communities sustainable for the long haul.” ###
Transportation 4 America
is a broad coalition of housing, environmental, equal opportunity,
public health, urban planning, transportation and other organizations
focused on creating a 21st century national transportation program. The
coalition’s goal is to build a modernized infrastructure and healthy
communities where people can live, work and play by aligning national,
state, and local transportation policies with an array of issues like
economic opportunity, climate change, energy security, health, housing
and community development. www.t4america.org
For Immediate Release:
February 17th, 2010
Contact:
Hilary Reeves
Transit for Livable Communities
651-767-0298 x115 (cell: 612-554-1795)
HilaryR@tlcminnesota.org
St. Paul, MN — Today’s announcement of
$1.5 billion in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grants
again highlighted a new direction for transportation in the United States. “The TIGER funding of $35 million for a Union
Depot transit hub marks a significant step forward in developing an integrated
transit system that connects people from all parts of our metropolitan area,
east and west,” said Dan Hoxworth, executive Director for Transit for Livable
Communities.
The
Union Depot project will be the hub of an east metro system that includes interstate
high speed rail, the Central Corridor Light Rail project, Red Rock commuter
rail from Hastings, the Rush Line rail/bus rapid transit line from Forest Lake,
an extension of the Northstar commuter rail to St. Paul and improved local and
regional bus and bike connections.
“On
a larger scale, the TIGER investments signal a shift in federal policies such
that all types of transportation investments compete under the same
criteria—criteria that reward livability, environmental protection, and
economic development in addition to cost-effectiveness, whatever the
community—urban, suburban, or rural,” Hoxworth said. “We congratulate the Obama Administration on this new approach,” Hoxworth
said.
Few traditional highway
expansion projects made the list of TIGER-funded projects: 26% went to transit,
25% to freight rail, 23% to highway, 19% to multi-modal/other, and 8% ports. TLC, which administers the
Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program known as Bike Walk Twin Cities, was
pleased to see funding for similar efforts in Indianapolis and Philadelphia as
well as a TIGER grant for a Complete Street project for our neighbors in
Dubuque, Iowa.
“This funding pattern is good
for jobs,” Hoxworth said, citing a recent study by USPIRG and Smart Growth
America indicating that spending on transit projects creates more jobs than
spending on roads. “These TIGER investments will help maintain our nation’s infrastructure
in good condition and provide more options for moving people and goods.”
Neither of the two major
highway expansion projects proposed by the Minnesota Department of
Transportation – the $201 million expansion of the I-494/TH-169 interchange in
the southwest metro and the $582 million new bridge proposed over the St. Croix
River south of Stillwater received any funding. Two other freight rail projects
and a port project proposed by MnDOT, and projects proposed by other cities and
counties also did not receive funding.
“Given
this new federal direction, it is incumbent on the Twin Cities region and the
state to adjust our plans and investment strategies accordingly,” Hoxworth
said. “A good next step would be approval of the state GO bonding bill with the
maximum amount for transit-way and trail projects and approving the state-wide
Complete Streets legislation. For too many years Minnesota has lost out in the
competition for federal transit dollars. A state-wide commitment to a more
multi-modal future – as in the Union Depot project – will ensure that the
federal government will be our funding partner.”
### Transit for Livable Communities is a nonpartisan,
non-profit organization working to reform Minnesota’s transportation
system. Through advocacy, organizing, and research, Transit for Livable
Communities promotes a balanced transportation system that encourages
transit, walking, biking, and transit-oriented development. www.tlcminnesota.org
Contact: Katie Eukel John Bailey
Transit for Livable Communities 1000 Friends of Minnesota
651-767-0298 x115 651-315-1477
KatieE@tlcminnesota.org jbailey@1000fom.org Stimulus Funding: Repair Our Roads before Expanding Metro Highways
Local Organizations Call on State Transportation Leaders to Prioritize Repair and Provide Transparent Decision-Making [SAINT PAUL, MN] — Cities, counties, and MnDOT have submitted transportation project lists dominated by requests for repair of streets, sidewalks, and trails, but a proposal to fund two proposed highway expansion projects could eat up the bulk of the metro area stimulus money. At three meetings between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in the Metropolitan Council Chambers on Wednesday (March 18), the Transportation Advisory Board of the Metropolitan Council and MnDOT will discuss the allocation of the metropolitan portion of transportation funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), known as “the stimulus package.” The metro portion is half of Minnesota’s $502 million in surface transportation program funding. At previous meetings, the Transportation Advisory Board has discussed two major projects - an $84 million expansion of TH-610 and a $171 million expansion of the I-169/494 interchange. “The Twin Cities region has one of the most extensive highway systems in the country, while our rapid transit system is in its infancy. It’s time that we focus on the backlog of road repair projects and then add to our fledgling transit, bicycle, and pedestrian networks,” said Barb Thoman, Program Consultant at Transit for Livable Communities. States have wide latitude to use the funding, despite erroneous early reports that funds could only be used for highways. A report released today entitled Spending the Stimulus identifies 20 uses for stimulus dollars that would address long-neglected transportation priorities. Sample projects identified in the report would:
- Create jobs that advance a quick and lasting economic recovery,
- Repair crumbling roadways and bridges, and retrofit streets for safe walking and biking, and
- Provide transportation options that reduce household transportation costs, traffic congestion, oil dependency, greenhouse gas emissions, and vulnerability to gas prices.
Click Here for the full report. According to a poll released in January by the National Association of Realtors, an overwhelming 80 percent of Americans believe it is more important that the stimulus funding include efforts to repair existing highways and public transit rather than to build new highways. Repair projects have also been shown to create 16% more jobs, and to do so faster, than those that build new highway capacity. They also save money; drivers save on avoided repair damage to their cars from potholes, and the DOT saves money through timely preventive maintenance scheduling. “We commend MnDOT for prioritizing road maintenance in its selected list of projects for Greater Minnesota,” said John Bailey, Policy Director at 1000 Friends of Minnesota. “We would like to have seen a few more transit, trail, and pedestrian projects, but it’s clear that repair won out over expansion in Greater Minnesota, which is great.” Initial reports also indicated that states might have only 90 days to allocate the money. The stimulus package specified that transportation departments get 120 days to allocate half of the money and a full year to allocate the remainder. The money overseen by the Transportation Advisory Board and the Metropolitan Council has a one year deadline. This should provide ample time for pubic engagement, but to date, no process for engaging the public has been announced. Click here for a link to a two-page summary of the stimulus and transportation in Minnesota, which specifies the money available, the deadlines and the decision-makers. Click here for a link to a two-page overview of highway system size in the Twin Cities and peer regions. # # # Transit for Livable Communities is a regional nonpartisan organization working to reform Minnesota’s transportation system. Through advocacy, research, and organizing, it promotes a balanced transportation system that encourages transit, walking, bicycling, and thoughtful development. 1000 Friends of Minnesota is a statewide nonprofit membership organization dedicated to addressing the important connections between our development patterns and the health of our communities and the environment. Their mission is to promote development that creates healthy communities while conserving natural areas, family farms, woodlands and water.
Bike Walk Twin Cities Announces Projects Totaling More Than $4 Million in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Edina
Contacts: Katie Eukel, Transit for Livable Communities - 651.767.0298, Ext. 115
Cathy Kennedy - 612.309.3951
Ryan Maus, U of M, 612.624.1690
Jeremy Hanson, Office of the Mayor, 612-673-2785
Minneapolis (March 10, 2009) – Two ground-breaking bicycling programs, laying the groundwork for the next generation of bike travel in the Twin Cities, were announced today by Transit for Livable Communities (TLC), the nonprofit organization that administers Bike Walk Twin Cities.
Topping the list of new metro investments to increase biking and walking in the Twin Cities were:
- A bike share program, featuring 1,000 bikes located at 75 security kiosks throughout Minneapolis, and
- A first-of-its kind frequent bike rider program, powered by a radio frequency identity system (RFID), which will be installed in conjunction with the new University of Minnesota Bike Center.
These two endeavors plus four other biking and walking projects will receive more than $4 million in grants from Bike Walk Twin Cities, a federally-funded program to increase biking and walking and decrease driving in the metro area. Today’s grants are the third in a series of awards announced since 2007 when Bike Walk Twin Cities launched. “We’re very excited to be part of a national movement that is looking to the future and pushing for innovation in transportation,” said Lea Schuster, executive director of Transit for Livable Communities. “These projects provide Twin Cities residents with more opportunities to get around town while saving money, staying healthy, and helping to reduce global warming pollution.” The Minneapolis Bike Share Program, which received a $1.75 million grant, will be run by Nice Ride Minnesota, a nonprofit organization. Bike Share riders will have the option of purchasing a season pass for about $50, and may check out a bike at any time and return it to a self-service kiosk of their choice. The first 30 minutes are free and additional time is available for a small fee. In addition, day passes are available. In Minneapolis, the program will run from April through November. “Bike sharing will create a more vibrant, healthy and engaged city population,” said Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. “We’ll see business people biking to meetings, parents biking to school meetings, and employees biking to an after-work exercise class. Not only will it transform how people get around our city, but it will position Minneapolis to become the number one bicycling city in the country!” The Bike Share Program is expected to be operational by summer 2010. The inventive radio frequency identity system, based at the new U of M Bike Center, will permit bicyclists, who install an identity tag on their bikes, to earn benefits and incentives, such as reduced costs for tune-ups and commuter goods by simply validating their bike trips. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the University’s commitment to sustainability,” said U of M President Robert Bruininks “This center becomes more than a secure place to park your bike and change clothes; it’s a community space that rewards existing bike commuters and welcomes new bicyclists to our campus with services to make their rides more efficient and convenient.” The U of MN Bike Center, which will receive $524,000 in Bike Walk Twin Cities funds, will serve 6,000 cyclists on campus, as well as other commuting cyclists, and will be located in the now dormant Oak Street Parking Ramp transit station waiting area, located at Oak and Delaware Streets SE. In addition to the RFID system, the center will include an electronic bike trip-planning kiosk, 24-hour accessible secure bike storage, changing facilities, repair service and bike retail opportunities, as well as public meeting space. Construction could start this summer. Today’s grants are the third series awarded through Bike Walk Twin Cities. In June 2007, $7 million was granted to 30 projects, and in July 2008, $1.8 million was granted to five projects. Other projects announced today that receiving Bike Walk Twin Cities funds:
- Saint Paul – Bicycle boulevard on Jefferson Avenue from the Mississippi River on the west to Lexington Avenue, and continued as bike lanes along Jefferson Avenue to the Sam Morgan trail; installation of sidewalks to fill current gaps
- Edina – Bikeway facilities for Wooddale Ave./54th Street/Valley View Road
- South Minneapolis - Cedar/17th Ave. S./Bloomington Ave. corridor biking and walking improvements
- Minneapolis – Pedestrian enhancements on 5th Street NE and 7th Street N
Photo's from the March 10, 2009 press event can be viewed here.
About … Bike Walk Twin Cities Bike Walk Twin Cities is a federally-funded initiative to increase biking and walking, and reduce driving in Minneapolis and neighboring communities. Working with local governments, businesses, organizations and residents, the initiative provides public education and allocates funds for safer crosswalks, bike lanes and other improvements. (www.bikewalktwinciites.org).
About … Transit for Livable Communities Transit for Livable Communities, a Twin Cities non-profit organization that promotes a more balanced transportation system, is designated by federal law to administer Bike Walk Twin Cities, a $21.5 million initiative to increase biking and walking, and reduce driving. (www.tlcminnesota.org) ###
More People Giving Up Cars for Buses Media Contact: Katie Eukel
Communications Manager
Transit for Livable Communities
651-767-0298 x115
KatieE@tlcminnesota.org Michelle Dibblee
Senior Organizer
651-767-0298 x110
Mobile 612-310-0087
MichelleD@tlcminnesota.org Commuters from all over the Twin Cities metro area will testify at legislative hearings to convince legislators to seek additional funds for transit to prevent service cuts and fare increases by Metro Transit and suburban providers. Despite record ridership levels, the Metropolitan Council is once again considering raising transit fares by 50 cents and cutting bus service throughout the region to shrink a $45-61 million deficit. Commuters will tell state senators that, despite a drop in gas prices, they use transit more than ever. They will say that not only has the economic downturn forced commuters to cut costs and use transit but that now they prefer the bus to their own cars. “I think it’s better for our community,” said Robynne Curlee of St. Paul. “It keeps us connected. It makes all the great things our city has to offer accessible to everyone.” Curlee said she sold her car two years ago before moving to Asia. She’s returned to the Twin Cities but hasn’t bought another car. “I don’t see a reason to buy another one. And I can afford one here.” Curlee lives in St. Paul, and commutes to the Midway area each day. “Cutting transit service or increasing fares hurts Minnesotans from all walks of life,” said Transit for Livable Communities senior organizer Michelle Dibblee. “Without new revenue, students, workers, seniors, job-seekers, and other will be cut off from income and opportunities. Testimony is expected from people who have two incomes but can only afford to own and operate one car, so the husband takes the bus--a bus which is now threatened. Testimony is also expected from people who recently lost their jobs and need the bus to interview for a new job. There will also be testimony noting that cutting service could endanger federal money for constructing the Central Corridor Light Rail line that would connect downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis. Hearings are set for Wednesday, March 4, and Thursday, March 5, 2009. The hearings are held by the Senate Transit Subcommittee. Senator Scott Dibble, chair of the subcommittee, and guests from the House of Representatives, will be present. The Wednesday hearings will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, and the Thursday hearings will be at Maplewood City Hall in Maplewood from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Robynne Curlee is available to speak with reporters and producers. She can be reached at 651-214-5173.
Transit for Livable Communities Urges State Officials to Focus on “Fix it First” and Transit Projects For immediate release
February 17, 2009 Contact: Katie Eukel
651-767-0298 x115
KatieE@tlcminnesota.org [SAINT PAUL, MN] — As President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Transit for Livable Communities called on Governor Pawlenty, state DOT Commissioner Tom Sorel, and Metropolitan Council Chair Peter Bell to ensure that the transportation portion revitalizes Minnesota’s economy, focusing on job creation by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and investing in much needed public transit. During Wednesday’s town hall meeting in Ft. Myers, FL President Obama took an unequivocal stand in favor of a 21st Century transportation system including “energy efficient” investments such as “high speed rail” and “public transit.” Said President Obama: “Even when you’re in the middle of crisis, you’ve got to keep your eye on the future…The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over.” “These funds offer state and local officials an unprecedented opportunity to create jobs that will build even stronger communities in Minnesota,” stated Lea Schuster, Executive Director of Transit for Livable Communities. “We’re calling on Governor Pawlenty, state DOT Commissioner Tom Sorel, and Metropolitan Council Chair Peter Bell to heed President Obama’s vision for change and urging them to spend these investments wisely.” The bill signed today includes about $46 billion for transportation, including roughly $598 million for transit, roads, and bicycle and pedestrian investments in Minnesota (state shares of intercity and high speed rail funding in the new law have yet to be determined). Minnesota will receive the funds through programs that allow states broad discretion. “At this point, it is up to us to use this money to make our communities stronger,” noted Schuster. Some of the helpful features of the legislation are listed below.
- $27.5 billion is allocated to the Surface Transportation Program (STP) that, as its name states, can be spent on the state’s most pressing surface transportation needs. Minnesota’s $500 million in STP funds will help restore our transportation networks to a state of good repair if state and local officials give priority to fix-it-first rather than expanded highways.
- Flexibility built into STP funds allows Minnesota to invest in transit, road, rail, and bicycle and pedestrian projects that reduce oil dependence, traffic congestion, and vulnerability to gas price hikes.
- Just under 30 percent of STP funds will be directed (“suballocated”) to metropolitan decision makers, who will have the flexibility to use the money to meet the diverse transportation needs of their constituents while helping to foster the clean energy economy envisioned by the President.
- A substantial percentage of funding is explicitly dedicated to public transportation, to help meet growing demand. Minnesota’s share of the $8.4 billion will be nearly $95 million.
Transit for Livable Communities recognized that Congress provided no criteria to ensure that STP funds are prioritized towards fixing Minnesota’s crumbling infrastructure and expanding public transit and bicycle and pedestrian routes. As a result, decisions about the kinds of jobs to create and projects to fund with federal stimulus funds are in the hands of state and local officials. Transit for Livable Communities urged these officials to use that flexibility to create the jobs that will both repair the system we have, and build a transportation system in Minnesota that meets the needs of an energy-efficient 21st Century economy. “Not all stimulus jobs are created equal,” stated Schuster. “State and local officials need to choose the projects that not only stimulate the economy now, but also fix our infrastructure, reduce our reliance on oil, and build a robust economy for decades to come.” Beneficial projects would repair existing roads and bridges, retrofit streets to make them safer for all users, improve transit service, or add facilities for walking and bicycling. The current spending proposal under consideration in the Twin Cities metropolitan area is dominated by two major highway expansion projects. “We must seize this moment, rebuild Minnesota for our children and grandchildren, and put our communities on a clean-energy, high-speed track to the future,” added Schuster. # # # Transit for Livable Communities is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization working to reform Minnesota’s transportation system. Through advocacy, organizing, and research, Transit for Livable Communities promotes a balanced transportation system that encourages transit, walking, biking, and transit-oriented development.
For immediate release
February 10, 2009 Contact
Katie Eukel
Transit for Livable Communities
KatieE@tlcminnesota.org Transit for Livable Communities Applauds Investments in Infrastructure in Senate Recovery Bill,
Urges Senate-House Conferees to Strengthen Transportation Provisions SAINT PAUL, MN— The Senate today took a significant step toward an economic recovery package that could create the kinds of jobs in Minnesota that will help reduce transportation costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy dependence. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which passed by a margin of 61-37, provides urgently needed funding increases for expansion of mass transit and could be utilized to undertake long-neglected repairs of the state’s crumbling transportation roads and bridges if state and local officials adopt common sense spending priorities. “This package will ensure that Americans can get back to work,” says Lea Schuster, Executive Director of Transit for Livable Communities. “A 21st century economy depends on a 21st century transit system, and we’re excited to see America moving forward.” However, the Senate bill is not perfect. Like the House bill, it fails to provide urgently needed support for transit agencies threatened with service cuts due to local budget shortfalls. This is especially important for metro-area transit in Minnesota, which is facing its largest deficit in state history: a whopping $45-60 million for 2010 and 2011. Approximately one-third of the funding for the metro bus system comes from the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST); with fewer people buying new and used cars, MVST revenue has dropped sharply. If additional money is not provided, fares may be increased by another 50 cents and/or service could be cut. The bill also joins the House bill in failing to provide the necessary criteria to ensure that state and local officials dedicate highway funds to fixing our crumbling infrastructure first and building a 21st century transportation system that reduces our dependence on oil. “Minnesota needs a good transportation system to ensure that our state can attract and retain good workers and employers,” says Dave Van Hattum, Policy and Advocacy Program Manager at Transit for Livable Communities “Our state is renowned for its strong economy; we need good transportation to ensure that employed residents can reach and keep their existing jobs.” Now selected members of the House of Representatives and Senate will come together in a conference committee to negotiate a final recovery package to send to the White House. The conference needs to preserve the best pieces of each bill that do the most to advance the goal of creating the kinds of jobs that will strengthen communities, increase transportation choices and reduce future traffic congestion, oil dependence, and vulnerability to high gas prices. Specifically, the conference committee should ensure the following components are included in the final bill sent to President Obama:
- At least $8.4 billion for public transportation (Senate), $2.5 billion for New Start transit projects (House), and $2 billion for rail modernization (House) for a total of $13 billion in increased transit funding.
- A transportation enhancement program included in the House bill that will provide funding for ready-to-go bicycling and pedestrian projects which are among the most job intensive, shovel-ready construction projects there are.
- At least $2 billion provided in the Senate bill for high speed rail to create jobs that would reduce our dependence on carbon intensive transportation options.
- The $5.5 billion transportation competitive grants program that can be used for multi-modal investments of national significance, with the addition of criteria that will ensure priority for energy-saving transportation projects
- Additional criteria for highway spending in order to ensure that money goes to fund bridge and road repair construction jobs rather than new highways and highway expansion.
If the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is to bring both economic recovery in the short run, and investment in a clean energy economy for the long run, it must create the transportation jobs now that will help strengthen Minnesota’s communities for decades to come. That means funding the kinds of jobs in Minnesota that fix crumbling roads and bridges, enhance today’s transit services, and start building the world class transit systems necessary for our future success.
Transit for Livable Communities is working locally to ensure that Minnesota residents are heard in the stimulus process. It will continue to work closely with state agencies to ensure that stimulus funding is spent on projects that will provide choices in how residents can get around. ### Transit for Livable Communities is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization working to reform Minnesota’s transportation system. Through advocacy, organizing, and research, Transit for Livable Communities promotes a balanced transportation system that encourages transit, walking, biking, and transit-oriented development.
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