Options in the Rush Line Corridor
If you have a question about the Rush Line Corridor or the ongoing transit studies that you don't see here, drop us an email and we will provide an answer. Questions and answers of general interest will be added to this FAQ.
For questions and answers from the June 19 and 21, 2007, listening sessions in Rush City and Forest Lake, click here.
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What problems on I-35E, I-35 and Highway 61 are you trying to solve?
Commuter traffic is growing between the Twin Cities and northeast suburban and rural communities. As development spreads to the north, formerly rural land is changing. Some of that land is transitioning into residential communities for the Twin Cities work force. Many of the small cities and towns in the corridor are growing in population as new employment opportunities open up in these areas. Several traffic choke points already exist on I-35E, I-35 and Highway 61 in the Rush Line Corridor. More areas of congestion are projected based on the development trends being tracked in the corridor. Highway improvements will not be able to accommodate all of the increased traffic during rush hours in certain areas of the corridor.
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What’s next in the transit improvement process in the corridor?
The Rush Line Corridor Task Force is undertaking two studies of transit in the fast-growing corridor from St. Paul to Hinckley. The Task Force hired SRF Consulting Group, Inc., to complete a commuter bus study. The task force also hired URS Corp. to complete an Alternatives Analysis of transit options in the corridor. The commuter bus study will take about six months to conclude. The alternatives analysis, which will examine various potential routes and transit modes (including bus and rail) will take about a year. For updates on the studies, click here.
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How long is the Rush Line Corridor?
The Rush Line Corridor is approximately 80 miles long, stretching from Minnesota’s Union Depot in St. Paul north to Hinckley.
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Has a decision been made on what to do in the corridor?
No decisions will be made until after the studies are complete. As part of this study process, the study teams will gather input from corridor users and other stakeholders on various issues and proposed short- and long-term improvements.
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What happens with the study information?
Comments from the public will be evaluated along with the ideas generated by the technical project team. Alternative options to improve mobility in the corridor will be described and evaluated. Trade-offs in terms of advantages and disadvantages will be identified, and then recommended actions will be developed.
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When the two studies are complete, the Rush Line Task Force will examine information and recommendations. Any projects would be evaluated at this time and short-term projects, such as a change in transit service, would be implemented when feasible. Longer term projects, such as commuter rail or a busway, would be implemented at a later time.
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A busway is a one- or more-lane road that is used exclusively by buses. A busway is also known as bus rapid transit, or BRT. Typically it offers limited-stop service, thus reducing travel time. A busway can be a separate facility, or part of an existing roadway that is separated by some type of barrier, like a fence or curb. Buses can enter or exit only at designated locations. You can experience a busway first-hand at the University of Minnesota, where the U of M Transitway connects the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses on its own right-of-way.
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Bus shoulder lanes are regular, paved shoulders of roads, usually marked with a diamond symbol or pavement markings and signs that say “Bus Only.” Buses use these shoulders as regular travel lanes, usually during rush hour, to bypass congestion in the regular lanes. Bus shoulder lanes give a travel time advantage to transit users, rewarding them for using transit by allowing them to “beat the traffic.” Bus shoulder lanes also allow buses to maintain their schedules during rush hour, increasing reliability. Bus shoulder lanes can be found on Highway 36 and I-35W.
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What is a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane?
An HOV lane or facility is one or more lanes in a roadway, typically in a freeway, exclusively for buses, carpools of at least two people, and vanpools. In very heavily used areas, HOV lanes may be separated by a barrier or a curb (for example, I-394). In areas where the need is predominantly during peak periods, HOV lanes may be defined by striping on the road (for example, I-35W). HOV lanes may be reserved for multiple-occupant vehicles during rush hours only, and function as general driving lanes during all other times. Where space is very tight, HOV lanes can also be reversible, functioning in one direction in the morning, and the opposite direction at the end of the workday.
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Commuter rail trains are passenger vehicles generally powered by locomotives, operating on existing freight railroad tracks over longer distances between cities and outlying areas. They are so named because these trains typically carry people thirty miles or more into cities to work in the morning and home in the evening. Commuter rail trains can be interspersed with freight trains. Commuter rail train tracks, like freight railroad tracks, are safe to cross because the power is in the locomotive. However, because commuter rail trains cannot mix with cars or buses, they usually terminate at downtown fringes.
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What is the difference between commuter rail and light rail?
Light rail transit, or LRT, uses smaller passenger vehicles powered by overhead wires. Light rail trains can operate within exclusive right-of-way like railroad corridors or a freeway, or share street space with other vehicles, similar to a bus. LRT tracks are safe to cross because the power is overhead, so the tracks do not have to be grade-separated from other traffic. LRT usually operates in fully developed, urbanized areas, where it can access congested areas such as downtowns. Because they are smaller than freight train vehicles, for safety reasons the Federal Railroad Administration prohibits LRT trains from operating interspersed with freight trains.
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Would commuter rail or a busway result in a loss of the bike trails recently established on abandoned railways?
When both bike trails and commuter trains/busways want to share a fairly narrow corridor, safety becomes the primary consideration. The space and visibility requirements of both modes must be considered. Where these requirements can be met, both bikes and trains or buses can be accommodated.
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The following questions were asked and answered at public meetings held in the corridor on June 19 and 21, 2007:
What is the timeline for the Rush Line Corridor project?
Two studies are currently under way in the corridor, one looking at express commuter bus service, the other at a range of routes and transit options (bus rapid transit or commuter rail, for instance). When the bus study concludes later this summer, the Rush Line Corridor Task Force will consider whether to implement commuter bus service. If it chooses to do so, and a funding source is identified, service could start within a matter of months. When the longer-term study concludes, the Task Force will consider the range of options identified and decide on a preferred route and transit mode. Timing of implementation will depend on the options selected and funding.
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When will commuter rail be operational in the Corridor?
Commuter rail is one of the options being studied in an Alternatives Analysis that is expected to take about a year to complete. At the conclusion, the Rush Line Corridor Task Force will consider the range of options identified and decide on a preferred route and transit mode, which might include commuter rail. Timing of implementation will depend on the options selected and funding.
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If commuter buses are unsuccessful, will that hurt the chances for building commuter rail?
The two transit modes are considered independently of one another. Ridership projections will take into account the preference commuters have shown for rail over bus, both locally and nationally. Under current Federal Transit Administration funding guidelines, cost and ridership estimates are factored into a complex formula that determines whether a project may move forward with federal money.
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How much will commuter buses cost and who will pay?
Cost is one of the questions that will be answered by the current bus feasibility study. Both state and federal agencies have contributed funding to the Corridor projects up to now. Commuter bus service is likely to require a significant local contribution as well.
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What is the status of the Forest Lake park-and-ride facility?
It is currently under construction and will open in late 2007.
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Will buses operate along Highway 8 to feed into the Forest Lake station?
That is one option that will be considered in the alternatives analysis. It is not part of the current bus feasibility study, which is considering service from Forest Lake and Hinckley to the Twin Cities.
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Are there cheaper options, such as contracting for service, rather than purchasing buses?
Yes. These options are being examined in the current bus feasibility study.
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Will buses operate on recreational trails in the rail corridor?
No. But it is important to remember that these interim-use recreational trails run within former rail rights-of-way that have been purchased by counties for future rail service. If that happens, both rails and trails will be preserved wherever there is room and safety can be maintained. Safety will be the determining factor.
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Will trains operate in residential areas?
Some of the rail corridors pass by residential areas. Train service might one day return to those corridors, but such a decision is years off and would come only after significant public engagement and deliberation by local elected officials.
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Where else are similar bus lines in operation? Have they been successful?
The closest example is the popular Northstar Commuter Coach service between Minneapolis and the northwest suburbs. That line has exceeded ridership projections, providing more than 100,000 rides annually since it began service in 2001.
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Will commuter buses operate on weekends?
The current commuter bus feasibility study is looking only at weekday, rush hour service. It is possible that weekend service could be considered in the future, if there is sufficient demand for such service and a source of funding is identified.
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Will commuter buses operate for special events, such as Vikings games?
The current commuter bus feasibility study is looking only at weekday, rush hour service. It is possible that special event service could be considered in the future, if there is sufficient demand for such service and a source of funding is identified.
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How far will commuters drive to catch a commuter bus?
There is no standard answer to this. Several factors contribute to the individual decisions made by express bus commuters, including gas prices, traffic congestion and parking costs at the ultimate destination.
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What is the status of passenger rail service between the Twin Cities and Duluth?
A study is being undertaken by the counties between Minneapolis and Duluth-Superior. A complementary study by Ramsey County and partner agencies is looking at passenger rail service from Red Wing to St. Paul and on to the Northstar Commuter Rail service in Minneapolis.
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Will bus service terminate at a central hub downtown?
Several options are being considered in each downtown, including Union Depot in St. Paul, which is to be purchased by Ramsey County and refurbished over the next several years.
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If I take the bus into the city in the morning, am I guaranteed a seat on the way back?
Sufficient capacity to handle inbound and outbound commuters has not been an issue in other markets and is not expected to be in the Rush Line Corridor. If demand exceeds projections, new buses and runs could be added to the service.
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What effect will potential casino visitors have on bus ridership?
That question will be examined during the ongoing studies.
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Where will the commuter buses stop?
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How reliable are commuter buses? How does that compare to rail?
Bus service is a reliable form of transportation, as is rail. Because commuter buses will be able to use shoulder lanes wherever possible, they are less prone to delays during periods of traffic congestion.
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Will there be other destinations in the morning besides the two downtowns?
The two downtowns are the focus of the bus feasibility study. Other options identified by the public, such as the state Capitol and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus, might be studied at a later date.
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Will the buses have bike racks? Will there be bike racks at the stations?
Bike racks are among the amenities that may be added to commuter coaches. Park-and-ride lots often have bike racks; some have bike-storage lockers available for rental.
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How many buses will be purchased or leased initially?
That is a decision that will be made by the Task Force at the conclusion of the study.
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Where will buses be stored at night?
That is a decision that will be made by the Task Force at the conclusion of the study, if it decides to purchase buses and operate the system on its own. If it decides to contract with a private vendor to provide the service, the storage question will be decided by that vendor.
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Is light rail being considered for the corridor?
Light rail is among the options being studied during the Alternatives Analysis.
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Where are you getting the ridership numbers from?
Ridership projections are derived from a complex regional model that is regularly updated based on actual experience on other transit lines and U.S. Census data. The model takes into account transit mode, fare cost, length of trip and frequency of stops, among other factors.
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Will the commuter bus service be part of Metro Transit?
That is possible, but unlikely. It is more likely that the service will be provided by a contractor hired by the member counties.
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How do other cities get so far ahead of us? What is taking so long?
Transit system expansion relies on a dedicated source of funding to pay both capital and operating costs. Other regions, for example, have instituted regional sales taxes as one way to pay for transit improvements. Minnesota has struggled to find a dedicated funding source for transit sufficient to fund the growing demand. Several bills that would have provided that funding failed in the 2007 legislative session.
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Will coaches be able to ride on the shoulder?
It is likely, wherever practical.
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Will the express commuter buses go to Minneapolis, St. Paul or both?
Both destinations are being considered.
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Will the bus stop at the Capitol complex?
The initial routes did not include service to the Capitol complex, but that is being re-evaluated. The buses could stop at the Capitol is there is sufficient demand for the service.
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Why would you plan commuter bus stops south of Forest Lake when Metro Transit already operates in those areas?
A stop south of Forest Lake to either of the downtowns will be evaluated. If demand exists for such stops, they would likely be included.
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How full would a bus need to be to run?
This would depend on funding availability, the length of the trip, and other such factors that contribute to the operating and capital cost of the service.
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Will the Metro Pass work on this service?
Based on the Northstar Commuter Coach service, which allows customers to use the Metro Pass (with an additional cash payment), the Metro Pass is likely to work.
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Would it cost more to take service from Hinckley than from Forest Lake?
Costs have not yet been finalized for service scenarios, but since the trip is much longer from Hinckley than from Forest Lake, and costlier to operate, it is likely to cost more.
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Does Metro Transit have plans to extend bus service north?
No definite plans are in place at this time to extend current Metro Transit bus service north of its current routes.
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Will there be security at park-and-rides?
This is an issue that the Task Force or whoever operates the commuter bus service would need to consider.
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