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State Representative Joyce Peppin
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7806
For more information contact: Austin Bleess 651-296-5529
NEWS COLUMN
WHAT WILL IT COST TO IMPROVE TRANSPORTATION IN THE NORTHWEST SUBURBS?
By Joyce Peppin
State Representative, District 32A
In an earlier column, I outlined three transportation options for the northwest suburbs being considered by the Metropolitan Council, the state organization charged with transit and metro-wide planning. Those three options included light rail in the Highway 81 corridor, bus rapid transit which uses public roads or dedicated bus lanes, also along Highway 81, and thirdly, an express bus service along Interstate 94 between Minneapolis and Monticello.
The three options come with various advantages and disadvantages and have huge cost implications. Proponents and opponents of bus rapid transit (BRT) and light rail transit (LRT) have engaged in an ongoing public relations battle, with each side claiming to have lower cost and higher ridership figures than the other.
Thus, finding objective cost and ridership numbers is difficult. According to the Met Council, BRT is typically cheaper to build than LRT, though the long term operating costs are less expensive for LRT than BRT because the life span of buses is half that of LRT cars. The Met Council cites the federal General Accounting Office figures for BRT ranging from $200,000 per mile for the simplest street-based system to as much as $55 million per mile for a dedicated busway system. For LRT, the numbers range from $12.4 to $118.8 million per mile. What is known for sure is that these numbers have increased substantially in the five-plus years since the report was issued.
A BRT line with its own busway, upgraded stations and high-quality buses which serve a sufficiently dense population can begin to mirror the ridership and service levels of rail transit, at a lesser initial investment, says the Met Council. However, light rail proponents state that BRT ridership levels simply will not be as high as those for LRT. They cite the public’s hesitation to switch from cars to buses and state that BRT typically fails to attract the “non-transit-dependent” rider at the same scale as LRT.
The cost of enhancing freeway shoulder lanes for express bus service on Interstate I-94 may be the most cost effective alternative, at approximately $250,000 per mile according to Minnesota Department of Transportation officials. These enhancements, which amount to simply rebuilding shoulders to handle increased and heavier vehicle traffic can be done at the same time as repaving and reconstruction efforts underway or planned for the future.
Capital outlays for new buses and park-and-ride lots would add to the cost, but such a system could serve commuters who live near or regularly travel the I-94 corridor, including many from Dayton, Rogers and Hassan. Feeder buses could circulate through Corcoran, Hanover and Greenfield to serve those in the western-most portions of Hennepin County.
We need not look far for an excellent example. The city of Maple Grove has had an effective and highly used bus system in place for many years, providing express service to downtown Minneapolis. There are park and ride lots at various locations throughout the city and a central transit station near the Arbor Lakes area.
There are dozens of issues surrounding each transportation option, among them cost effectiveness, potential ridership, amount of ongoing state and federal subsidy, fare cost, construction timetable, right-of-way acquisition, and many more.
As policymakers weigh the plusses and minuses of each option, it’s important to hear what you think. Light rail transit, bus rapid transit or expanded express bus service. Which option, if any, would you use? I can be reached at rep.joyce.peppin@house.mn or by phone at 651.296.7806. Let me know what you think.
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News Items
- PEPPIN REPORT: NW SUBURBAN FAMILIES WILL BE HIT HARD UNDER DAYTON AND DFL BUDGET - (Posted: May 28 2013 4:35PM)
- Rep. Peppin’s bill would lessen unfair fiscal disparities tax burden on Rogers - (Posted: Apr 3 2013 9:36AM)
- PEPPIN REPORT: FEBRUARY FORECAST REVEALS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE STATE SURPLUS - (Posted: Feb 28 2013 12:00AM)
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