Join the discussion on the following article:
Trains News Wire EXCLUSIVE: Twin Cities’ second light rail line opens
Less well known is the fact that earlier the same day, the Route 83 bus made its world premiere. Its route, from the Roseville SuperTarget to the Summit Brewery via Lexington Avenue and Como Park, serves as a brand new feeder route for the Green Line, and though only one transit fan turned out to be the first passenger on the first trip at 5:30 in the morning, subsequent buses had a fair number of passengers aboard, grateful to have no need to walk the additional five blocks to Snelling Avenue to catch a bus to the tram.
I rode the second day of service…a continuation of system-wide free rides and a pub crawl along the route of the Green Line insured a good turnout, but not the huge crowds of the first day. Weather was very good in the capital city, but in a hurry to get back home, I found the No. 54 Limited bus to take half the time of the rail ride to the airport, without a change of vehicle. SPUD is worth the trip just to walk around and examine; next month I will be seeing what Denver has done in similar circumstances.
Let’s not be naysayers! I remember those people who said that the “Hiawatha Line” (Blue) would not be used. “Nobody would ride it, people said.” If nobody is riding it, why the Met Council buy more cars and lengthen he platforms to accommodate three car trains. In addition, property values along that corridor have increased and new housing is being added.
Great photos by Glischinski for this article.
Who in the 1960’s would have thought that light rail would make a revival. My father at that time told me there will never be new mass transit. That included intercity transportation.
24 hour service? I predict a lot of overnight bus-bridges for MofW work.
24 hour service? I predict a lot of overnight bus-bridges for MofW work.
Only 45K. No one will ride it. Irony abounds.
As a high schooler in St. Paul, in the mid-50’s, I rode the Snelling Avenue, Selby Ave., and University Ave street cars at various times. During the school year rode the Snelling Ave line north to Selby Ave east to one block short of Lexington Ave… Then they stopped the Selby street cars for smelly Mack buses. The University cars were fast and smooth.
Another good link for passengers who want to connect between Amtrak and the airport by rail. Yes, I know you have to change trains, but that’s better than paying for a taxicab.