Special Edition Fall 2023: The future of public transit in the Twin Cities
By Ella Tracy
“When are you going to learn to drive?” Most if not all of us were asked this question in our mid-teens. Driving and car ownership are often seen as symbols of status in America. Cars offer almost instantaneous mobility to anywhere there is a paved (or unpaved) road. In metropolitan areas like the Twin Cities, cars are often the fastest way to your destination.
But cars come with a slew of issues. They require parking lots and roads, the construction of which costs millions of dollars and disrupts the livelihood of residents. Drivers must pay for parking permits, street parking, insurance and fuel. Hundreds of cars on the roads every hour can result in stand-still traffic. Cars are also to blame for one-third of U.S. air pollution, according to National Geographic. Cities are also often constructed with the underlying assumption that people will use cars to move through the city, making accessibility extremely challenging for those who do not own a car.
Public transportation is a common alternative. It’s a massive carpool designed to mitigate pollution effects, lessen traffic, lower vehicle-related costs and increase efficient use of space. For example, if 100 people could use a bus instead of a car to get to Costco, the massive parking lots could become affordable housing, greenspaces or education centers. This has prompted city planners to become increasingly dedicated to building efficient public transit into growing cityscapes.
Unfortunately, the public transit system in the Twin Cities has its share of issues.
Super Target trips? Carve out 40 minutes for riding the bus each way, plus walking between stops and enduring volatile Minnesota weather. Interested in all downtown Minneapolis has to offer? Plan for an hour hopping between buses and the light rail. Despite the rate of public transit crime seeing a recent dip according to the StarTribune, crime has increased since last year overall (although police say this is because of a crackdown on illegal activities), making safety a significant issue. Waiting at an unheated bus stop in the winter is dangerous and uncomfortable. Most bus stops consist of nothing more than a sign and a bench if you’re lucky. Make sure not to miss your bus if you don’t want to wait 30 minutes for the next one to come.
The quickest transit route to Midway’s Target.
I asked two commuter students to compare their routes to school by car and by bus. Madelyn Johnson ‘23 (International Business/Economics, Psychology minor) and Nayomi Her ‘24 (Economics/Public Policy, Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity minor) currently commute by car. Johnson has a 25-minute commute and Her has a 15-minute commute. For Johnson, the commute via public transit would take 1.5 hours. Her’s commute would take 45 minutes. Both would require at least three transfers and walks to new stations.
Despite its flaws, urban scholars argue that the benefits of public transit are worth harnessing. Besides reducing pollution and traffic, public transit has long-term effects on economic productivity, mobility and entrepreneurial infrastructure, according to the American Public Transit Association.
Cities around the world have had great success with transit policies that the Twin Cities could experiment with to remedy inefficiencies. Washington, D.C. is known for stations that are well-lit and clean to prioritize safety. Chicago is improving bus-only lanes so buses are not caught in car traffic. Paris has a rapid transit system that connects suburbs to the city center.
A bus stop where the 23 and 87 lines overlap. Minimizing overlap by streamlining routes is one way to shorten ride times.
To follow strides taken by other cities, the Minnesota legislature approved a 0.75% increase in sales tax for the Twin Cities metro area. The hike went into effect on Oct. 1 and is predicted to make approximately $560 million per year. Changes will include new stops and bus lines, increased frequency, electric buses and more.
Johnson also suggested expanding the Twin Cities’ light rail. “It’s a direct line, whereas the bus system has to follow where the cars are.” Her also supported a more complex light rail system. “Expanding the light rail past the U of M campus … would make transportation easier not just for city residents but for suburban residents as well,” she said.
The upcoming transit changes will hopefully shorten the 40-minute Target runs and make students’ commutes far more reasonable. Infrastructure improvements will also allow the broader Twin Cities to reap the benefits of less traffic and better air quality while steering Minnesota toward safer, faster and more reliable public transportation. Then when we are pestered about driver’s tests, we can suggest the purchase of a bus pass instead.
