I-35W Busway
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Proposed Transitway Stops (North to South)
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The I-35W Busway is a proposed Bus Rapid Transitway extending from downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota to Lakeville, Minnesota on I-35W.
[edit] History
Plans have been in place for decades to increase public transit on the I-35W corridor. Beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s light rail was studied but nothing was done. In the late 90's a commuter rail line that was proposed between Minneapolis and Northfield was cancelled, due to the Minnesota Legislature banning federal money from going to studies of the line. The I-35W corridor has a long history of transit, being the first freeway in the Twin Cities to have express bus service, starting in 1972.
[edit] Current Plans and operations
- See also: I-35W (Minnesota) for more Details on the freeway corridor.
In January 2005, MNDOT released their plans to improve transit service on the corridor. They chose that BRT using existing and proposed HOV lanes would be the best option. This came just a month after Metro Transit did a complete restructure of I-35W bus services,adding better service to the corridor, including new route 535, an all-day highly frequent bus route between Downtown Minneapolis and South Bloomington Transit Center. Metro Transit's future plans in the restructure report show possible expansion of Route 535's service from just weekdays to everyday service, and route extensions to the University of Minnesota, and south to Burnsville Transit Station. About 20-30 years ago a bus stop was built on the I-35W bridge over Lake Street. Currently the Crosstown Commons section of the freeway is under construction, and will expand HOV lanes north to 42nd Street, and will build a station located in the median of the freeway at 46th Street, with completion due in 2010. Future MNDOT and Metro Transit plans show a new freeway station located somewhere between 76th St and 82nd St., HOV lane extensions to Downtown Minneapolis, and relocating the Lake St. Station to the median of the freeway.
On August 14, 2007, the Federal government announced the availability of $133.3 million in Urban Partnership Agreement funds to help alleviate congestion in the Minneapolis area. The agreement calls for a center high-occupancy toll lane or price-dynamic shoulder lane (for the exclusive use of buses, high-occupancy vehicles, and drivers willing to pay the dynamically priced toll) running on I-35W from Lakeville to downtown Minneapolis.
[edit] External links
- I-35W Busway Website
- Dan Patch Corridor website
- Metro Transit Future Service Table
- Metro Transit Future Service Map
- Minneapolis Urban Partnership Agreement
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