I took my first ride on the Hiawatha LRT this weekend. I got on at the Ft. Snelling park & ride, which is currently the end of the line. I rode with three kids to the Metrodome to see the Twins whip the Indians 5-1. The trip to the Dome was about 1/2 full, but the train back to Ft. Snelling at the end of the game was 101% packed. It cost $3.00/person. It was great. I know that LRT still carries some political baggage with it in the Twin Cities, and I think it is too early to tell if the LRT will positively impact freeway traffic congestion. But I can also say that I can’t wait to ride it again.
Here’s some more info on the Hiawatha LRT, courtesy of the Metro Transit website:
The finished Hiawatha line will be 12 miles long connecting three of the Twin Cities most popular destinations: downtown Minneapolis, Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and Mall of America in Bloomington.
Opening: Major park-and-ride lots: At Fort Snelling and 28th Avenue stations. Partial service between the Warehouse District and Fort Snelling began June 26; full service to the airport and Mall of America begins in December.
Metro Transit projects its ridership at 19,300 per weekday in 2005 and 24,600 per weekday by year 2020. The Light-rail vehicles are 94-feet long and manufactured by Bombardier. There are 24 of them. A train may consist of two cars coupled together. Each car has four doorways and can hold 66 seated passengers plus standing room for 120. Inside each car are four luggage racks and four bicycle hangers. They are electrically powered and have a top speed of 55 m.p.h.
Service levels are:
- Rush hours: Every 71?2 minutes from 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.
- Every 10 minutes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Every 15 minutes from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
- Every half hour from 4 to 6 a.m. and from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The LRT connect with the feeder bus service. 46 Metro Transit routes will connect to 14 rail stations with timed transfers. Twenty percent of rail customers will arrive at their station by bus.
You can purchase a fare card through an automated fare machine at each LRT stop. There are a variety of fares and the information is clearly posted at each machine. There is no turnstyle to go through to get on to the train. It appears to be on the “honor system”, although you must be able to show your ticket if you are asked by a Metro Transit worker. If you can’t: Big Fine.
If you have the opportunity to ride the LRT, don’t pass it up. I found it to be a great experience. It’s an experience we might see more of in the Twin Cities in the future.
