‘A Line’ Open House planned January 23

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Interest brews for Snelling Avenue rapid transit

Metro Transit is hosting an open house in January to share information and invite feedback on the A Line, the Twin Cities’ first arterial Bus Rapid Transit project. It will be on Thurs., Jan. 23, 6-8pm at the Roseville Library Community Room, 2180 Hamline Ave. N., Roseville. Metro Transit is hosting an open house in January to share information and invite feedback on the A Line, the Twin Cities’ first arterial Bus Rapid Transit project. It will be on Thurs., Jan. 23, 6-8pm at the Roseville Library Community Room, 2180 Hamline Ave. N., Roseville.[/caption]

By JANE MCCLURE

Bus riders interested in a faster ride along Snelling Avenue are invited to an upcoming public hearing on the ‘A Line’, the planned bus rapid transit service for Snelling Avenue. It will be the Twin Cities’ first arterial bus rapid transit project and has drawn much interest from area transit users. It is set to start operations in late 2015.

Metro Transit is hosting an open house in January to share information and invite feedback on the A Line. It will be held on Thurs., Jan. 23, 6-8pm at the Roseville Library Community Room, 218 Hamline Ave. N., in Roseville.

The proposed bus line will serve Snelling Ave., Ford Parkway and 46th St. between Rosedale Center and the METRO Blue Line’s 46th St. Station. Some interest has been expressed in extending the line north to suburban job and educational institutions.

A community task force has meet for several months to discuss the line. The plans are meeting a generally favorable response, whether in terms of a faster commute or connecting to major destinations. The bus service is also seen as a potential catalyst for more economic development in the area. That would be especially welcomed by those who have waited and wondered about the long-vacant former Metro Transit bus garage site at Snelling and St. Anthony avenues. Decisions on that redevelopment could be made in the months ahead.

The A Line project, which has an estimated cost of $25 million, is on an ambitious schedule. Concept design is underway as are technical studies. Recently Metro Transit Project Manager Katie Routh noted that the project is drawing positive interest as well as questions.

“We’re having to balance a lot of competing interests,” she said. “One of the challenges on Snelling is that the street itself has a lot of different users. There are also a number of different land uses that have to be considered.”

Many area residents are serving on a Community Advisory Committee to help shape the line. More than 100 comments have been gathered on the project, at open houses and online.

While they are excited about the possibility of improved transit service, one worry advisory committee members have is that more people don’t know about it. The need for better outreach to colleges and students is another issue, as are payment systems, placement on enhanced bus stations and links to other connecting transit routes.

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