Twin Cities: 45,000 turn out for new Light Rail

[spuwho]

Per Trains News Wire:

Twin Cities' second light rail line opens



ST. PAUL, Minn. – More than 45,000 people came out June 14 to ride light rail trains on the first day of service for Metro Transit's Green Line linking downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis. It is the Twin Cities' second light rail line, opening 10 years after the first line between downtown Minneapolis and the Mall of America.



Several elected officials attended opening ceremonies, which were held inside the St. Paul Union Depot due to unfavorable weather. They included U.S. Senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Reps. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum, and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Despite rainy skies, officials continued to the transit station in front of the depot for a ribbon cutting, then boarded the first train for Minneapolis.

Light rail trains and all other Metro transit services were free all weekend, and Green Line trains were mobbed the first day with riders anxious the check out the new line. At one point waits of up to 90 minutes were reported at St. Paul Union Depot. Celebrations took place at nine stations, but straight-line winds and rain later in the afternoon caused most outdoor events to conclude earlier than expected.

The Green Line took nearly 30 years of study, discussion, and finally construction. The majority of the $957 million route traverses University Avenue, once the main thoroughfare between the two downtowns before the construction on Interstate 94 in the 1960s. Officials are banking on the line to rejuvenate University Avenue, and already new development have begun to spring up in areas once dominated by used car lots and shabby buildings.

The new line includes 9.8 miles of new track, plus more than a mile of track shared with the Blue Line. It serves 18 stations, plus five shared with the Blue Line in downtown Minneapolis. The line will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

[tufsu1]

I rode the original line from the MSP airport to downtown last month....was a pretty nice ride, but interestingly, TOD near stations was spotty at best.

[thelakelander]

Can't have TOD without the proper land use regulations in place and supported by local government.  What's Minneapolis' stance with TOD?

[Ocklawaha]

Wow, just like they do for JTA'S downtown shuttles... er... PCT'S.