By David Litin and Haley Egle
Murphy News Service
Washington Avenue was nothing but a headache for drivers and students as the Green Line light rail system was being built. Strange traffic patterns forced people to reroute, and at times, the area was completely inaccessible.
The new 11-mile Green Line was up and running June 14 concluding a decade-long planning and building process.
The $957-million project was a way to expand the already existing Blue Line, which runs between Target Field in downtown Minneapolis and the Mall of America. The Metropolitan Council added the light rail would replace some stops on the No. 16 bus route
The light rail has shown little changes in ways students commute to the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campuses.
Jacqueline Brudlos, the communication manager for Parking and Transportation Services (PTS), said students parking contracts are up and bicycle traffic is down.
“(PTS) thought with the light rail coming to campus,” she said, “we anticipated just a little bit of a shift with every mode (of transportation).”
Brudlos points to the increasing number of student contract parking. This year, PTS sold about 2,000 contracts to commuter students, about 100 more than last year. Residential hall contracts are up as well, by 110, she said.
Brudlos said the Campus Connectors are still widely used.
The connector buses are an easy and efficient way to get from point A to point B without having to transfer.
“It’s basically a one-seat ride,” she said.
Brudlos said most students ride the Campus Connector to go shorter distances and take the light rail for longer ones. The light rail, however, is always an option for students to go shorter distances, she said
But some forms of transportation are down.
PTS did a bicycle count earlier this month and found a 10-percent decline in students riding bicycles on and around campus, Brudlos said. She said the trend translates to more students using the light rail. She said, however, the outcomes will likely change when the colder weather comes.
“… The weather can effect whether people choose to stand at a bus stop or whether they choose to drive,” she said, “so lots of different factors affect people’s transportation.”
Brudlos said PTS expects to see more people driving to campus than taking the light rail as the temperature gets colder.
Student’s Reflection
U student Sean Nichols said the light rail has made it safer for bikers like himself.
“Before, we had to share the road,” the chemical engineering junior said, “but now that the buses are on the tracks we have our own lane.”
Nichols said he used the light rail for recreational uses a few times mostly going to Nicollet Mall downtown.
He said he believes the light rail is accessible, some people ride without paying or ignore no smoking restrictions on the platforms.
Anthropology and English sophomore Grace Walsh said she would rather walk or take the Campus Connector.
“The connector runs a little more often and drops off right in front of Blegen (Hall),” she said, “which is where I have a lot of classes.”
Walsh recently transferred into the University of Minnesota and said she has found some problems with the new light rail.
“I feel like it gets a little congested sometimes,” she said.
Walsh said it is important for students to be careful and always follow traffic guidelines.
A woman was struck and killed by a Green Line train in August near the Westgate station. Officials said the woman was wearing headphones which served as a distraction. Since the Blue opened in 2004, 11 people have been killed by one of its trains.
“I think, at this point, it’s basically up to the individuals to keep a lookout and use good sense,” she said.
Reporters David Litin and Haley Egle are studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.