07-08-1985 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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-2- OPTIONS FOR I-394 PHASE ONE SERVICF. MTC Route 051-Mound must change in the face of I-394 construction and the opening of interim express lanes. MTC express buses will no longer be able to stop between County Road #73 and downtown Minneapolis due to the design of the temporary express lanes. This will force the elimination of five express stops in that segment of Highway 11. As a result, about 38 daily express passengers will have to use local bus service. The four service options have been designed with several criteria in mind: - Facilitating utilization of she interim express lanes; - Providing capacity to handle ridership growth recognizing that the present Route #51 schedule can absorb more rush hour passengers, but is experiencing weekend overloads; - Maintaining schedule reliability; - Providing for uncertain levels of funding for I-394 bus operations; - Maintaining compatibility with the already adopted plan; and - Devei•-3ping a simpler route structure to facilitate public acceptance of the service revisions. Maps and a canparison chart for the options are attached. Here are the proposed staff options: OPTION ONE. Route #51-local service would be reduced slightly during the off-peak on weekdays. Slower travel times would require the MTC to provide fewer daily trips in order to contain costs. Peak period and weekend service levels would not change, although minor route and schedule changes would be required. Total operating costs would not change from the present. OPTION TWO. Route #51 service levels would nr;. change from present levels. Minor route and schedule changes would be required. Total operating costs would increase slightly in order to accommodate the slower travel times along Highway 12. OPTION THREE. A simplified Route #51 would provide local service along US Highway 12 between Wayzata, Ridgedale and downtown Minneapolis. Route #51 would no longer serve Mound and other communities west of Wayzata. 'these communities would be served by new Route #75 which would operate express service during the peak periods via the express lanes on Highway 12. Some Route #51 rush hour trips would be cut back to Ridgedale and diverted to Shelard Plaza, General Mills and the Gambles Development on Vernon Ave. During the off-peak times, Route #75 would provide local service between Mound, Orono and Wayzata. Improved connections between express and local buses at Wayzata would be provided using timed -transfer techniques. This is a fairly low cost way to introduce new service.