Is There a Transit Hub in Planning? (Minneapolis, St. Paul: 2013, apartment)

[jayhopethismeeturstandard]

UPDATE!!

Progress appears to be on track, despite a few weather delays. Here is how the transit hub is looking so far...

[emcee squared]

Choo choo!

Lookin' good.

[1stpontiac]

Originally Posted by jayhopethismeeturstandard

UPDATE!!

Progress appears to be on track, despite a few weather delays. Here is how the transit hub is looking so far...

That is either a really terrible, or really terrific, pun. I haven't decided which yet.

[Beenhere4ever]

Originally Posted by jayhopethismeeturstandard

UPDATE!!

Progress appears to be on track, despite a few weather delays. Here is how the transit hub is looking so far...

Amazing. I thought it'd be something lame like the Amtrak station on Transfer Road. I've been visiting other cities like Chicago and Toronto. Their hubs are these AWESOME developments. I guess they do have a bigger job to do, but I think a strategic building project needs a bit of vision of what might be.

[jaxontwinz]

Thanks for the pics, lookin good. I saw something the other day that the Twins, Met Council, and I believe the state are all trying o figure out ownership and naming rights. I personally kinda like the name "Interchange". Any ideas of a good name?

Another thing: when the lines open (including SW and Bottineau), the train traffic will be 3.75 minutes each way or 5 minutes depending on the frequency. Will the Interchange be able to handle traffic less than every 4 minutes? And say another LRT line opens up, whatever it may be, will the Interchange be able to handle that? Will there need to be another transfer level, say, combine at the Northstar station?

I just hope that they are building the actual track and station to handle all the potential traffic and expandable for another line. No matter what is decided, it's a great project for hopefully a great future transit system.

[jayhopethismeeturstandard]

I didn't even realize my play on words... oh well it all blends so well.

If you guys like these pics I have a bunch more I will be updating to my picture blog if you want to stay in the loop. The Official Jason Tandy Picture Blog

If you guys have suggestions related to this project that you want me to grab pics of I will gladly do so. I know someone mentioned where the connection with the green line/Southwest LRT to Eden Prairie will be in relation to the hub and if you look at the first picture, at the bottom where the concrete forms are located there is that lower level where a set of tracks that the SW LRT will be built on will meet with the hub/upper level lines. Jaxontwinz brings up a good point though, because this line already experiences frequent heavy rail traffic and then factoring in the Northstar, I would guess that any future line (which in my opinion would run northeast if one is ever built) would congest this tiny area if the designers didn't have enough foresight. Its going to be a very busy little area as is.

This is why I'm happy I got into the carpentry course I'm in, I hope to either work on the Green Line or the Vikings Stadium (either is fine by me )

[Beenhere4ever]

Reminds me of the King Street Station in Seattle.

[xandrex]

Originally Posted by jaxontwinz

Thanks for the pics, lookin good. I saw something the other day that the Twins, Met Council, and I believe the state are all trying o figure out ownership and naming rights. I personally kinda like the name "Interchange". Any ideas of a good name?

Another thing: when the lines open (including SW and Bottineau), the train traffic will be 3.75 minutes each way or 5 minutes depending on the frequency. Will the Interchange be able to handle traffic less than every 4 minutes? And say another LRT line opens up, whatever it may be, will the Interchange be able to handle that? Will there need to be another transfer level, say, combine at the Northstar station?

I just hope that they are building the actual track and station to handle all the potential traffic and expandable for another line. No matter what is decided, it's a great project for hopefully a great future transit system.

I don't think this will be an issue, because Bottineau is an extension of the Blue Line (Hiawatha) and Southwest is an extension of the Green Line (Central). In other words, I don't think we'll see train frequencies dip down below 4 minutes. Trains from St. Paul will continue down to Eden Prairie and those coming from MOA will continue on to Brooklyn Park. So it's likely they'll just have a staggered 10 minute schedule (which is what they have for the Blue Line now): You'll see a train every five minutes, but they'll be alternating.

[emcee squared]

Right. Although it seems like 4 lines since they are all being built at separate times, they are really just extensions of the original, so 2 really long lines.

I CANT WAIT!

[jaxontwinz]

I get that, and five minutes is a good frequency of traffic coming into and through this hub. What I am was more thinking was for the future... beyond the blue and green lines. For example, a spur off the Bottineau to Maple Grove. If this line runs partially along the Bottineau, then those stations of the line would see a frequency of 5 minutes, but once you get to the Interchange, that frequency would be about 2.5 minutes for some trains.

Anyway, I am thinking wayyy into the future, and who knows if any more lines will really come. I do think some spurs should be eventually added like into Maple Grove, or NE Minneapolis.

Great transit projects and developments are happening in the Twin Cities and it is awesome!