Originally Posted by lightrailnow.org
Minneapolis:
Light rail line exceeds weekday average ridership goal 15 years early
Ridership on Minneapolis's new light rail transit (LRT) system has been soaring. John DeWitt of Twin Cities-based Transit for Livable Communities (TLC, an underwriter of the Light Rail Now Project) relates that total ridership for June hit 699,000 person-trips (of which 75,000 were for Twins games). The ridership breakdown was as follows:
• Average weekday ridership – 25,193 (ranging from 22,700 to 31,700)
• Average Saturday ridership – 22,645 (ranging from 16,700 to 29,800)
• Average Sunday ridership – 13,581 (ranging from 9,100 to 17,200)
John observes that "Since the 2020 forecast for weekday ridership was 24,600, the Hiawatha line has surpassed that forecast by a healthy margin in its 12th month. The line provides in excess of 10% of all Metro Transit trips for 7.84% of the agency's total operating expense."
For July, ridership results are equally impressive. "Although Metro Transit was expecting a slip in ridership for July," reports John, "only the rate of growth slipped as it grew by about 22,500 rides in comparison with 50,000 per month in the preceeding months." He notes further that July ridership came in at 721,700, with weekday ridership averaging 26,500 – compared to a 2020 forecast of 24,600. The Hiawatha LRT service is thus exceeding its forecast 15 years early!
Another Minneapolis transit advocate, Tom Fairbairn, points out that LRT rolling stock is being utilized to capacity; thus, "all available equipment is frequently in use." Tom further reports that
"The system has ordered three additional articulated cars (same design as now used, from Bombardier), which should be here within the next year, I believe. But I suspect more will be needed shortly, and definitely if the University light rail system ever is built between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. One of the big draws has been during Metrodome events. The Vikings are looking to build a new stadium up in Blaine, Minnesota (a second-tier suburb north of Minneapolis several miles), which will take them out of the loop at the Dome. However, even if the Twins move to North Minneapolis, they will still be on the light rail and that won't change the loadings, or might increase them. The Vikings really don't contribute that much on an annual basis, anyhow, as the number of NFL games played at the dome is not that high.
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