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2015 SIP

2015 Final Plan

The Final SIP screened 185 proposed improvements in the Metro Transit Service area. Based on the evaluation measures, each proposed improvement was ranked High, Medium or Low. The 148 projects ranked High or Medium and are priorities for implementation; 11 unfunded Arterial BRT projects are also included in the Final Plan. Projects in the Final SIP are dispersed throughout the region and across all route types – express, urban and suburban local routes, and urban supporting/crosstown routes.

> 2015 Metro Transit Service Improvement Plan Presentation (You Tube)
> Read transcript of SIP presentation
> View presentation to Metropolitan Council Transportation Committee (Oct. 13, 2014)

> Executive Summary   (Español)   (Lus Hmoob)  (Soomaali)
> Full Report with appendices (large file)
> Chapter 1: Introduction
> Chapter 2: Plan Context
> Chapter 3: Transit Service Planning Overview
> Chapter 4: Public Engagement
> Chapter 5: Creating the SIP
> Chapter 6: The Service Improvement Plan
> Chapter 7: Impacts
> Chapter 8: Title VI Service Equity Analysis
> Chapter 9: Moving Forward

• Appendix A: Metro Transit Service Area
• Appendix B: Transit Market Areas
• Appendix C: Hi-Frequency Network
• Appendix D: SIP Public Engagement Process
• Appendix E: SIP Evaluation Factors
• Appendix F: SIP Service Improvements By Route
• Appendix G: SIP Service Improvements By Region
• Appendix H: SIP Improvements By Rank
• Appendix I: Prioritized SIP Improvements By Type
• Appendix J: New Annual Ridership and Resources
Appendix K: Title VI Service Equity Analysis

The Metropolitan Council approved the Final SIP in April 2015. View the April 13 presentation to the Council Transportation Committee.

 

Draft Plan

A draft plan was released in October 2014. For the following month, the public was invited to review and comment on the plan: Metro Transit held six public meetings seeking input on the Draft SIP. In addition to attending a public meeting, the public could provide feedback on comment cards available on bus routes and by email, phone and U.S. mail. The Draft SIP was available for review at county libraries within Metro Transit’s service area and at Metro Transit Service Centers in downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The Draft SIP screened 165 proposed improvements in the Metro Transit service area. Based on the evaluation measures, each proposed improvement was ranked High, Medium or Low; 122 projects scored either a High or Medium and are priorities for implementation; 11 unfunded Arterial BRT projects also are included in the Draft Plan.

Metro Transit received more than 500 service suggestions from nearly 200 individuals and community organizations. Most of the comments either supported or requested additional improvements to the frequency and span of existing routes. As a result of the feedback, the Final Plan includes 24 new projects and many items already in the Draft Plan were modified and reevaluated. 


Listening to customers

Metro Transit engaged stakeholders throughout the process of creating the SIP. We regularly hear from customers about improvements they would like implemented: higher frequency on core urban routes, better suburb-to-suburb connections, more urban crosstown routes, new express service,faster travel times and more customer amenities. 

Stakeholder workshops and survey
We began developing the SIP in Fall 2013 with stakeholder workshops and a survey.

> Purpose of the workshops: Engage stakeholders and enlist their assistance in reaching out to their constituents

> Workshops were held in Edina, St. Paul and Brooklyn Center. Staff and elected officials from every city and county in Metro Transit's service area were invited, along with representatives from nearly 200 community groups.

> See the workshop presentation (.pdf)

Winter 2013-2014 Survey
Nearly 4,000 surveys were received! Metro Transit staff analyzed the data, and used it to create the SIP. The feedback from the survey informed the guiding principles behind the plan and helped develop the criteria we will use to evaluate and prioritize improvements.

> View a summary that outlines the outreach process, and includes survey results and a draft of the plan's guiding principles
 

November 2014 Public Comment Period
A draft plan was released in October 2014. For the following month, the public was invited to review and comment on the plan: Metro Transit held six public meetings seeking input on the Draft SIP. In addition, the public could provide feedback on comment cards available on bus routes and by email, phone and U.S. mail. The Draft SIP was available for review at county libraries within Metro Transit’s service area and at Metro Transit Service Centers in downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Metro Transit received more than 500 service suggestions from nearly 200 individuals and community organizations. Most of the comments either supported or requested additional improvements to the frequency and span of existing routes. 


Timeline  
Stakeholder Outreach Nov.-Dec. 2013
Receive Public Input Dec.-Feb. 2014
Review/Process Input Feb.-April 2014
Develop Draft SIP May-Oct. 2014
Public Review November 2014
Finalize SIP Early 2015