Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22 , 2009
SOME NORTHWEST METRO BUS SERVICE TO CHANGE MAY 30
MINNEAPOLIS – (May 22, 2009) –Some bus service in the northwest metropolitan area will change this month, marking the second phase of Metro Transit’s plan to improve routes in an area west of the Mississippi River and north of Highway 55.
Starting May 30, Metro Transit will roll out changes to routes restructured as part of the agency’s plan to meet growing residential and employment needs, changing travel patterns and new demographics. The first phase of the Northwest Metro Transit Restructuring Plan took effect in June 2007.
Major changes are coming to these routes: 715, 716, 717, 755, 756 and 767. Other routes will have minor schedule changes.
Cities included in this phase of the project include Minneapolis, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, New Hope, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.
Here are highlights of the changes:
-Improved service in the Winnetka Avenue corridor, with more non-rush hour and reverse-commute service.
-New Route 705, a crosstown route traveling primarily on Winnetka Avenue in Brooklyn Park, Crystal, New Hope and St. Louis Park. This route will provide service to the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Brooklyn Park.
-New connections between Winnetka Avenue and Ridgedale Mall and between 42nd Avenue and City of Plymouth Dial-A-Ride.
-Elimination of Route 715, with service replaced by Route 705, Route 717 and Route 755.
-Facility improvements at Starlite Transit Center.
-Simpler Saturday routing between Robbinsdale, Crystal and Brooklyn Park on restructured Route 716.
Customers who want information on northwest metro route changes have several options. They can get route and schedule information by calling 612-373-3333 or view maps and schedules at metrotransit.org/NWservice. Customers also can request informational brochures on buses that serve the northwest metro.
Metro Transit is a service of the Metropolitan Council. In 2008, customers boarded its buses and trains nearly 82 million times, the highest annual ridership in 27 years.
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(Editors: For information call Bob Gibbons, director of customer services, 612-349-7509 or
via e-mail at robert.gibbons@metc.state.mn.us)
