Public input needed for next phase of Rochester rapid transit project

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – The City of Rochester and Destination Medical Center continue to work on the city’s new rapid transit system and need community input in order to move into the next phase of design.

The rapid transit system is called LINK. The proposed route is 2.6 miles, along 2nd Street SW which will connect downtown Rochester, the Mayo Civic Center, the Mayo Clinic campuses and the Rochester-Olmsted County Government Center. Studies carried out by the city and DMC have shown that it is one of the busiest areas of the city, with more than 21,000 vehicles passing through it every day, as well as 13,000 public transport users. .

Project leaders said the rapid transit system will reduce congestion, reduce the need for parking and improve the quality of life for many people. A rapid transit bus is faster and can carry more people. The bus will arrive every 5 minutes on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and will arrive every 10 minutes at other times. The service will operate from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.

The project took years to mature. The city has held webinars for the past two years to update the public on the progress of the project, and now there’s a new one scheduled for Thursday. to inform and gather feedback on proposed improvements to bus stations and shelters. The stations will be different from the current bus stations. They will be 80 feet long to accommodate 60-foot buses.

“Because this is such a big investment in Rochester, we want to make sure we get it right,” said Nick Lemmer of Rochester Public Transit. “So we’re taking a moment now to look at some of the improvements we’re proposing to make to the project.”

The cost of the project is $114 million and is funded by DMC and federal grants. Construction is expected to start in 2023.

Two webinars will take place on Thursday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Click here to register for the webinars.

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