State Shutdown Won't Slow Buses or Trains, for Now

Buses will still rumble up and down Central and University avenues, and trains will still stop at Fridley Station, despite Minnesota state-government shutdown that went into effect at midnight. 

Commuters can count on Metro Transit bus and Northstar commuter-train service as usual—at least for several weeks.

"All transit service will continue operating as normal beyond the potential shutdown date,” Metro Transit spokesman John Siqveland said Thursday. 

The Hiawatha light-rail line and other Metropolitan Council services including Metro Mobility are also set to run without interruption, and construction of a new light-rail line between St. Paul and Minneapolis can continue for a while. 

How is that possible when so much of state government is at a halt? The Met Council, which operates most transit systems in the metro area, is a political subdivision of the state but not a state agency, and can run independently to some degree with its own administration and reserve funds.

However, nearly a fifth of funding for regional transit through the Met Council comes from the state general fund, according to Siqveland. By using cash reserves, the Met Council can continue to operate services for several weeks.

“The goal is that all transit, the transit network, will operate as-is for that entire period,” Siqveland said.

But reserve funds will not last indefinitely without a state transportation budget resolution.

“It’s not known exactly how long (the funds will last) because we don’t know exactly what the different forces are going to be changing over the next few weeks,” Siqveland said.

A specific plan for what would happen if reserves are tapped has not yet been worked out, Siqveland added, and will be developed over the next few weeks if necessary.

Transit authorities are also still keenly watching for the outcome of budget negotiations when a shutdown resolution is reached.

In the transportation-funding package passed by the Legislature and vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton, state general fund support of transit is reduced by $110 million, or 84 percent, according to a statement by Met Council Chairwoman Susan Haigh. The Met Council could deplete other funds to backfill that loss to some degree, according to a report by the Minnesota Budget Project.

By contrast, ridership was reported to be 19.5 million in the first quarter of 2011, up 2 percent. The rise in gas prices experienced over the past year has likely contributed to increased use of transit.

What size of cuts will emerge from budget negotiations is unknown, but fare increases and service reductions would occur in response to any major reductions.

A series of public hearings on the proposed transit cuts is scheduled to begin July 6-7, with more to follow in August. 

Northstar in Fridley
Fridley is the last stop before the Northstar train reaches Minneapolis. The station has the least number of riders of any along the line, but . 

If an eventual decrease in state funding leads to fare hikes, it will be the first time Northstar fares have risen since the line opened, said Siqveland. 

There will be no regular Northstar service on July 4, he said, but there will be special trains to and from the Minnesota Twins game that day—one of the main draws for passengers at Fridley Station.