On Tuesday, the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) celebrated the opening of the Rosemount Transit Station with a ribbon cutting, speeches and a performance by a Rosemount High School brass quintet.
The new $1.2 million station, at 14550 Burnley Av., has a building with heat, air conditioning and restrooms. It also has a canopy for those who wish to wait outside.
The facility, with parking for 102 vehicles, replaces the temporary park-and-ride lot at the nearby Rosemount Community Center.
Three buses providing express service to Minneapolis will operate in the morning and four return trips will be offered on weekdays. Flex Route 420, which operates all day between Rosemount and Apple Valley, will serve the station. Buses started using the new transit station last week as a sort of "soft opening."
Additional service to Minneapolis could be added in 2013 with the help of a federal grant. MVTA also is trying to secure funding to increase service to St. Paul, a spokeswoman for the transit agency said.
TIM HARLOW
