Rush Line buses ready to roll

The future has arrived at Union Depot in downtown St. Paul.

The revival of a major transit hub in the city's old train station starts Oct. 18 when the first commuter buses depart from the northern Washington County city of Forest Lake and the nearby Anoka County city of Columbus. The route, known as Rush Line, has been in the works for years.

"This is the first route that's going to come into the Union Depot as its destination," said Victoria Reinhardt, a Ramsey County commissioner who chairs the Rush Line Corridor Task Force. "We know there are people who have been waiting for this. East metro has to be served, and this is the beginning."

An estimated 100 riders each way, Monday through Friday, will board buses for jobs at United Hospital, Ramsey County offices, the State Capitol and other downtown St. Paul employers. Four buses will leave for St. Paul in early morning and return to suburbia in late afternoon.

"We expect that it will exceed the expectations that our study has shown and it will meet the pent-up demand [for ridership] that we know is there," Reinhardt said.

While transit officials acknowledge that Rush Line ridership will be modest at first, the idea is to develop public interest in riding a bus or train, said Mike Rogers, project manager for the Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority.

The longterm plan for Rush Line envisions a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane, or even light rail, that would help relieve traffic congestion along one of the east metro's busiest freeways. The full Rush Line corridor extends 80 miles to Hinckley, Minn., in Pine County, although any bus or train service north beyond Forest Lake remains under study.

That depends. The route that starts Oct. 18 is a one-year demonstration project. Ridership will be evaluated every three months. The Metropolitan Council and the Rush Line task force members will decide if service continues after one year.

Where do the buses start?

Four buses will leave at staggered times each weekday morning from Running Aces casino in Columbus. Thirteen minutes later, they'll pull into the transit center in Forest Lake.

Why Union Depot?

Transportation planners envision a refurbished depot in the Lowertown district of downtown St. Paul as an eventual metro hub for buses and trains. A few weeks ago, the Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority approved a $149 million construction contract to make the building into a Twin Cities transportation hub. Major construction will get underway in January, with completion expected in late 2012.

The first inbound bus leaves Columbus at 5:47 a.m. The last outbound bus leaves St. Paul at 5:26 p.m.

How much do they cost?

The one-way fare, regardless of where a rider boards, is $3. Once purchased, that fare is transferable to other metro buses for people who need to make connections.

What's the name of this route?

It's Route 285. A companion route, 288, runs from Forest Lake to Minneapolis. That route is now in its third year.

The coach-style buses will seat 55 passengers each. They were used on the North Star route from Minneapolis northwest to Big Lake, Minn., before the light-rail train began operation there. Some seats will have reading lights and outlets for laptop computers.

How long will the trip take?

From Columbus to St. Paul, about an hour. Buses running the Rush Line route will drive on the shoulders of freeways to speed past traffic gridlock. The route has 12 stops -- Forest Lake, White Bear Township, and 10 stops in downtown St. Paul. Most St. Paul stops will be along Cedar (inbound) and Minnesota (outbound) streets.

Who pays for the service?

Riders and taxpayers. In addition to the $3 fare, four counties -- Anoka, Chisago, Washington and Ramsey -- contributed $118,050 apiece to fund the service for one year, in addition to a $419,222 federal grant. Washington County's portion came from proceeds from a quarter-cent transit sales tax distributed through the Counties Transit Improvement Board.