No biggie

Let's see, not much going this week.

The construction update has the regular stuff: Tom is selling Christmas trees at the Y, overhead wires are being installed (weather permitting), and some clean up work is happening. Slow news day.

It's not like this past weekend marked the end of heavy construction on University Avenue, and the beginning of the rest of our lives. It's no major milestone in our city's history.

This is what I would call understated:

Bus Details
Bus routes on University Avenue will resume to normal configuration. Visit www.metrotransit.org or call the Transit Information Center at 612-373-3333 for the most current information.

Quietly, and without much notice, University Avenue has been buttoned up for good. Sure - there are more lane closures and more guideway work to come, but I'm taking a full minute and a half to savor this landmark moment.



And, hmm, what else is happening this week? Perhaps we could have a little party. For the opening of a $243 million historic depot 40+ years in the making. Whaaat? I can hardly contain myself.

Not one, but TWO random people at the bus stop last weekend were talking to me about this. I haven't heard that much bus buzz about a single event...ever. I was down there on Saturday to meet up with some friends - I can say I knew you when, Depot.





And because I can't manage to show any kind of restraint, I've copied the full list of events and activities happening between 10 am and 4 pm. I will be there early (media event and speeches start at 9:30!)

• Commemorative Poster - Complete a Transit Pass to receive a free commemorative Union Depot poster designed by Twin Cities artist Adam Turman.


• Union Depot History Display – Artifacts and photos that tell the history of Union Depot. 


• Metro Transit Booth – Information on service and bus routes. Download a free bus pass at uniondepot.org. 


• Jefferson Lines – Bringing intercity bus service to Union Depot in January 2013.Tour one of their featured buses and check out their new ticket office in the Kellogg Entry.


• Amtrak – Coming to Union Depot in 2013, Amtrak will be onsite to share the glory of the Empire Builder train that will operate out of Union Depot. 


• Minnesota Transportation Museum/Jackson Street Roundhouse – Learn about Twin Cities train history and view a historic map that depicts the location of the original Union Depot. 


• Operation Lifesaver - Learn how to make safe decisions around tracks and trains.


• Treasure Island Resort & Casino – Meet their mascot Toucan and spin the wheel for a chance to win prizes. 


• Mississippi National River and Recreation Area National Park Service – Explore a giant floor map of the river. 


• U of M Raptor Center – Check out three live raptors perched out on display including a bald eagle!  Onsite 12 P.M. to 4 P.M.


• Mystic Lake Casino – Play Card Sharks for prizes.  Also, tour one of their shuttle buses.


• St. Paul Saints – Play some baseball on the St. Paul Saints inflatable batting tee and get information on the new regional ballpark opening in Lowertown in 2015. 


• One on One Bicycle Studio – Coming to Union Depot early 2013, see their new space and learn about products and services.


• Saint Paul Winter Carnival – Meet the Royal Family and purchase your official Saint Paul Winter Carnival button.


• Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB) – Learn how five metro counties are working together to fund new transit lines, and see the vision for our growing regional transit system.


• Metropolitan Council Central Corridor LRT (Green Line) – Learn about the latest light rail project and take your picture with a large tapestry of a light rail car.


• U of M Press – View a collection of their railroad books and meet some of the authors.


• Harding High School – Enjoy musical performances  by the Harding High School Marching Band, Drum Line, and Ensemble. Performances at 10 A.M., 11 A.M. and  11:30 A.M.


• Colleen & Bradley from MyTalk107.1 – Meet Colleen and Bradley from MyTalk107.1’s morning show.  Onsite 11 A.M. to 1 P.M. 


• Snoopy Unveiling & Meet and Greet – Meet Snoopy and see our newly redesigned “Doghouse Days of Summer,” Snoopy Statue. Event at 11 A.M. 


• Urban Sketchers – Meet local sketchers, including some of Union Depot’s own residents, to learn about sketching the world around you.


• Taste of Lowertown - Experience the unique foods of Lowertown, with a new restaurant providing samples at the top of every hour.


• Studio Sendero – Demonstrations and free classes in flamenco, belly dance, yoga and Zumba.


• Recess Press – Pick up a pre-made tote, or learn from an artist how to screen print your very own. Totes are free while supplies last.


• Bedlam Theatre Performances - Bedlam Theatre will perform a series of small and large-scale historically referential performances throughout the day. 


• Light Rail Shuffle – Learn to dance the Light Rail Shuffle and other fun dances.


• Train-Themed Photo Stand-Ins – Be the driver of a light rail car or the conductor of the William Crooks steam engine, and have your picture taken.


• Postcards from Union Depot – Choose from several postcard designs created by local artists and send a postcard to yourself or a loved one from Union Depot. 


• Movie night! Elf is being shown at 5:30. Woooo.

I plan to transfer from the 16 to the 21 downtown for the ceremonial joy of riding all the way to the depot on Saturday. You didn't get the notice? It's right here - in the bus route changes.



Understated.

A train by any other name

For many years we've called it the Central Corridor. But it's going to be the Green Line, and since the signs are already going up, well, it's time to make the switch.

I am kind of attached to Central, but the color system is less about what we're getting rid of, and more about what we're getting: maps. Real, beautiful, abstract, big city metro maps. I don't have the Transit Maps of the World book on my coffee table for nothing, people.

The good news is, I possess some cartography skillz myself. The bad news is, the hardest thing to map is something stylized and beautiful and unrelated to coordinates on the earth. Cheating in GIS is so difficult! For this job, we need to throw out the projections (sorry, Mercator!) and bring on the graphic designers. And when I started looking around, it seemed like these folks may already have a head start...I like where this is going!

[See this and other prototypes at Carticulate!]

And speaking of things I want to design, I am thinking about creating some transity nerd green line tshirts - something to express my localized enthusiasm, like you see in places like Toronto and New York. I'd like a shirt or a bag with every Twin Cities local* bus number printed on it. It would come with a sharpie keychain so that you could proudly cross off routes you've used, or put a heart around your favorite line. I mean, instant street cred of course, but also people might say "oh, you've been on the 64 - can you tell me where I need to transfer to catch that downtown?" Now how useful is that? We transiteers should self-identify and make ourselves useful.

Also, these shirts could double as matching uniforms for our opening day flash mob. I mean, there is going to be dancing in the streets, right?

*Sorry, suburban express riders, but this is kind of a city thing. Maybe you could make blingy seat covers or coffee cozies with your route on them?

Bus etiquette 101

I have several theories about people who talk loudly on cell phones on the bus. One is that this person was a hipster holdout, that is, someone who resisted getting a cell phone until about 2010 and is still going through the awkward "I can talk to you from anywhere" phase. Another is the type of person who has a short attention span and hates riding the bus, but hates more to pay for parking downtown (so they hide & ride in your neighborhood and punish your whole bus to listening to their convos). We'll call him...Guy in a Suit. I hate to say it, but the loud people are almost always men. Yeah.

Here are some typical conversations you can use to identify these riders.

Hipster Holdout: Hey man, I was just on the bus and I thought I'd check in...yeah - I'm calling you from the bus! I know, I'm almost home but...why not call you from the bus? Oh, hold on, I'm getting another call.

[Note: The Hipster Holdouts are also often guilty of talking on the phone while riding their bike, which is even more terrifying.]

Guy in a Suit: Hey, I'll be there in about 12 minutes, but I was wondering if you could read me all my emails in the mean time. I'm so bored! Hold on, I'm writing this down - wait, I'll put you on speaker so I can take notes.

To these and other offenders, I have one word for you: texting. Texting! It was invented so people could ride the bus in peace. True story.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:The 50 bus

Best and Worst of the Week

What a long week! I traveled to Toronto for a whopping 48 hours and met some great plannery people. So here it goes, Transit City edition:

Best: Bumber to bumber streetcars (drool). Never realized how great it is to have a back window!

Worst: Overhead wires. Yikes, there is a lot of clutter. Finger crossed that Saint Paul can swing some of those wireless trolleys.

Best: Cool subway font used in every station. The tiles are also pretty amazing. Of course, I am not the first person to notice this - I am just one of many fans.

Worst: Skinny platforms. Makin' our LRT platforms look pretty luxurious. Amazing what a little ADA can do (I missed ADA often while in Canada.)

Best: Commonwealth candy. Picked up a Mr. Big and a Coffee Crisp - hubby's favorites.

Worst: The King Seat. Not sure why the back of every bus has this special throne, but this would cause a lot of trouble on the 16. There are already power struggles in the back of the bus, people. Terrible idea!

Best: A foot pedal on a public trash can. Yes! Why don't we have these?

Worst: Wayfinding fail. A wayfinding panel that says that maps will be added soon. Not helpful!

Best: Bike fairy love. Found on the seat of a Bixi (bikeshare) bike in Dundas Square.

Midwinter Poetry Slam

There's something about winter that really intensifies my love/hate relationship with transit. My patience is short, but my ride is pre-heated. I never have to scrape a windshield or move for plows, but my toes have some frostbite damage.

In any case, I'm a Mac grad living in Minnesota in January. And that can only mean one thing - I'm doing a J-term project. Bus haikus.

back door! back door, please!

pushing doesn't help, lady

touch here to open

a bird in the hand
better than 2 on NexTrip
should have made that bus

seven years riding
fare card works inside mittens?
just occurred to me

I should always wait
I can outwalk the 16
where is my 50?

I just ran five blocks

don't shake your head at me, sir

open the damn door

sitting a bit close

are you reading my facebook

over my shoulder?

why do the people

from suburban park and rides

like the queue so much?

number 63

is impossibly quiet

that is just not right

I'm making sure that
you're looking at me looking
at your badge number

It's almost too easy once you get started. Post your own! I will carve the best ones into the back of the seat in front of me. (Uh, just kidding, Metro Transit!)