Here's a summary of the changes I made in my Twin Cities Fantasy Transit System, going from Version 3.0 to 3.1.  Click on the header to go to that system's/line's page.

High Speed Rail

My initial High Speed Rail (HSR) routing went from the Progressive Rail tracks paralleling MN 55 in Mendota Heights onto a new Minnesota River bridge just north of the I-494 bridge, crossing MN 5 just north of Post Rd, and interlining with the Hiawatha and Hiawatha Express LRT lines from the Airport station north into downtown Minneapolis.

This has been changed to a routing that follows the Big Rivers Regional Trail, the Union Pacific tracks across the Mississippi and to St. Paul Union Station, then continuing through Union Station along BNSF tracks to the downtown Minneapolis Multimodal Station.

Intercity Rail

• Extended the Southland line east to terminate at La Crosse instead of Winona.
• Added stations to the Sioux line at St. James and Sheldon.
• Created separate pages for each line and included distances and travel times between stations.

Bloomington LRT

Due in part to changes I made in the Southwest line, and also for a more logical termini, I extended the Bloomington line west to the Southwest Transit Center.  The routing also allows the line to stop at the Town Center West station (planned in real life as the Eden Prairie Town Center station).

Bottineau LRT

• Changed the Downtown Robbinsdale station and 42nd Ave N crossing from elevated to at-grade.
• Changed the 63rd Ave N station and crossing from elevated to at-grade.  Moved the station to the north side of 63rd Ave N.
• Moved the 77th Ave N station to the south side of 77th Ave N.
• Beyond the 77th Ave N station, I've made a major change in the primary line routing.  In keeping with the most favorable scenario based on the real life Bottineau Transitway study, I've rerouted the line to turn west at 77th Ave N, following 77th Ave N west to the recently built Maple Grove Town Center and terminating there.  My original alignment north of 77th Ave N remains part of the LRT line as the Osseo Spur.
• Added a new station on the now-Osseo Spur on the east side of Jefferson Hwy.

Hiawatha LRT

Only the wording of the Hiawatha Express LRT was changed, to reflect that my HSR routing no longer follows it.

Midtown LRT

• I've extended this line west to Hopkins, which seemed like a more logical termini, sharing track with the Southwest line.
• I've made a significant change in the alignment east of Bloomington Ave.  Based on a post by Tom Lindsey of the Minnescraper forums, I've rerouted the line to follow Lake St east of Hiawatha Ave, crossing the river onto Marshall Ave, turning north on Fairview Ave, then using the University line to end at Midway Center (east side of Snelling Ave).  The old alignment tunneled under the Pioneer & Soldier's Memorial Cemetery and followed the still-operating Minnesota Commercial Railroad alignment east of Hiawatha and across the Mississippi.

Southwest LRT

• Reflecting the real life proposal for Alternative 3A, I've included a station at Royalston.
• Also reflecting the real life proposal for Alternative 3A, I've included a bridge for the line over Cedar Lake Pkwy.
• The station at Louisiana Ave has been moved from the west side to the east side of Louisiana, reflecting the current station area planning proposal.
• The Shady Oak station has been moved to the north side of K-Tel Dr, reflecting the current station area planning proposal.  My LRT routing in the station area has also been slightly tweaked to reflect the current proposal.
• The Opus West station has been moved to the south side of Bren Rd W.  My LRT routing at and north of the station has also been tweaked.
• The MN 62 crossing has been changed from a tunnel to an elevated bridge to better reflect the topography of the area.
• Between the Golden Triangle and Southwest Transit Center stations, I've changed my routing to reflect the current planning for the Southwest LRT line, including a new station at Eden Prairie Town Center (named Town Center West in my fantasy system).  I've made two changes, though:  the bridge carrying the line over I-494 and Flying Cloud Drive has been extended northeast to also bridge over Prairie Center Dr there.  And just east of the Southwest Transit Center station, the line is tunneled underneath that segment of Prairie Center Drive.
• Related to the above change, the Southwest Transit Center station and track at and west of the station has been changed from elevated to at-grade.
• The Wallace Rd station has been renamed Mitchell Rd and moved east to reflect the current real life proposed location (about halfway between Wallace Rd and Mitchell Rd).
• Added a station at Bluff Creek, on the east side of Hwy 101.

University LRT

• The routing in the I-35W area was changed to reflect the current proposal for the Central LRT line in that area.  Previously, the routing was in the median of 3rd St/Washington Ave East.  This has been changed to a new bridge over I-35W parallel to the Hiawatha LRT bridge, then tying into the Washington Ave median just west of Cedar Ave.
• The tunnel under Raymond Ave on my original proposal has been dropped.  My new rendition has the University LRT line at-grade across Raymond Ave.

Streetcars

Based on a Hopkins city proposal for a short trolley to connect the Hopkins LRT station with Main Street, I've added a streetcar line that not only ties the two together, but also extends west down Hopkins' Main St to 17th Ave N.

Back to Twin Cities fantasy transit system
Go to my suggested freeway/expressway changes.
Go to my ideas for improving/upgrading Twin Cities area interchanges.
Return to Twin Cites Highways

Page last modified 31 October, 2009