- The Twin Cities region’s transit system has performed well on most measures of efficiency, effectiveness, and impact in comparison with 11 peer regions.
- The governance of transit in the Twin Cities region is complex and fraught with distrust
- Coordination among the many transit organizations in the region has been difficult.
- There is no agreed-upon set of priorities for transitway development in the Twin Cities region, and existing Minnesota law prohibits consideration of all potential transitways in the region.
- Scarce resources for transit are likely to become scarcer as the state confronts a significant budget deficit.
Time to redesign Twin Cities' transit governance
The Twin Cities region has spent $1.7 billion on capital transit projects since 2004. These include rapid bus, commuter- and light- rail service. But the Metro Council, the primary transit provider, lacks credibility and accountability on mobility issues, according to a new report from Minnesota's Office of the Legislative Auditor. Other key findings - many of which could easily apply to metros throughout the Great Lakes - include:
