Today we publish the first in a short series of three articles by Henry Pan about the benefits and obstacles of integrating city public transit systems with regional transit providers. In the Twin Cities, transit agencies that serve Minneapolis, Saint Paul and the surrounding seven counties share the same fare structure, buy and use the same buses, and share the same pot of money from the federal government. But negotiations get bumpy when it comes to making sure every agency gets the funds necessary to meet the needs of their region’s residents. In the mid-1980s regional agencies “opted out” and used tax revenues to cater to suburban transit needs, for example building park-and-rides or launching microtransit services. At the same time, state law limits regional transit autonomy and mandates that the overarching transit provider, known as the Met Council, set fares to ensure a consistent ridership experience. How do Minneapolis and its suburbs reconcile these tensions? Read our lead story to find out.
Kelly Regan
Editorial Director, Next City
