Minnesota Valley Transit Authority Information & Minnesota Valley Transit Authority Links at HealthHaven.com

Minnesota Valley Transit Authority
Founded	1993
Headquarters	Burnsville, Minnesota
Locale	Burnsville, Minnesota; Eagan, Minnesota; Apple Valley, Minnesota; Savage, Minnesota; Rosemount, Minnesota
Service type	Bus/Rapid Transit
Routes	Bus: 22
Fleet	112 Link
Daily ridership	10,000 (weekday estimate)
Operator	Schmitty and Sons
Chief executive	Beverley Miller, Executive Director
Web site	http://www.mvta.com

The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) is a public transportation agency that provides fixed-route and demand-responsive bus services to several communities in the southern portion of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The service area currently includes the cities of Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, and Rosemount in Dakota County; and the city of Savage in Scott County. MVTA provides service from these areas to key destinations in Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as the Mall of America in Bloomington. The agency's name refers to the river valley along the Minnesota River.

[edit] Governance and structure

MVTA was created in 1990 through a joint powers agreement between the member municipalities and counties. The agreement was executed under a 1984 Minnesota statute that allowed suburban communities in the metropolitan area to create their own transit agencies independent of Metro Transit, the region's primary public transit provider. MVTA was one of several suburban transit agencies (also known as "opt-outs") that were formed as a result.

MVTA is governed by an eight-member board, each member representing the governing body of a member jurisdiction, plus one at-large member and several ex-officio members.

In 2002, the City of Prior Lake withdrew membership from the MVTA.

[edit] Service

MVTA's service is designed primarily to transport passengers from the residential suburbs within its service area to job and activity centers in the Minneapolis and St. Paul. While the majority of the agency's ridership is concentrated during peak periods of travel (rush hour), MVTA service operates seven days per week and up to 18 hours per day on some routes.

[edit] Upcoming projects

Main article: Cedar Avenue Transitway

^{[citation needed]}

There is a project for Bus Rapid Transit on Cedar Avenue (State Highway 77/County Road 23) due to extreme traffic congestion between Highway 62/Mall of America & County Road 42. The Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transitway is in the midst of being completed. Changes include: The addition of two new park & ride lots, Cedar Grove Park & Ride & the 180th Street Station and Changes to existing bus feeder routes & new ones.

Main article: I-35W Busway

^{[citation needed]}

In January 2005, MNDOT released their plans to improve transit service on the corridor. They chose BRT as the best option. Changes include: expansion of Route 535's service from just weekdays to everyday service, and route extensions to the University of Minnesota, and south to Burnsville Transit Station, as well as, expand HOV lanes north to 42nd Street, and build a station located in the median of the freeway at 46th Street (with completion due in 2010). Future MNDOT and Metro Transit plans show a new freeway station located somewhere between 76th St and 82nd St., HOV lane extensions to Downtown Minneapolis, and relocating the Lake St. Station to the median of the freeway.

Main article: Robert Street Corridor

^{[citation needed]}

In 2007, Dakota County completed a study on the Robert Street Corridor. The modes of transit considered are Light Rail Transit, Bus Rapid Transit or Commuter Rail. The MVTA communities of Eagan and Rosemount comprise the south end of the corridor.

[edit] Routes

Routes last effective: September 12, 2009
Next effective changes: December 12, 2009 & January 4, 2010

Route

Destination Points

Online & Pocket Schedules

420
Apple Valley - Rosemount
Flex Route

Apple Valley Transit Station

Rosemount Plaza

Contents

[edit] Governance and structure

[edit] Service

[edit] Upcoming projects

[edit] Routes

[edit] Transit centers and park-and-rides

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References