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. II . . . . . . . . . . . . lit . . Metro Transit Sectors 1 and 2 Restructuring Study Volume II: Service Plan all of these are properly enforced. Full busIHOV lanes on arterials can be appropriate especially in very high-frequency corridors. Of course, these lanes dramatically impact the capacity of the slreet for traffic and parking, and typically require a well-establlshed sense of urgency about the lransit speed problem - another reason for policy operating speeds on the Primary Transit Network. Again, most of these require leadership from the jurisdiction that controls the roadway. For this reason, policy operating speed standards, as discussed above, are especially relevant for identifying the need for these protections. AMENITY AND IMAGE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE PRIMARY NETWORK The Primary Transit Network - including the highest-volume peak express routes, will- when completed regionwide - carry the heaviest passenger loads at the greatest level of convenience. This convenience should be marketed. New ridership on the PTN is much easier to accommodate than new demands for service in low-density areas. For this reason, Metro Transit can move most rapidly toward its goal of doubling ridership n it concentrates its most aggressive amenity and image improvements on the Primary Network corridors, while also advertising other services in proportion to their potential usefulness. Primary Services should have a different "look and feel" than the rest of the system. While the buses may be the same, many physical features of the bus stop can help make the Primary network stand out and advertise its exceptional usefulness. These can include: . Distinctive design for Primary Transit Network shelters, including fully enclosed shelters with heating and air conditioning where demand warrants. Signs on shelters identifying their location can also help passengers to orient themselves, and give the shelters more of a "station like" feel. . Amenities at or near shelters that give value to waiting time, including phones, newsracks, and other fast vending opportunities. . Distinctive signage for PTN lines, providing much more information than the current generic bus stop and advertising "15-minute service" or "the bus will be here soonl' . Distinctive look for schedule information on high-frequency lines. . A new approach to the system map, using colors to emphasize frequency, as we do in the maps in this report. Most transit maps, including Metro Transifs, make no effort to distinguish intense services from infrequent ones. The resulting map is analogous to a road map that doesn't distinguish between a freeway and a dirt road. Because the region is so large, it may also be appropriate to develop subregional system maps, beginning with the Sector 1 and 2 area, where this notation can be introduced, rather than trying to map the existing system using the new notation. DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS CIRCULATION STUDY The Metropolitan Council and the City of Minneapolis urgently need to cooperate in the development of a Downtown Minneapolis Circulation Study. Such a study would explore opportunities to improve the pattern of transit lanes in the downtown, which are currently extremely Nelson \Nygaard Consulting 7-5 November 2, 1999