Transit Redesign Study

Greater Mankato Transit Redesign Study

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As greater Mankato grows and changes, the transit system must be able to respond. The Greater Mankato Transit Redesign study evaluates the existing transit system, reviews previous planning efforts and survey results and solicits community feedback. The study focuses on short- and long-term transit needs in greater Mankato and results in transit service recommendations and capital needs over the next five to seven years and beyond.

The study is a partnership of the city of Mankato, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MN/DOT) and Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU). The study area includes the cities of Mankato/North Mankato and Blue Earth, Nicollet, LeSueur and Waseca counties.

About the Transit Study
Much initial groundwork has already been done in other plans and studies and will serve as important resources for the study’s project team:

A transit service and operational redesign plan for greater Mankato was implemented in 2003. Since then, significant effort has been done on behalf of the cities of Mankato and North Mankato to involve the public in long-range planning processes. Significant public input was provided through Envision 2020, the City Center Renaissance Plan and the Mankato Area Transportation and Planning Study (MATAPS) 2035 that identified transit as having considerable impact on greater Mankato’s quality of life. This input led to an early Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) model (first identified in the City Center Renaissance Plan and further refined in MATAPS).

To meet the long-term objectives of the City Center Renaissance Plan and MATAPS 2035 and address challenges, the city of Mankato accepted MN/DOT’s offer for partial funding using Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds of the Greater Mankato Transit Redesign Study.

  • There has been a significant increase in the number of seniors residing within Mankato and North Mankato.
  • A marked increase in the number of immigrants living within Mankato and North Mankato.
  • An increase in the number of multi-family housing units for university students as well as senior citizens.
  • Significant street redesign within Mankato.

Three identified areas need to be examined to address these challenges and move the city of Mankato’s long-range plan of a BRT system forward:

1. Redesign existing bus route system.
2. Phased implementation of a BRT system.
3. Possibility of a four-county system interconnected with the greater Mankato system.

See a project schedule.