2040 Comprehensive Plan: Envision Shakopee

EXISTING TRANSIT CONDITIONS

MARSCHALL ROADTRANSIT STATION

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At the time of the last comprehensive plan, transit services in Shakopee were oriented around two purposes: local circulation within Shakopee and the peak-period commute to Downtown Minneapolis. In the decade since, transit providers have responded to shifts in housing and employment patterns in and around Shakopee. “Reverse commute” and “suburb to suburb” fixed routes now connect workers to major employment opportunities at the Amazon distribution facility and Mystic Lake Casino. Two new park and ride facilities opened in Shakopee. These include the centrally located Marschall Road Transit Station, which serves as an operational hub and “pulse point,” providing commuters with timed transfers between express, local and shuttle services. There are two hourly routes providing local circulation. Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) Route #497 meanders through the more densely populated neighborhoods of western Shakopee while Route #499 connects the major destinations of eastern Shakopee, including all three park and rides and the three major grocery stores. Three park-and-rides, Marschall Transit Station, Southbridge Crossing P&R, and the Eagle Creek P&R are used primarily by commuters to reach downtown Minneapolis. Located adjacent to US 169, the Marschall Transit Station is the largest facility in the city. In 2015, an 82-space park-and-ride was also operated adjacent to Seagate. However, the park and ride was closed based on findings from a transit study that indicated low ridership at the facility. The City controls ownership of the former park and ride property. Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA)

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Dial-A-Ride supplements mandated ADA paratransit service (available for those with qualifying disabilities whose trips begin and end within 0.75 miles of a fixed route) and Medical Assistance rides (which are available for non-emergency medical transportation of residents enrolled in medical assistance through the county), also jointly operated by Scott and Carver Counties under the SmartLink brand. As SmartLink has grown over the past decade, the program has pursued multiple innovative strategies to meet demand while controlling costs. Accommodating Medical Assistance rides on the same buses as Dial-A-Ride services allows SmartLink to provide these trips at a lower cost than contracted non-emergency medical transportation in surrounding counties. SmartLink has established a pool of volunteer drivers to help fulfill medically-related ride requests that extend to neighboring counties and other priority trips for older adults that cannot be accommodated by the regularly operating SmartLink buses.

Land to Air Express

Land to Air Express is an express shuttle service connecting the Marschall Road Transit Station directly to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. This service operates Monday through Sunday and offers overnight parking for travelers.

SmartLink Transit also offers door-to-door Dial-A-Ride service anywhere in the seven-county metro area. Residents call to make a reservation, and pay a fare based on the distance of the trip. This

ENVISION SHAKOPEE | SECTION IV: BUILT ENVIRONMENT