1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to transportation; requiring Department of
1.3 	Transportation and Metropolitan Council to conduct
1.4 	study of bus rapid transit on the transportation
1.5 	corridor between Eagan and St. Paul.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. BUS RAPID TRANSIT STUDY.
 1.8 		Subdivision 1.Study required. The Department of
1.9 	Transportation and the Metropolitan Council shall jointly
1.10 	conduct a study on the feasibility of implementing a bus rapid
1.11 	transit (BRT) system in the transportation corridor between
1.12 	Eagan and St. Paul through Mendota heights.  Bus rapid transit
1.13 	systems are those systems that provide for significantly faster
1.14 	operating bus speeds, integrated service, greater service
1.15 	reliability, and increased convenience through investments in
1.16 	bus infrastructure, equipment, technology, and operational
1.17 	improvements.
1.18 		Subd. 2.Study requirements. The study must, at a
1.19 	minimum, include an analysis of the benefits and costs of
1.20 	implementing a bus rapid transit system that includes the
1.21 	following:
1.22 	(1) frequent operation of buses on exclusive or
1.23 	near-exclusive right-of-way on marked Interstate Highway 35E;
1.24 	(2) changes in bus or platform design and fare collection
1.25 	that provide for faster and more convenient boarding;
2.1 	(3) station locations that are adjacent to, or easily
2.2 	accessible from, the exclusive right-of-way;
2.3 	(4) traffic management improvements and traffic signal
2.4 	preemption on local streets within the transportation corridor;
2.5 	and 
2.6 	(5) changes to existing transit services to provide for
2.7 	timely connections and transfers.
2.8 		Subd. 3.Study recommendations. The study must recommend:
2.9 	(1) options for implementing bus rapid transit in the
2.10 	transportation corridor;
2.11 	(2) the associated cost of each option; and 
2.12 	(3) the anticipated benefits in terms of reduced travel
2.13 	times, increased ridership, and impacts on congestion levels
2.14 	within the corridor.
2.15 	The study must be submitted by January 15, 2007, to the house of
2.16 	representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over
2.17 	transportation policy and finance.
2.18 	
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2005.