Nathaniel Minor
@nbminor.bsky.social
2.4K followers 360 following 240 posts
Politics reporter for the Minnesota Star Tribune. DM me your tips. Signal: nbminor.08
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Reading up on MN transpo stuff and came across this series from editorial writer Steve Berg the Strib ran back in 2002. Lots of talk of induced demand, freeway blight, etc
Screenshot of a 2002 Star Tribune editorial about transportation Screenshot of a 2002 Star Tribune editorial about transportation Screenshot of a 2002 Star Tribune editorial about transportation Screenshot of a 2002 Star Tribune editorial about transportation
I will also bring that to the team!
Hiya David - That's a good thought, though in my defense I did reach out to every DSA-endorsed legislator, including Sen. McEwen, and either didn't hear back or got a no comment.
Combination of huge debt service payments, driver shortages, and less demand for the commuter-focused rail network RTD built.
Tbf that was across all RTD services and RTD also prioritized local bus services b/c that’s where ridership was still hanging on
Coming from Denver, where RTD was somewhere around 70-75% of pre-pandemic service and really didn’t want to talk about it, this is remarkable.
With August's changes, Metro Transit says that BRT and local bus service levels will exceed those of 2019, for the first time since COVID.
Former President Biden paid his respects to Melissa and Mark Hortman today at the Minnesota State Capitol.

www.startribune.com/joe-biden-vi...
In reading and learning more about the Minnesota State Capitol for return-to-office stories and now security concerns, I was curious how the built environment around the cap has changed over the years.

Folks, it's a lot.

1945 at left, current day at right
🥲 congrats!!

I’m sure the RTD board would love to have you at their next meeting
Reporting by @startribune.com's Sydney Kashiwagi
A St. Louis Co Commissioner says USDOT staff told him last week that federal money was still coming for the Twin Cities-Duluth train.

Then MN's four congressional Republicans asked USDOT to eliminate that $.

“I’m extremely disappointed," the commissioner said.

www.startribune.com/republicans-...
Republicans seek to gut federal funding for three Minnesota transit projects
One project, the Northern Lights Express, has bipartisan support, and the Republican advocating for it said he’s disappointed by the delegation’s letter urging elimination of funding.
www.startribune.com
Moved to Minnesota just in time to see a men's pro sports team embarrass itself in the playoffs.

Good to be home.
TIL that one of the first Buffalo Wild Wings (er, BW3) restaurants was in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org?a=d&d=STP198...
Rep. Emmer and the rest of the MN Republican Congressional delegation are targeting federal funding for three rail projects here: Northstar, NLX, and Blue Line Extension. Read their letter: emmer.house.gov/_cache/files...
emmer.house.gov
Wrote about it in the intro for today's @startribune.com politics newsletter