NovaBus Cedar Avenue BRT Vehicle to be on Display Dec. 14-15

Burnsville, Minn. – (Dec. 9, 2011) – Take a look, kick the tires or step on board the bus selected as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle for the Cedar Avenue Transitway service to begin in late 2012.  The bus will be on exhibit Dec. 14-15 at the following locations:

Wednesday, Dec. 14, 9-10 a.m. – Burnsville Transit Station, 100 E. Highway 13, Burnsville

Wednesday, Dec. 14, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. – Dakota County Western Service Center, 14955 Galaxie Ave, Apple Valley

Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2:30-5 p.m. – MVTA Eagan Bus Garage, 3600 Blackhawk Road, Eagan

Thursday, Dec. 15, 9-11 a.m. – Metro Transit Heywood Offices/Garage, 560 6^th Ave. N., Minneapolis

Thursday, Dec. 15, 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m. – Metro Transit Overhaul Base, 515 N. Cleveland, St. Paul

Thursday, Dec. 15, 2:30-5 p.m.  – MVTA Burnsville Bus Garage, 11550 Rupp Drive, Burnsville

Cedar Avenue is one of the most traveled roads in Dakota County. Construction preparing Cedar Avenue for the buses that will run on the bus-only shoulders began in 2011 and will resume again in spring 2012. Most of the construction will be completed by late fall 2012 with some minor finishing touches completed in spring 2013. Station-to-station service with 15-minute frequency is currently slated to begin in late 2012.

The MVTA will be the service provider for the Cedar Avenue Station-to-Station service, and the MVTA Board approved the purchase of the seven vehicles at its Board meeting on Dec. 7.  The Metropolitan Council is expected to authorize funding at its Dec. 14 meeting.

The buses are being purchased via the State of Minnesota Cooperative Purchasing Venture in the amount of $3,110,463.  Funding for the buses is from two primary sources:  the MVTA secured a competitive Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant in 2009-10 matched 80/20 by Regional Transit Capital funds and funds committed by the Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority (DCRRA) which may be augmented by Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB) funds.  CTIB collects a quarter-cent sales tax in Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington counties and a $20 a motor vehicle sales tax, permitted by the Minnesota Legislature, to invest in and advance transitway projects by awarding annual capital and operating grants.

In additional to the vehicles, the MVTA will need to purchase cameras, automatic vehicle locator (AVL) system hardware and a parts inventory for maintenance purposes.