Metro Transit Considers Cutting Some Hopkins Bus Service

A portion of Hopkins bus service is under consideration for reduction or consolidation because of budget shortfalls and low ridership, according to a report in this week’s City Council packet.

Metro Transit is reviewing whether to eliminate the portion of Route 670 on Highway 7 between of 17th Avenue and County Road 101.

The route is among five west metro bus routes in the area under review for consolidation—664, 665, 667E, 670 and 671.

Click on the PDFs above to see a map of the proposed changes.

The recommendations arise from a region-wide Metropolitan Council study of possible service reductions and consolidations in express bus operations. The routes identified have about 25 passengers per trip on average, with the evening average of Route 670 at 19.3 passengers.

Metro Transit’s staff plan calls for consolidating five routes into three, although details could change as the process goes along. In addition to the elimination of some sections, the plan also includes changes and renumbering of other routes.

Metro Transit Senior Planner Steve Mahowald will discuss the proposal at Tuesday’s City Council work session. Public hearings on the plan will take place in April. Staff will seek Met Council approval in May, after integrating any changes that arose out of the discussions.

The changes would take effect in late August 2013.

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our free daily newsletter | Check out Patch’s Pinterest boards