Busy day on April 1 downtown Minneapolis

 

News Release

Contacts: Matt Laible, City of Minneapolis: (612) 673-2786
John Siqveland, Metro Transit: (612) 349-7089

Plan ahead and know your transportation options as Twins home opener approaches

Twins and Timberwolves games on April 1 mean opening day will be busy Downtown

 

March 28, 2013 (Minneapolis) When the Minnesota Twins take to the field on Opening Day, April 1, downtown Minneapolis will be especially busy, with a Minnesota Timberwolves game at Target Center that evening. So whether you’re going to a Minnesota Twins game, catching a show at Target Center, or taking in entertainment at venues across Downtown, spring is a good time for folks to refresh their memories on all the transportation options available for getting to and around Downtown.

Events on April 1:

  • Twins game vs. the Detroit Tigers at Target Field – 3:10 p.m. – Gates open at 1 p.m.
  • Timberwolves game vs. the Boston Celtics at Target Center – 7 p.m. – Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

The City, Metro Transit, and many partners are again teaming up to make sure getting to and from games goes as smoothly as it can. As usual, Downtown Improvement District Ambassadors will be out on the streets in their bright green shirts, and they’re a great resource for people who have questions while they’re out and about Downtown.

New this year – The Interchange is coming!

Visitors to Target Field this summer will notice some changes on the 5th Street side of the ballpark, where Hennepin County is constructing the Interchange. Scheduled to open in 2014, the Interchange will serve as a central, multi-modal transportation hub and community gathering space in downtown Minneapolis. For the 2013 Twins season, construction means there will be some minor changes to the way riders will board light rail trains after games, and Metro Transit staff will be on hand to assist customers. The project partners would like to thank folks for their patience while this major improvement is under way.

 

Getting where you’re going

Downtown is an urban setting that provides transportation opportunities to meet everyone’s desired experience, whether you want to drive, ride a bus, take a train, or bike or walk.

When visiting Downtown, there are five tips people should remember to minimize delays and maximize their enjoyment of all the activities going on.

  1. Plan ahead – Visit TwinsBaseball.com/transportation or Targetcenter.com to learn more about all your transportation choices. Visit the Downtown Improvement District’s events calendar at www.MinneapolisDID.com to see what events are going on any day.
  2. Know your parking options – There is parking availability throughout Downtown. If you prefer convenient access to Target Field and Target Center, the adjacent A,B,C, and Hawthorne ramps have plenty of capacity, and the ramps empty smoothly after games, without long waits. If you’re parking on the street when coming Downtown, make sure to check the signs to be sure of the time limit and hours of enforcement for your parking space.
  3. Use transit – Target Field and Target Center are extremely transit –friendly.  The facilities are located at the junction of Northstar commuter rail, the Hiawatha light rail, and many bus lines – future site of The Interchange.
  4. Bicycles are another great way to the games – Bicyclists are reminded to use headlights and taillights after dark and, if possible, to wear light or reflective clothing.
  5. Come early/Stay late – The Warehouse District is ready to welcome fans for another summer of baseball, basketball, shows, and excitement. Take part in activities, shopping, dining, and other entertainment before and after games and concerts. Enjoy the extra time to experience all Downtown has to offer, and beat the traffic.

Taking transit to events

The Northstar commuter rail line offers direct service to Target Field from stations in Big Lake, Elk River, Ramsey, Anoka, Coon Rapids and Fridley. For added savings, the Northstar Roundtrip Family Pass offers roundtrip rides for two adults and up to three kids ages 6-17 for $20 or less. Customers can buy round-trip tickets and Northstar Roundtrip Family Passes for Twins games online at metrotransit.org/Northstar. Full train schedules for every game and fare information are available for viewing and printing at metrotransit.org/twins. Additionally, Northstar Link bus service from St. Cloud and Becker is scheduled to connect with trains at Big Lake for every game this season.

 

The METRO Blue Line (Hiawatha) runs from Bloomington, past Target Center, and directly to Target Field’s gates. It serves large Park & Ride facilities at Fort Snelling and 28th Avenue stations which have nearly 2,800 free parking spaces. NEW for the 2013 season – trains serving Twins games will have more cars to give fans a more comfortable ride. The addition of brand-new light-rail cars will provide more capacity and faster boarding after games.

 

Direct bus service on Twins Express Route 679 from the County Road 73 Park & Ride in Minnetonka with hundreds of free parking spaces will be offered for every Twins home game again in 2013. Buses start taking fans to the ballpark two hours before each game. Return service begins two hours after first pitch (example: 7:10 p.m. game, buses begin returning to the Park & Ride at 9:10) and continues roughly every half hour until an hour after the game ends.

 

A number of popular and frequent bus routes stop near Target Field. From the east, Routes 3, 16, 50 and 94 serve Ramp B/5th Street Transit Center adjacent to Target Field and Target Center. Many other frequent routes travel along Hennepin and Nicollet avenues just blocks away.

 

Online tools and information for instantly planning bus or train trips to Twins games is available at metrotransit.org/twins.

 

Managing traffic

 

The City of Minneapolis takes a number of steps to manage traffic during Twins games and other big events. The volume of pedestrians, bikes, and cars Downtown before and after these events means increased traffic, but there are several ways the City works to improve operations and minimize congestion, including:

  • Traffic control agents are at many Downtown intersections during peak times before and after the events. Traffic control agents at intersections are key to maintaining traffic flow and improving pedestrian safety when volumes are high.
  • Special traffic signal timing patterns are used to move high numbers of vehicles during events.
  • Dynamic messaging signs throughout Downtown provide drivers with real-time information as they move around the area. There are currently more than 70 of these signs Downtown, which are used to direct people to parking, to notify drivers when key parking ramps fill, and to help drivers find their way around.

Events calendar makes it easy to plan ahead

Whether you want to go to a game, catch a play, or see a concert, finding just the right events and activities for your family is easy when you use the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District’s online events calendar.

The calendar is on the Downtown Improvement District’s website at www.MinneapolisDID.com. The list includes events and entertainment at dozens of venues, big and small, throughout Downtown. The list can be viewed and sorted in several different ways to help you find what you’re looking for. The calendar includes sporting events, live performances, theater events, festivals and parades, exhibits, and many other entertainment options. The calendar makes it easy to find out if there are lots of events on a given day, and knowing what else is happening Downtown will help you plan ahead to minimize transportation delays.

Help prevent car break-ins

With warmer weather approaching, the Minneapolis Police Department encourages you to protect yourself from vehicle break-ins and “Put Your Junk In Your Trunk.” Get in the habit of keeping all of your belongings in the trunk of your car, prior to arriving at your destination, and never leave belongings in plain view. Remember to always call 911 if you see suspicious behavior.

Making event days a great experience

Many City departments, the Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Ballpark Authority, Target Center, the Minnesota Vikings, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Hennepin County, Metro Transit, ABC Ramps, the Warehouse District Business Association, the Downtown Improvement District, the Hennepin Theatre District, the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Guthrie Theater, and others are all taking steps to make event days in Downtown success.

 

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