Officials Prepping To Make Green Line Opening Accident-Free
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Green Line will open in just four days and metro transit officers are talking safety.
So far, there have been four accidents during test runs on the light rail line that will connect St. Paul and Minneapolis.
The corridor along University Avenue is the busiest east/west transit corridor in the state. Because of the volume of trucks, cars and people in the area, there is a last minute push to make sure people are safe along the rail line.
"We're testing our trains, were getting our operators ready," said John Siqueland, a Metro Transit spokesperson.
Workers are making their last tweaks and pushing safety education for those who will ride the rail and for those who will drive next to it.
"Come opening weekend, we are going to have 300 law enforcement officers out and along the line to make sure everything goes smoothly," Siqueland said.
Metro Transit officers have been working with St. Paul Police to stop people from making mistakes in or around the green line. They believe the four accidents on the track during test runs could have been avoided.
"The four collisions have all been with motorists, thankfully, no injuries in all of those, and they all involved those turn movements in intersections," Siqueland said. "So make sure that you are not cheating that left turn and make sure you are not making U turns where you are not supposed to be."
Officers are also concerned about people who cross the tracks where there is no official crossing. Metro Transit hopes people use designated cross walks and do not jaywalk to cut down on the potential of an accident.
With 23 stations along the green line, users can look for people in green shirts on opening day to answer any questions.
Rides on the Green Line will be free on both Saturday and Sunday. There will also be community celebrations at select stations.
From the heart of St. Paul to the heart of Minneapolis the ride will take about 40 minutes. From end to end, Union Depot to Target Field, the ride is 48 minutes.
