Search Continues, Child Porn Conviction and 'Civil Marriage': Pick of Our Patches

This week's selections include a new Buddhist monastery, 100-meter dash record, Southdale Center on TV, hospital milestone and a record-breaking betting day.

Editor’s Note: Every week we bring you a sampling of stories from Patch sites in the west metro: Eden Prairie, Edina, Fridley, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Lake Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Shakopee, Southwest Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Michael. Police Release Maps in Search for Mandy Matula Eden Prairie police have released maps of the areas where Mandy Matula, the missing Eden Prairie woman, might be located. The areas are in Benton, Carver, Sherburne, Stearns and Wright counties.  3 Years, 3 Months Behind Bars for Ex-City Staffer on Child Porn Conviction Scott Andrew Bradley of Oakdale, who once worked as communications coordinator for the City of Richfield, got the maximum sentence. MN Same-Sex Marriage…

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Legislators Propose Spending $332M on Transit, New Transit Tax

Minneapolis Sen. Bobby Joe Champion and Brooklyn Park Rep. Melissa Hortman introduced bills Thursday that would also help people walking, bicycling, or using wheelchairs.

Survey Finds Broad Support for Transit, Southwest LRT

Metro chambers commissioned the study to find out voters’ opinions about public transportation.

Survey Finds Broad Support for Transit, Southwest LRT

Metro chambers commissioned the study to find out voters’ opinions about public transportation.

Survey Finds Broad Support for Transit, Southwest LRT

Metro chambers commissioned the study to find out voters’ opinions about public transportation.

Support for the Southwest Light Rail Transit project has grown significantly over the past year and a majority of Minnesotans support a sales tax increase for transit, according to survey results announced Thursday. The memo that the bipartisan survey team produced on behalf of the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce, St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce paints a picture of widespread support for transit in both the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. “Minnesotans understand that planning for economic growth and improving our region’s transportation system is just common sense,” a news release quoted Minneapolis Regional Chamber President Todd Klingel. “This survey shows there is strong support for …

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What Do You Know About the Metro's Light Rail Projects?

A look at the details for the four light rail projects closest to completion.

Whether you like it or not, light rail is the talk of the metro at the moment. Businesses along the Central Corridor have another year of construction to look forward to. St. Louis Park residents are protesting the proposed relocation of freight rail in respone to the Southwest Transitway project as supporters continue to seek the necessary funding. In Golden Valley, residents are waiting to see what their City Council will do when it comes to supporting a resolution that would send a light rail train through their community. Many Golden Valley residents urged the City Council to vote no on the resolution that would allow more studies to be conducted about the Bottineau Transitway’s locally preferred alternative (LPA). Meanwhile, the …

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Does Light Rail Need Its Own Tax?

Whether an increased sales tax or a new taxing jurisdiction, advocates say a reliable funding stream could insulate transit from political winds.

The Southwest Light Rail Transit project hasn’t had an easy time securing state funding over the past couple years. It faced stiff opposition from Republicans, with the former transportation committee head promising to stop the Southwest LRT "in its tracks." DFL wins in the 2012 Election bode well for the project, but there’s no way of knowing how long that will last. With the line years away from operation, and the Bottineau Transitway moving forward, some light rail advocates are questioning whether transit should rely so much on state funding. That was the question brought up multiple times Tuesday during a meeting with national and local development experts about making the most of Southwest LRT. Instituting a reliable revenue stream, …

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Study: Transportation Investment Could Have $10B Payback

A study commissioned by the Itasca Project examined the return on investment for fully funding the regional transportation plan—which includes roads, buses and two more light rail lines by 2030.

A study commissioned by a group of Twin Cities business leaders estimates that the region could more than double the return on its investment by fully funding the Metropolitan Council’s transportation plan—which includes road and bus upgrades and the addition of two more light rail lines by 2030. “The Regional Transit Project Return on Investment Assessment” was commissioned by the Itasca Project—a group of more than 50 people that is made up mainly of private sector CEOs, with a small number of public and nonprofit leaders. Cambridge Systematics, the Massachusetts-based firm that did the analysis, estimates that implementing the Met Council’s plan would generate between $6.6 billion and $10.1 billion in direct benefits between 2030 and …

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