2013-41 CITY OF CHANHASSEN
CARVER AND HENNEPIN COUNTIES,MINNESOTA
DATE: August 26,2013 RESOLUTION NO: 2013-41
MOTION BY: McDonald SECONDED BY: Ernst
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE CONTINUED OPERATIONS OF SOUTHWEST
TRANSIT SERVICE,AND OPPOSING ANY ACTIONS OF THE METROPOLITAN
COUNCIL THAT WOULD MAKE SOUTHWEST TRANSIT SERVICE OBSOLETE
WHEREAS,the City of Chanhassen is a member of the SouthWest Transit Commission,
and has been since 1986, along with the Cities of Eden Prairie and Chaska; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chanhassen entered into the SouthWest Transit Commission,
opting out of the Metropolitan Council's Transit services in 1986 because the community did not
feel they were getting the level of service needed in the Southwest Metropolitan Area to support its
growing population; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of the SouthWest Transit Commission provided the Cities
of Eden Prairie, Chanhassen, and Chaska with the opportunity to have local control over the
operations of the transit service serving their communities; and
WHEREAS, since commencing its operations, SouthWest Transit has consistently met or
exceeded the City of Chanhassen's operational expectations, and has won several national awards
recognizing its quality of service; and
WHEREAS,the Metropolitan Council has recently discussed their desire to expand Bus
Rapid Transit(BRT) service down the Highway 212 corridor into SouthWest Transit's current
operating area; and
WHEREAS,the SouthWest Transit Commission and the City of Chanhassen believe that
the BRT Service being proposed by the Metropolitan Council would duplicate the services already
provided by SouthWest Transit, and potentially make SouthWest Transit services obsolete if
implemented; and
WHEREAS, the SouthWest Transit Commission and the City of Chanhassen desire to
keep SouthWest Transit services for its riders and constituents relevant, and keep local control over
decisions made for transit in our area; and
WHEREAS,the City of Chanhassen would oppose any action by the Metropolitan Council
that would extend BRT or other transit services in areas where SouthWest Transit services are
already provided or to cities west of SouthWest Transit's current service area; and
WHEREAS,the SouthWest Transit Coalition and the City of Chanhassen desire to have
the Metropolitan Council and SouthWest Transit partner to allow transit services provided by
SouthWest Transit and Metro Transit to complement each other and not negatively affect the transit
services that already exist.
NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Chanhassen hereby opposes
action by the Metropolitan Council to extend Bus Rapid Transit services down the TH 212
Corridor, or to provide transit services to cities west of SouthWest Transit's current service area,
and supports seeking cooperative arrangements between Southwest Transit and Metro Transit in
order for services provided by each entity to complement each other, including:
1. All estimated parking needed for expanded transit services within the Southwest Transit
service area must be accounted for separately from the parking needed for SouthWest
Transit current and future bus operations; and
2. SouthWest Transit will remain the principal branding on all SouthWest Transit facilities
including,without limitation, Southwest Station in Eden Prairie, Southwest Village and
Chanhassen Station in Chanhassen, and East Creek Station in Chaska.
3. , SouthWest Transit shall be guaranteed that all non-LRT and ADA transit in its defined
service area will fall under its control and that adequate funding shall be allocated to
Southwest Transit in order for it to meet rider demands related to these services as well
as expanded transit services cities west of SouthWest Transit's current service area. .
4. That SouthWest Transit be considered for expansion and operation of future bus service
along TH 169 in southeastern Eden Prairie.
Passed and adopted by the Chanhassen City Council this 26th day of August,2013.
ATT .
Todd Gerhardt, City Manager Thomas A. Furlong, Mayor
YES NO ABSENT
Furlong
Ernst
Laufenburger
McDonald
Tjornhom