Hiawatha light rail celebrates fifth anniversary

Five years ago on June 26, passengers first boarded Hiawatha light-rail cars to begin a new chapter in regional transportation.

On a picture-perfect day in June 2004, Hiawatha LRT was launched from downtown Minneapolis.

Nearly 43 million rides later, light-rail transit (LRT) is here to stay. In fact, LRT ridership has already exceeded projections for the year 2020 by 20%.

To mark the anniversary, representatives from some of the line's major partners gathered near Government Plaza Station for a brief ceremony in the heart of downtown Minneapolis.

“The ridership numbers show that residents of the region embrace public transportation and welcome additional options for affordable, convenient and environmentally friendly travel,” Metropolitan Council Chair Peter Bell said.

In addition to strong weekday ridership by commuters, 1.6 million rail tickets have been sold at the Humphrey and Lindbergh airport terminals and more than two million rides have been recorded for Minnesota Twins home games.

Bell also noted that the presence of light-rail service has spurred development, as 6,710 new housing units have been built along the line.

Also offering remarks at the ceremony were State Rep. Alice Hausman, Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Bloomington Mayor Gene Winsted.

The success of Hiawatha LRT has helped build the momentum for future LRT service, including the Central and Southwest Corridors, said Brian Lamb, Metro Transit’s general manager, in a separate interview. Metro Transit, a service of the Metropolitan Council, operates the Hiawatha line.

Alice Hausman speaking with Winstead, R.T. Ryback, Peter Mc Laughline and Peter Bwll

State Rep. Alice Hausman, St. Paul, spoke at the anniversary event. Also speaking were (from left) Bloomington Mayor Gene Winsted, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, and (far right) Metropolitan Council Chair Peter Bell, who hosted the event.

"The success of the Hiawatha Line not only set the table for future rail services but it also raised the visibility and stature of our bus service, which will forever be the centerpiece of transit in the region,” Lamb said. “Our overall ridership – bus and train – is up 17.4% over the last four years.”

"These ridership figures demonstrate clearly that the citizens of the region have an appetite for transit – provided it is delivered reliably and professionally,” Lamb said.