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Link is a proposed 2.8 mile route along 2nd Street that will connect downtown Rochester, Mayo Civic Center, Mayo Clinic campuses, and the Downtown Waterfront Southeast area. Link will be operated by Rochester Public Transit and will be free for all users. Link buses are high amenity, 60-foot electric buses which will provide service to 7 stations across the city. Service intervals will be every 5 minutes on weekdays from 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m., and every 10 to 15 minutes at other times. Link will operate from 5 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and 8 a.m. to midnight on weekends.

Confirmed: City of Rochester, MN ; Community Development Department (Formerly Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department) ; DMC EDA ; SRF Consulting

Potential:

Why is Link necessary?

The 2nd Street SW corridor is one of the most heavily-used corridors in the City of Rochester, carrying more than 21,800 vehicles and 13,000 transit riders each day. The corridor is already near capacity, and congestion causes significant delays for transit users, drivers, and others traveling through the area. Link Rapid Transit will:

• Expand transportation options.
• Reduce the need for expensive parking.
• Alleviate future congestion.
• Prepare for downtown growth and support sustainable development.
• Improve quality of life for residents, employees, and visitors.

BRT was selected in 2019 as a result of the Alternatives Evaluation. The preferred route follows 2nd Street SW from the Mayo West Lot to downtown Rochester and will primarily operate in dedicated bus lanes. The current phase of work includes:

• Environmental review.
• Preliminary engineering.
• Communication and public engagement.

1. Efficient, convenient and accessible transportation systems that provides favorable cost structure commuters, employers and the public sector
2. More marketable downtown properties
3. More efficient and effective use of existing and future parking supplies
4. Better efficiencies in the use of land and reduced parking development costs (for both private and public sectors)
5. Greater transit ridership
6. Reduced traffic congestion
7. A strong partnership between the public sector, Mayo Clinic and the downtown business community
8. Measurable success based on consensus targets for access and growth

1. Organization that effectively supports and advocates the long-term economic vitality and livability of the downtown
2. Downtown parking to support economic development goals
3. Increased percentage of downtown employees commuting by transit from 10% (2008) to 23-30% by 2035
4. Increased number and percentage of commuter bike trips to downtown Rochester from an existing bike/walk mode split of 7% (2008) to 13% by 2035
5. Increased percentage of downtown employees commuting by carpool/vanpools to downtown Rochester from 12% (2008) to 14% (2035)
6. Increased employee awareness of the Rochester Access Management Authority and alternative mode transportation options
7. System-wide partnerships to support parking and TDM efforts/mission

DMC Transportation: Parking ; Destination Medical Center (DMC) ; Rochester, MN Transit Development Plan Update ; SE Mn Transportation Projects Information Portal ; The Rochester - Twin Cities Rail Corridor (Zip Rail) ; Transportation: ROCOG Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) ; West Transit Village

DMC Feb 2025 Board Meeting Memo 

City of Rochester Receives $84.92 Million Federal Grant for Transformative Link Bus Rapid Transit Project

LINK Progress Report to City Council 

Rochester eyes TIF to support Transit Village, Public Parking

March 2, 2025 Update per PB Reporting

May 2022; February 2022 and November 2021 Rapid Transit Updates and Upcoming milestones presented to DMCC. 

October 2020 Series of DMC Webinars - 5 Year Updates

Co-designers will be Rochester residents with strong connections to their communities and local knowledge of their neighborhood and the Rapid Transit Project area. 

Status reports and documentations presented to DMCC.

1st year status

Frustration was raised about the lack of transportation stake-in-the-ground at the May 26, 2016 DMC Board meeting. In project management 101 parlance, there is a lack of a work-break-down-structure of the overall DMC development plan.

The Rochester Transit Development Plan 2022 Update will provide recommendations for how Rochester’s transit system can improve and build upon Rochester’s 2017 Transit Development Plan. The plan will evaluate and make short- and long-term recommendations for:

Confirmed: City of Rochester, MN ; Community Development Department (Formerly Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department)

Potential:

Rochester, MN Transit Development Plan Update (rochestertdp.com)

Transit Plan

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Same as DMC Transit? 

Same as DMC Transit? 

Downtown Rochester Access Management Authority per DMC Transportation Improvement 7.5.1.1 plan draft ; LINK - Bus Rapid Transit ; Police Assisted Recovery (PAR Program) ; SE Mn Transportation Projects Information Portal ; Transportation: ROCOG Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)

To better serve the needs of residents in the southeast part of the city, Rochester Public Transit’s (RPT) on-demand transit service “RPT GO” has been modified in the following ways: 

Will transit hub be on former Seneca site? And what is being proposed? 

Bryan Law presented the latest Rochester city transit planning status to CNG's Feb. 2017 meeting.

Five public meetings are scheduled to discuss Transit Development Plan here in Rochester. The RPT is asking for people's input on how to make the new Transit Development Plan successful.

Transit System and Market Analysis

Rochester Transit Development Plan – Focused Discussion Groups Date:Tuesday, October 27th Times:Option #1: 9:30a.m. – 11:00a.m. Option #2: 1:30p.m. – 3:00p.m. Location: Rochester City Hall, Conference Room #320 201 4th Street SE, Rochester, MN 55904

The purpose of the Long Range Transportation Plan is: To identify major transportation investment needs in Olmsted County over the next 30-40 years To satisfy the federal mandate that all urban areas have a transportation plan that discusses the level in investment that can occur based on reasonably available funding To coordinate the actions of cities, counties, townships and MNDOT in developing major transportation facilities and services To provide updated system planning maps reflecting current thinking on community growth and land use development

Confirmed: City of Rochester, MN ; Community Development Department (Formerly Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department) ; Community Networking Group (CNG) ; County of Olmsted, MN ; DMC EDA

Potential:

2045 LRT 

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Destination Medical Center (DMC) ; Downtown Rochester Access Management Authority per DMC Transportation Improvement 7.5.1.1 plan draft ; LINK - Bus Rapid Transit ; Rochester, MN Transit Development Plan Update ; SE Mn Together: A regional community growth initiative

2024 - 2027 Transportation Plan 

2023 - 2026 Transportation Plan: The Rochester-Olmsted Council of Governments (ROCOG) has released a draft of the 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), for a 30-day public comment period. 

Per the following  the ROCOG LRTP has been rendered online for immediate consumption.