Metro Transit's decision to use light rail service for Super Bowl ticket holders rankles some who will be forced to take the bus
Metro Transit, the regional transit agency in Minneapolis/Saint Paul, is offering express light rail service to ticket holders on Super Bowl Sunday. Ticket holders who buy a $30 "game day" pass will get a nonstop ride from a security screening area directly to U.S. Bank Stadium for the game. Both light rail lines, the Blue Line and Green Line, will offer this service.
Members of the general public looking to ride the Blue Line and Green Line will be offered substitute bus service. This doesn't sit well with some riders and transit advocates in the Twin Cities. Saint Paul resident Nate Hood was quoted in the article:
“It’s creating two tiers of people: Those who can afford expensive Super Bowl tickets, and those who cannot,” said Nate Hood, a Saint Paul resident and Metro Transit user.
The primary rationale for the altered service seems to be that both light rail lines pass within the security perimeter around U.S. Bank Stadium. A similar situation occurred during the 2016 Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California, but the SCVTA was able to maintain regular train service during that time as well.
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