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Biggest Green Line safety threat: Left turns, says Metro Transit

Light rail in downtown St. Paul
The southbound light rail in downtown St. Paul on Thursday, May 15, 2014.
Caroline Yang/Caroline Yang for MPR

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Metro Transit police said their biggest safety concerns along the new Green Line light-rail system involve drivers making illegal left turns and U-turns.

Although passenger service service doesn't start until June 14, three vehicles have collided with test trains making the trip between St. Paul and Minneapolis.

On The Daily Circuit, Metro Transit Police Chief John Harrington says in all three cases, police cited the drivers. Motorists continue to turn across University Avenue on red lights, he said.

But there might be opportunities to redesign some of the intersections to create better harmony for trains, traffic, bicyclists and pedestrians, Harrington said.

"We have, in fact, had that conversation with Metro Transit folks," he said. "Are there different sight lines, different kinds of signs? Is there anything else we can do to engineer this for greater safety?"

Metro Transit is also beefing up their presence along the line. An additional 20 part-time officers were sworn in earlier this year, bringing their force to nearly 200 full- and part-time officers. According to the agency, 22 of those officers will "focus specifically on the Green Line and neighborhoods it serves."

Their duties will consist of walking not only the trains, but also the platforms, Metro Transit Police Chief John Harrington said.

The new strategy for officers to roam the stops grew out of comments from the public, the chief said.

"Where folks said they were most concerned -- not so much where they had the most victimization -- but where they felt like they were more fearful, was when they were waiting for the train or waiting for the bus," Harrington said. "I believe visible police presence at those stations is an important part of reducing fears among our customers."

Disclosure: Minnesota Public Radio and the Metropolitan Council are negotiating ways to reduce noise and vibrations from the newly built light rail line outside MPR headquarters under a contract agreed to in 2009.