Think you'd try transit to a Twins' game?

Good luck to you if you do.

The lack of transit access to Target Field, the Twins' new, half-billion-dollar bet on Downtown Minneapolis, is going to be a major factor in the gridlock that will result, as the spring approaches and baseball season starts. In fact, the lack of transit for about 1/3rd of the Twins' schedule will eventually affect the Twins, as well as other Target Field events.

The lack of any extra transit operating for afternoon day games on weekdays (you'd only need a bus, one-way, from Northstar stations, as an example) will hamper fans from accessing what should be the region's newest jewel in the region's core -- Downtown Minneapolis -- and the fact that most of the connections (except light-rail) are primarily a shanks'-mare connection at best -- and that the area immediately to the south of the stadium, is one of the primary areas for the homeless -- will make it that much more doubtful that fans will attend, once the newness of the stadium wears off.

It is the hope of this blogger that Twins fans will indeed leave their cars at home and try transit into the stadium area. That is the Twins' hope as well. Is it the hope of Metro Transit that fans will leave their cars at home and use transit? Or will it be like everything else they are forced to provide service for? The 'well, we'll do it, but only because we have to, not because we WANT to' attitude?

We'll have to wait and see.

Northstar Twins' schedule announced

Metro Transit, operator of the Northstar commuter trains, have announced their schedule for extra trains for the Minnesota Twins' inaugural season at Target Field.

The schedule will include extra trains for:

Opening series vs. Boston (April 12, 14, 15)
All weekend (Saturday/Sunday) games
All weeknight games in June, July and August

In total, 53 of the Twins' 81 games will have extra Northstar service.

--WRT