REGIONAL TRANSIT BOARD:

An Inventory of Its Records at the Minnesota Historical Society

Government Records

Expand/CollapseOVERVIEW

Creator:Minnesota. Regional Transit Board.
Title:Records.
Dates:1972-1999 (bulk 1984-1994).
Language:Materials in English.
Abstract:Records of the Regional Transit Board [RTB], the body legislated to administer the transit needs of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. The materials document the organization, administration, operation, and dissolution of the board, including its relationship to the Metropolitan Transit Commission [MTC], its role in trying to bring light rail transit to the area, and its various programs involving short-range transit planning, particularly those involving the handicapped and elderly.
Quantity:20.4 cubic feet (21 boxes).
Location: See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseHISTORICAL NOTE

The Regional Transit Board [RTB] was established in 1984 by the Minnesota Legislature to administer the transit needs of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, particularly short-range planning and a light rail transit project [Laws 1984 c654 art3]. It was granted all of the powers of the Metropolitan Transit Commission [MTC], which it superseded for transit planning and oversight functions. The RTB's membership consisted of 14 people elected by the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities Area, and one chairman appointed by the governor. Among its first assignments, the RTB was required to develop a transit service implementation plan to carry out the Metropolitan Council's transit policy plan. In 1985, the RTB's membership was reduced to nine members [Laws 1985 1Sp10 s94 d4].

In 1987, the RTB's purpose was redefined to cover the following: 1) to foster effective delivery of existing transit services and encourage innovation in transit service; 2) to prepare implementation and financial plans for the metropolitan transit system; 3) to set policies and standards for implementing the transit policies and programs of the state and the transit policies of the Metropolitan Council in the metropolitan area; 4) to conduct transit research and evaluation; and 5) to administer state and metropolitan transit subsidies [Laws 1987 c278 s11 d1a]. Two years later, increasing transit services to suburban areas and working cooperatively to coordinate all transit modes and increase the availability of transit services were added to its duties [Laws 1989 c339 s7 d1a].

As overseer of light rail transit, the RTB was ordered to prepare regional coordination, development, and financial plans [Laws 1989 c339 s12 d1-3]. The Legislature created the Joint Light Rail Transit Advisory Committee to aid the RTB in planning and coordinating light rail facilities and activities [Laws 1989 c339 s13 d1] and the Light Rail Transit Joint Powers Board to implement light rail design and construction [Laws 1991 c298 art7 s8].

The RTB was also charged with providing services to all metropolitan area residents. In 1991, the Paratransit Advisory Committee was created to aid the RTB through investigation of transit accessibility for the handicapped and elderly [Laws 1991 c298 art7 s9 d1].

In 1994, the RTB, as well as the MTC, was abolished and all its duties, responsibilities, property, interests, and obligations were transferred to the Metropolitan Council, to be assumed by the Council's newly created Transportation Division [Laws 1994 c628 art2 s4 d1].


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Expand/CollapseSCOPE AND CONTENTS

The records include the board's annual reports; minutes and agenda packets of both the board and many of its committees and advisory groups, particularly those involving administration and finance, legislation, marketing, policy, local officials, and paratransit; subject files and publications; and MTC background files.

The subject files and publications include audits, budgets, contracts, environmental impact statements, funding and grant materials, legal opinions, legislative documents, planning initiatives, resolutions, maps, studies, information packets, reports, and brochures. Topics covered include the I-494 and I-35E reconstruction, a 1991 Ilium Associates marketing study of bus ridership, federal funding, Metropolitan Rideshare, public transit, and light rail transit.

The MTC background files mainly detail projects and programs later (post-1984) run through the RTB. They contain budgets, correspondence, meeting summaries, program studies, and guidelines and policies relating to such topics as buses, waiting shelters, community development, interstate highways, and transit planning. There are also files relating to the transportation development program and the Transportation Advisory Board.


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Expand/CollapseARRANGEMENT

The collection is organized in the following sections:

Annual Reports, 1985-1989, 1992-1994
Agenda Packets and Minutes, 1984-1994
Committee Agenda Packets and Minutes, 1984-1999
Subject Files, 1979-1994
Published Records and Reports, 1985-1997
Metropolitan Transit Commission [MTC] Background Files, 1972-1994


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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Minnesota. Regional Transit Board. Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession numbers: 2000-22; 2001-41; 2008-1; 2013-25; 2020-10; 2021-21

Processing Information:

NHPRC logo

Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Legacy Amendment logo

Digitized by: Minnesota Historical Society, January 2022.

Digitization was made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008.

Catalog ID number: 001736794


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Expand/CollapseANNUAL REPORTS

Location
112.B.11.15B 1985-1989, 1992-1994.

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Expand/CollapseAGENDA PACKETS AND MINUTES

These files may or may not include the reports and other support documents reviewed at the individual meetings. They may also contain scattered minutes of the board's various committees, particularly the Committee of the Whole, the Administration and Finance Committee, and the Policy Committee. When the researcher encounters gaps in the individual committee files, the corresponding files in this series should be checked.



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Expand/CollapseCOMMITTEE AGENDA PACKETS AND MINUTES

The majority of the following files are incomplete; they may or may not include the reports and other support documents reviewed at the individual meetings. As stated above, the board's agenda packets and minutes often contain minutes of the various committees and gaps in the following series should be compared against those files.


Location
112.A.2.3BAdministration and Finance Committee:
September 1984-April 1985. 12 folders.
Location
112.B.12.2F May 1985-August 1987. 52 folders.
Location
112.A.2.4F September 1987-1989. 38 folders.
Location
112.A.2.5B 1990-September 1994. 48 folders.
The later years are incomplete.
Location
112.B.12.3BAudit Advisory Committee, November 1989-August 1992, March 1993, September 1994. 15 folders.
Committee of the Whole, 1984-1994. 49 folders.
Legislative Committee:
1985, January-February 1990. 3 folders.
Location
112.B.12.4F March 1990-February 1994. 26 folders.
Local Officials Advisory Committee, September 1990-September 1993. 29 folders.
Includes one folder of miscellaneous correspondence.
Marketing Committee, 1990-1992. 15 folders.
Nominating Committee, January 6, 1994.
Para-Transit Advisory Committee, 1991. 4 folders.
Location
112.B.12.5BPolicy Committee:
September 1984-1987. 70 folders.
Location
112.A.2.6F 1988-March 1994. 64 folders.
Location
126.J.8.5B April-September 1994. 4 folders.
Providers Advisory Committee [PAC]/Transit Providers Advisory Committee [TPAC]:
Name changed in September 1997.
1987-1997. 64 folders.
No meeting held in February 1996.
Location
112.J.9.8F 1998-March 1999. 16 folders.
Rideshare Advisory Committee:
1985-1988. 10 folders.
Includes one folder of operational materials, circa 1986-1988.
Location
112.A.2.7B 1989-1993. 7 folders.
Transportation Handicapped Advisory Committee [THAC]/Transportation Accessibility Advisory Committee [TAAC]:
Name changed in 1990.
1988-February 1992. 39 folders.
No meeting held in July 1991.
Location
112.J.9.9B March 1993-1994. 44 folders.
Missing August and September 1994.
Location
112.J.9.10F 1995-June 1998. 66 folders.
Location
112.A.2.8F July 1988-March 1999. 8 folders.
No meeting held in October 1998.
Ad Hoc Committees:
Ad Hoc Committee on Agency Transportation, January 1989.
Metro Mobility Policy Recommendations.
Ad Hoc Committee on Competitive Transit, January 1988.
Ad Hoc Committee on Light Rail Transit, July 1988-June 1989. 9 folders.
Ad Hoc Committee on Meto Mobility, March 1988.
Ad Hoc Committee on Office Space, June 1988.
[0.2 cubic feet full, letter]

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Expand/CollapseSUBJECT FILES

Files documenting the work of the RTB, including audit reports, budgets, contracts, 1992 I-494 reconstruction environmental impact statements, funding and grant materials, a 1991 Ilium Associates marketing study, legal opinions, legislative documents, planning initiatives, resolutions, and related correspondence, reports, and background data.


Location
126.J.8.5BAnnual audits, 1984, 1986, 1992, and 1994. 2 folders.
Board legislation, 1984.
Borrowing authorities, 1985.
Budget, 1985-1987, 1993-1994. 5 folders.
Contracts, 1985-1986.
Environmental impact statement: I-494 reconstruction, April 1992. 10 folders.
Escrow agreement, 1985.
Financial plan, 1986-1987.
Funding and grants:
Bonding issues, 1985-1986. 2 folders.
Capital bond debt, 1985.
Federal Aid Urban [FAU] program, 1985.
Federal Aid Urban [FAU] projects and reports, 1985-1987.
Federal transit funding, 1984-1985.
Policy and procedure for depositories and investments.
Regional Transit Public Trust Act, 1987.
Tax anticipated certificates issue, 1985.
Urban Mass Transportation Administration [UMTA] grant, 1984.
Location
126.J.8.6FIlium Associates 1991 marketing study:
Data file: Bus riders. 1 volume.
Data file: Non-riders. 1 volume.
Data file: Potential riders. 1 volume.
Data file: General community. 1 volume.
Data file: Former riders. 1 volume.
Consumer research results.
Significant findings and recommendations.
Interstate 35E highway reconstruction demonstration project, 1986.
Legal opinions, 1984-1987. 2 folders.
Legislation:
Executive summary, 1985.
Federal transit legislation, 1985-1986.
Legislative audit, 1987.
Legislative Commission on Metropolitan Transit, 1984-1985.
Legislative initiatives, 1987.
Legislative programs, 1985-1986. 2 folders.
Metropolitan Rideshare, 1979-1984.
Metropolitan Transit Commission [MTC] legislative program, 1985.
Regional transit legislation, 1984-1986.
Metropolitan Transit Commission [MTC] operational overview, 1985.
Planning initiatives, 1984-1986. 1 folder and 1 volume.
Pricing study, 1985.
Property tax levy, 1985-1986.
Regional transit program development, 1984.
Remote sensing of vehicle emissions final report, 1994.
Resolution logs, 1984-1994.
Resolutions, 1984-1994. 4 folders.
Location
112.J.9.10FTransportation Accessibility Advisory Committee:
Appeals Committee, 1990-1991.
Information about committee, 1992-1994. 4 folders.
Metro Mobility survey, 1993-1994.
Metro Mobility-ATE Management & Service Company, 1993-1994.
Metro Mobility subcommittee reports, 1992-1994.

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Expand/CollapsePUBLISHED RECORDS AND REPORTS

Two sets of chronologically arranged publications: miscellaneous and those related to light rail transit.


Location
126.J.8.6FMiscellaneous:
Transit Guide to North Minneapolis Bus Service; Transit Guide to South Minneapolis Bus Service. 2 items in folder.
Twin Cities Area Transit System map, January 1986.
Location
112.A.2.8FImplementation and Financial Plan, October 1986. 1 volume.
Transit Service Needs Assessment - Phase I Report, March 1986. 1 volume.
Transit Service Needs Assessment - Executive Summary, December 1986. 1 volume.
Transit Service Needs Assessment - Final Report, March 1987. 1 volume.
Location
126.J.8.6FStandards, Procedures and Guidelines for Competitive Procurement of Public Transit Services, January 1988.
Anoka County Transit Study, January 1988.
Mobility Training Assessment and Recommendations, Report to the Regional Transit Board by the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living, February 1, 1989.
I-35W Travel Demand Management Program final report, July 18, 1989.
Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Transit map, August 1989.
Information packet on public transit and the RTB, 1990.
Information packet on St. Paul public transit, 1990.
1991 Minnesota Transit Report: A Guidebook to Minnesota's Public Transit Systems.
Location
112.J.9.10FMetro Mobility Service Customer Guide, Volume 2, December 20, 1993.
Metro Mobility News, Volume 2, Number 1, April 1994.
The RTB Messenger, Volume 6, Number 1, Winter 1994.
Regional Transit Board-Let Us Introduce You:
N. 310-86-078, August 1986.
N. 550-87-070, July 1987.
Vision for Transit-Capital and Service Improvements, 1992-1996.
Location
126.J.8.7BLight rail transit:
Summary of LRT Implementation Planning Program, Part II, January 9, 1985.
Comprehensive LRT System Plan for Anoka County, February 1989.
Location
112.A.2.8FUrban Rail Transit Projects: Forecast vs. Actual Ridership and Costs, by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA), October 1989. 1 volume.
Light Rail Transit Information Kit, approximately 1990.
Location
126.J.8.7BLight Rail Transit Regional Development and Financial Plan: Draft Report; Executive summary, January 1990; February 1990. 2 items in 1 folder.
Location
112.A.2.8FRequest of the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) for Participation in the Twin Cities' Regional LRT Implementation Plan, May 1990.
LRT/Land Use Coordination: The Land Use Element of the Regional Transit Board's LRT Coordination Plan, August 1990. 1 volume.
Location
126.J.8.7BEvaluation of the Regional Transit Board as the Lead Agency for LRT Implementation (draft), September 1990.
Report on Joint Powers Board Option for Regional Coordination of LRT, September 5, 1990.
Background Materials - Light Rail Transit Coordination Plan, October 1990. 2 folders.
Light Rail Transit Regional Coordination Plan, December 17, 1990.
Location
112.A.2.8FLight Rail Transit (LRT) Regional Coordination Plan - Executive Summary, December 1990. 1 volume.
The 1988 Twin Cities On-Board Transit Survey, December 1990. 1 volume.
Location
126.J.8.7BInformation Guide on Regional Light Rail Transit; Shaping Our Future: The Facts About Light Rail Transit, circa 1991; March 1991. 2 items in 1 folder.
Underground Station Design Issues for Light Rail Transit in the Twin Cities Geology, January 1992. 1 volume.
Location
112.A.2.8FJoint Venture for Building LRT, February 4, 1992. 1 volume.
Draft final report: Performance Audit of the Twin Cities Area Metropolitan Transit Commission, December 31, 1992. 1 volume.
LRT Public Information Programs Submitted to the Metropolitan LRT Joint Powers Board - Final Evaluation Report, September 2, 1994. 1 volume.
Transportation Project Evaluation Criteria for the Twin Cities Transitway Program - Hiawatha, Riverview, Northstar, February 1997.
Location
126.J.8.7BBrochures: Transit Options, Citizens' Guide, Light Rail Transit.

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Expand/CollapseMETROPOLITAN TRANSIT COMMISSION [MTC] BACKGROUND FILES:

Files that appear to be background information on MTC projects and programs that were later (post 1984) run through the RTB.


Location
126.J.8.7BBudgets, 1990-1992 and 1994. 4 folders.
Bus fleet modernization plan, 1984-1985. 2 folders.
Bus studies and waiting shelter program updates, 1980-1981.
Community development liaison project, 1981-1983.
Community development liaison report, 1981-1984.
Interstate Study Committee correspondence, 1975-1977
Interstate Substitution Task Force, 1978-1986. 4 folders.
Correspondence, 1978-1986. 2 folders.
Meeting summaries, 1981-1986.
Project recommendations, 1978 and 1980.
Sub-Regional Transit Planning Program study (draft), May 1982.
Transportation Development Program:
Chronological correspondence, November 1972-October 1983. 4 folders.
Consultant contracts, 1977 and 1980.
Guidelines and policies, 1972, 1983, and 1984 (draft). 3 folders.
Metropolitan Council correspondence, 1977-1978.
Transportation Advisory Board correspondence, 1974-1982.

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Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:
Bus lines -- Ridership -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
Bus stops -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
Environmental impact statements -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
Express highways -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
Federal aid to transportation -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
Local transit -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
Metropolitan areas -- Minnesota -- Planning.
Older people -- Transportation -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
Paratransit services -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
People with disabilities -- Transportation -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
Ridesharing -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
Street-railroads -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
Urban transportation policy -- Minnesota -- Twin Cities Metropolitan Area -- Citizen participation.
Organizations:
Ilium Associates.
Metropolitan Transit Commission.
Minnesota. Transportation Advisory Board.
Minnesota. Paratransit Advisory Committee.
Places:
Interstate 494.
Interstate 35.

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