The past five years of bus service cuts have forced too many people to wait over a half hour in the freezing cold just to get to the grocery store, school, or their doctor’s appointments. Businesses lose money (and gain stress) when their workers are stuck in traffic. This is unacceptable. Minnesota needs a strong transit system; passing the Transportation Amendment is the first step toward getting there.

The 21A is one of the Twin Cities’ most famous bus routes, chronicled in Kevin Kling’s play “21A” and profiled on National Public Radio. It travels from the hip Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis, winds through the small businesses of Lake Street, and ends in historic downtown St. Paul. It is a lifeline for the 12,000 people who take it every day, connecting people to their grocery stores, their favorite restaurants, and their medical appointments. It used to have lower fares and come more often, but years of bus cuts have hurt riders’ ability to get places conveniently and affordably.

The Hiawatha light rail line connects Bloomington’s Mall of America, the airport, and downtown Minneapolis...which includes the Metrodome. Hundreds of people pack light rail stops along the line on Minnesota Twins game days. Business travelers can travel from the airport to two regional economic hubs. Public art at the stops entertains riders and heat lamps protect them from the cold. It has already spurred new development, attracted new residents to the Twin Cities, and generated millions of dollars in economic impact. Businesses and residents are asking for new light rail lines, but there isn’t enough funding to build them.

A better transportation system has major benefits, which in turn, create even more benefits. Just think: Better transit means workers are less stressed from long commutes and reach their jobs on time. Being less stressed and on-time means business have more productive employees. More productive employees build stronger businesses. Stronger businesses can create new jobs. New jobs bring more people to the region. New people spend more money in the region. More money in the region means better government services—including education, health care, and transportation!

Passing the Transportation Amendment is the first step toward creating that change. Greater investment in transit truly means greater benefits for Minnesotans.