Tag Archives: transportation

All-access bus pass

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The Duluth Transit Authority is offering teenage riders a pass that allows for unlimited travel anywhere on DTA buses and the Port Town Trolley and discounted perks for June through August.

The pass is $55 — and valued at more than twice as much. Flash the pass at the Incline Station Bowling Center, Adventure Zone, Great Lakes Aquarium, Lake Superior Zoo, the Encounter and Duluth Huskies baseball games for discounted admission or other deals.

Passes are on sale at the Downtown Transit Center, DTA Operations Center (2402 W. Michigan St.) and DTA pass outlets. The passes are transferable to qualifying friends and family members when not in use by the primary pass holder.

Crossing a new bridge

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With the real item behind him, Aerial Lift Bridge Supervisor Ryan Beamer holds one of the miniatures made from worn steel plates removed from the bridge during repairs in this Oct. 16, 2009, file photo. (2009 file, Steve Kuchera / News Tribune)

Ryan Beamer’s job has had a lot of ups and downs in the past 15 years.

Beamer worked his last day on Friday as supervisor of Duluth’s Aerial Lift Bridge, Zenith City Online reports.

Beamer, who was hired as a bridge operator in 1998, declined an interview request, saying he wants to “fade quietly into the night.” Actually, the Navy veteran is returning to school to finish work toward a nursing degree.

Beamer had been bridge supervisor since 2005. He’ll be replaced by Dave Campbell, recently a master electrician with Sappi Paper Products, according to Zenith City Online.

8 counties, 1 number

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Arrowhead Transit wants us to get the word out that it has consolidated its contact info into one all-encompassing phone number for the eight counties it serves.

That toll-free number is (800) 862-0175. All other numbers have been or will be discontinued.

Arrowhead Transit’s dispatch rarely rests, operating from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Callers during nonbusiness hours have the option to leave a voice message.
Arrowhead Transit’s administration number in St Louis County will continue to be (218) 741-0724.

The eight counties are Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis and Pine.

Is this yours?

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When Ken Carlson got his vehicle stuck in the snow March 9 at the McQuade Public Access north of Duluth, two guys were kind enough to pull him out and up the hill in their red four-wheel-drive pickup truck.

The only problem is that the gentlemen accidentally left their trailer ball head for the tow strap behind on Carlson’s receiver.

If you’re the owner of said trailer ball head, Carlson would like to return it to you. Contact Eh? at (218) 723-5300 or news@duluthnews.com, and we’ll make sure Mr. Carlson gets your information.

Program helps get car seats to kids

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A number of kids are safer on the roads, thanks to a program administered by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety.

The program, which began in 1994, has provided 4,591 child car seats to low-income families over the past two years. Families who receive a car seat also receive a demonstration session from a trained child passenger safety technician.

When used correctly, child seats reduce the chance of death by 70 percent for infants younger than 1 year old and by 54 percent for kids ages 1-4. A belt-positioning booster with a lap-and-shoulder seat belt reduces a child’s risk of injury by 59 percent.

The program, working with local partners, distributes car seats at more than 100 locations across Minnesota. It’s paid for with fines from violations of child passenger safety seat laws.

Does the DTA travel to San Diego?

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The DTA won’t travel round-trip to San Diego. (2011 file / News Tribune)

Currently staying in San Diego, Duluthians Rick and Sheila Olson plan to head back north this month for the birth of their grandson.

Rick likes to keep up with what’s going on in Duluth by visiting duluthnewstribune.com. (Thanks, Rick!) One day while getting his news fix, Rick saw an ad for the Duluth Transit Authority that suggested her type in his address and desired destination. This is what he got after typing his San Diego address as the pickup spot, a Duluth address as his destination and the desired date and time:

“Sorry, we don’t have transit schedule data for a trip from San Diego to Duluth at the time and date you specified,” the automated response from the DTA said.

So, Rick wanted Eh? to find out when the next DTA bus will be on its way to his place in San Diego so he and the missus are ready. (Plus he expects that senior-citizen discount.)

“The DTA didn’t say they didn’t have a bus going to San Diego,” Rick said. “They just said they didn’t have one on the date and time I requested.”

Sorry, Rick. Something tells us you’ll be waiting a while.

5 million for U-Pass

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The Duluth Transit U-Pass program will surpass the 5 million-rider milestone Wednesday at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

The lucky 5 millionth rider will be identified before 10:30 a.m. at UMD’s Kirby Transit Hub, congratulated by UMD and DTA officials at a news conference and receive gifts from UMD Stores and UMD Food Services.

The U-Pass program was introduced in 2000 as a partnership between UMD and the DTA to encourage the use of public transportation by providing unlimited rides for students, faculty and staff members. The program’s goal is to reduce on-campus traffic, minimize student parking in nearby neighborhoods and address the reduction of on-campus parking.

Thanks, Mr. Plow

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This is what you get when you mix Minnesota Nice with Duluth’s typical winter weather: a plow driver going above and beyond the call of duty.

Emily Soger, of Duluth, said she struggled unsuccessfully to get her car out of the snow on a downtown avenue Wednesday.

“After about 15 minutes of trying to get the car out, a plow driver happened to drive by,” Soger said, “and I would imagine I looked pretty crabby.”

Soger said the plow driver dumped a pile of sand next to her car, drove a half-block and pulled over.

“The next thing I know he was walking down to my car — shovel in hand,” she said. “He dug out my tires, threw sand down and pushed until my car could make it out. It was so kind of him, and I just wanted to thank him for this good deed!”

Eh? salutes you, Mr. Plow.

Don’t wassail and drive

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If you intend to celebrate the holidays using alcohol while away from home, plan ahead for a safe and sober ride home, the Minnesota Patrol advises.

Law enforcement agencies around the state are beefing up their enforcement of drunken-driving laws in December.

The State Patrol, with the help of about 400 state police officers and deputies, will patrol the highways with the goal of keeping drunken drivers off the road.

“We all need to work together to make a strong traffic-safety culture in Minnesota,” State Patrol information officer Sgt. Curt Mowers said. “One way to do that is to make impaired driving socially unacceptable.”

Holiday parties and special local events in regions around the state will be targeted. Specific dates and times for the project will be ongoing during the month of December, Mowers said.

In 2011, Minnesota recorded 136 alcohol-related traffic deaths — accounting for 37 percent of all traffic deaths. Overall, males and young adults are overrepresented in alcohol-related crashes and account for a disproportionate share of fatalities. Along with the risk of injuries and deaths, penalties for drunken driving can include fines of hundreds or thousands of dollars and loss of driver license, license plates and even your vehicle.

Prepare for Gobble Gallop traffic in downtown Duluth

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Streets in downtown Duluth will be closed Thanksgiving morning for the Gobble Gallop races.

The first race begins at 9 a.m. on London Road near 13th Avenue East. Police expect London Road, Superior Street and Lake Avenue to reopen by 11:30 a.m.

The races will move west to Superior to Fifth Avenue West and back.

Automobile traffic will be detoured to Second and First streets. Lake Avenue will be closed at Superior Street and those wanting access to Canal Park will have to drive down to the Interstate 35 crossing at Fifth Avenue West.