Minnesota State Fair (Photo: Madison Quinn)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (KFGO/WCCO) – A bill moving through the Minnesota House would require the State Fair to create a multi-modal transportation plan to alleviate traffic congestion and parking shortages.
Democratic Reps. Rick Hansen of South St. Paul and Frank Hornstein of Minneapolis are the bill’s authors and it directs the State Agricultural Society, which oversees the State Fair, to develop a Transportation Plan along with the Metropolitan Council by Aug. 1.
“Last year was an especially challenging Fair,” Hansen said. “If anybody tried to get there during some peak times, it was a snag or a snarl of transportation challenges and at that time, a number of us were hearing from our constituents. There needs to be something done.”
State Fair officials said while there are many different, well-utilized transportation and parking options, they were hampered last year by Metro Transit’s driver shortage and construction near the Fairgrounds.
Fair CEO Renee Alexander told a House committee another factor is the closure of more than half of their Express Service lots.
“That has been one of the biggest challenges, they provide kind of that second ring service,” Alexander said. “So having about 50% less lots has certainly compounded the issue that we have as people try to come closer to the Fair to park.”
Alexander said construction near the Fairgrounds also hampered parking lot access last year. She said one ‘positive’ in recent years has been the number of people riding their bikes to the Fair.
The Minnesota State Fair regularly attracts over 120,000 per day during its 12-day run.
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