Hello All!

Summer in Minnesota is well underway and our chapter has been busy lining up a fantastic program schedule for the second half of 2014. A complete 2014 events calendar can be found on our chapter website and I encourage all of you to check it out.

This spring was very busy for WTS Minnesota. Our chapter hosted an educational tour of the MSP Airport in May and jointly hosted a well-attended scholarship fundraising event with NCITE and ITS MN in June. June 14 marked an exciting day in Minnesota's transportation history as the Metro Green Line finally opened! For those whose celebration plans were rained out, the chapter hosted a tour along the line six days later revealing the Secrets of the Green Line.

During all of this, I had the privilege of attending the WTS Annual Conference in Portland in May. Thanks to corporate partner and employer support, WTS Minnesota was able to send a large delegation to the conference. WTS members Katie Roth, Kristin Thompson, and Kelly Agosto also attended; see Kristin's conference recap article below. The conference offered a wealth of learning on a broad range of topics. My trip highlights were the technical tours I attended, my favorite being the three-hour bicycle tour of the city which highlighted all the pedestrian and bicycle facilities Portland has to offer.

Lastly, the chapter board will be undertaking a financial planning exercise in the coming months to make sure our spending is aligned with our strategic plan. As always, the board welcomes input and participation from our members - feel free to contact any board member listed on the left sidebar.

I look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming programs!

Best wishes,

May Program: Future of our Local Airports

Though I am a WTS Minnesota veteran, this year was my first time attending WTS International's Annual Conference. I really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with my colleagues from different disciplines, modes, and regions! My thanks to WTS Minnesota for making funding available to help public-sector members attend.

The technical tours associated with the conference were particularly valuable. I had visited Portland several times in the past, but the tours let me get to know the city in totally new ways. My visit started off on a high note with a tour of the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Project, which culminated with a stop at Tilikum Crossing, a new bridge across the Willamette River that will be used by transit (including LRT, streetcar, and bus), bikes, and pedestrians only. The Tri-Met project team rolled out the red carpet for us by permitting access to the bridge construction site and providing fascinating insider commentary throughout the tour.

The annual awards banquet was another personal highlight. It was inspiring to see the accomplishments of our colleagues recognized, and uplifting to hear from up-and-coming colleagues-the scholarship recipients themselves.

Even outside the official auspices of the conference, our Portland colleagues proved to be great hosts. Katie Roth and I were able to meet with some counterparts at Tri-Met for an extended conversation about our work. The Young Professionals in Transportation happy hour on the final night of the conference left me with many new contacts, including a Portland-based planner working on Minneapolis' own Nicollet Mall renovation!

June Program: Secrets of the Green Line

On Friday, June 20, WTS members and friends traveled along the newly-opened Green Line for a tour led by Christina Morrison of Metro Transit. While a planner with the City of St. Paul, Christina worked with Metro Transit, residents, and business owners throughout the planning and construction of the line.

The group met at the Victoria Street Station, one of the three infill stations that were added to the line to better serve residents in the eastern half of the LRT corridor. The next stop was the Westgate Station, where Christina shared information about residential development and streetscaping along the corridor. The next stop was the Raymond Avenue Station. Christina shared her experiences with the challenges and opportunities of siting this light rail station in a historic district and pointed out the unique streetscaping and station design features at Raymond Avenue. After stops at Fairview and Hamline Avenues, the group returned to the Victoria Street Station for a happy hour at Ngon Bistro. Thanks to Christina for sharing the secrets of the Green Line with WTS!