Demand for transit services continue to increase due to a number of factors (aging population, high fuel prices, etc…).  Currently, in Region Nine, 4 out of the 9 counties lack a county-wide transit system.  Those four counties are Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Nicollet and Waseca.

In 2009 Region Nine partnered with the students in the Urban and Regional Studies Institute (URSI) at Minnesota State University, Mankato.  The students conducted a study that examined the alternative strategies for providing improved transit services within the Greater Mankato Region Nine area.  Specifically, the objectives of this project were as follows:

• To document current transit systems in the Region 9 area.
• To document transit-related census data for the four Region 9 counties
• To document level of satisfaction of area residents with current transit services.
• To document the major gaps of current transit services.
• To explore alternatives for delivering new transit services.
• To document potential ridership and cost related to new transit services.
• To document ridership and cost of comparable transit systems in Minnesota
• To develop a plan for implementing strategies needed to achieve new transit systems.

The full report can be viewed by clicking on this link.
Attachments: 
    Blue Earth County Traffic Map
    Le Sueur County Traffic Map
    Nicollet County Traffic Map
    Waseca County Traffic Map