Metro Transit’s video screens now glow in ‘dark mode’

Metro Transit is playing a small part to cut down on light pollution.

From sundown to sunrise, real-time information signs providing arrival and departure times at many bus rapid transit stops and stations have gone into “dark mode,” with schedules appearing in white letters against a black background. The inverse is true during daylight hours when information on video screens appears in black letters against an all-white background.

The metro area’s largest transit agency recently made the change to dim its screens at night at the request of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, said Transit Information Manager Jacob Brown.

Metro Transit is in the process of building the E Line, the agency’s fifth rapid bus line, which is set to open later this year. The E Line will largely replace Route 6 and run 13 miles from Southdale Center in Edina through downtown Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota campus. One of the stops is at Richfield Road and Bde Maka Ska Parkway, not far from the Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary.

Fearing bright lights from the station could throw off the patterns of migratory birds and affect other wildlife in the dark area, the Park Board passed a resolution imploring Metro Transit to see what it could do to reduce light pollution.

“They are screens customers need to get information from,” Brown said. “We wondered, can we dim them so they are readable? What can we do so they don’t put out as much light? Let’s test it out.”

The experiment to try “dark mode” worked, and it has been well received by riders, Brown said. The shift is also expected to save on electricity costs and prolong the life of the signs, he added.

Metro Transit currently has about 270 video screens operating across the bus system with the ability to switch to “dark mode.” That will become the norm as new rapid lines open and older signs, like those on the A Line, are replaced with newer LED technology.

Snowplow contest voting

With the dearth of snow across most of the state this year, perhaps you’ve forgotten that MnDOT is running its annual Name-a-Snowplow contest. The agency through Friday will accept votes for suggestions put forward as finalists online at mndot.gov/nameasnowplow.

On the ballot this year are 50 names winnowed down from more than 7,300 submissions from the public during December. The agency considered factors such as uniqueness, how many times a name or similar name was submitted, Minnesota-specific ideas, and names that would be easily identifiable and understandable to most audiences when putting this year’s ballot together.

Among those that made the cut include “Rudy GoBrr” and “Anthony Sledwards” in nods to Timberwolves basketball stars; “Albert Icestein,” “Plowabunga!,” “SKOL Plow” and “Meltin’ John” are also in the mix.

This marks the fifth year MnDOT has held the contest aimed at bringing a bit of levity to winter. The previous four contests have resulted in MnDOT giving 32 plows across the state names such as “Taylor Drift,” “Clearopathra,” “Plowy McPlowFace,” and “Betty Whiteout.”

Winning names will be announced in February. The top eight vote-getters will be assigned to MnDOT plows, with one assigned in each of the agency’s eight districts.