Staff Directory 6370516

Janet Moore

Reporter | Transportation
Phone: 612-673-7752

Transportation reporter Janet Moore covers trains, planes, automobiles, buses, bikes and pedestrians. Moore has been with the Star Tribune for 21 years, previously covering business news, including the retail, medical device and commercial real estate industries. 


Prior to moving to Minnesota, she worked as a business reporter at the Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal and Easton (Pennsylvania) Express-Times. She has a mass communications degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and was a Knight-Bagehot fellow in Business and Economics Journalism at Columbia University in New York.
Recent content from Janet Moore
My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell speaks at a Trump-Vance rally at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on July 27 in St. Cloud.

Mike Lindell's MyPillow sued by FedEx

Memphis shipping giant said pillow entrepreneur owes $9 million.
A proposed land bridge over Interstate 94 between the Lexington Avenue and Dale Street exits would feature parks, homes and businesses, and reconnect

Republicans seek to claw back state money for Rondo land bridge

Bill would also block federal money for Interstate 94 project in St. Paul.
Bayla Loegering, 7, Bridget Tilleli and her daughter, Charlotte, pray on the steps of the Capitol in St. Paul. A group supporting a bill restricting t

GOP-led bill to ban trans girls from girls' sports fails to pass Minnesota House

Supporters and opponents gathered at State Capitol before the vote, which came after more than two hours of pointed debate.
Workers put finishing touches to Highway 212 in Carver County in October 2022. A new order from the head of the U.S. Department of Transportation woul

U.S. plans to give transportation money based on birth and marriage rates. How would Minnesota fare?

Rural communities and outer-ring suburbs could benefit, a Minnesota Star Tribune analysis found, with highways favored over mass transit.
The Northstar train enters Target Field Northstar Station in Minneapolis last year.

Northstar Commuter Rail could be shut down

The train line between Minneapolis and Big Lake never recovered from the pandemic.
Kate Severson, a federal park ranger at Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota. Severson was one of the thousands of newly-hired federal workers to be a

Dozens of Minnesota federal workers fired in latest cuts, with no severance

The Minnesota Star Tribune talked to roughly two dozen workers who all said they were not the only ones in their departments to be cut.
The measure, introduced by Rep. Peggy Scott, R-Andover, drew more than than two dozen people testifying both for and against it at the House Education

Bill in Minnesota Legislature says only females at birth can participate on girls sports teams

Opponents say transgender athletes unfairly targeted.
A Duluth-based company, BotCrew, said its robot could be used to mow along state highways.

Right-of-way robots could mow along Minnesota highways

Lawmakers weigh obscure bill for MnDOT to study autonomous mowing along state highways.
The Hiawatha Light Rail Line is being rebranded as the METRO Blue Line. The Blue Line is the first of the Twin Cities METRO system of rapid transit li

Bill seeks to halt Blue Line LRT extension until troubled Southwest light-rail line opens

A two-year delay would add $200 million to the Blue Line project.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz points at the newly named “Anthony Sledwards” snowplow for the metro area after a news conference at Cedar Truck Station i

MnDOT reveals winners of 'Name a Snowplow' contest

A nod to our superstar, culture and, of course, our weather.
Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, right, chats with Sen. John Marty, DFL- Roseville, last month as she listens to the Senate floor debate her expuls

DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell faces second felony charge

Prosecutors allege she used a crowbar to enter Detroit Lakes home.
Construction equipment at the site of the tunnel in the Kenilworth corridor Wednesday afternoon, January 26, 2022 at in Minneapolis. Construction cont

Final report into delayed Southwest light rail's finances faces its own delays

Results of a probe into the $2.9 million project's finances is expected this spring.
Travelers at MSP Airport last year. A Trump Administration offer sent to about two million federal employees included TSA screeners who work at the ai

TSA workers at MSP receive federal buyout offer

They're among millions of federal workers offered buyouts by Trump administration in push to shrink government.
Rep. Larry Kraft, DFL-St. Louis Park, researches legislation with his cat, Jenny, while the DFL caucus is boycotting the session.

What does a Minnesota lawmaker do during a legislative boycott?

Lots of meetings with lobbyists, constituents, in cafes, on Zoom, and talk of what may come.
Narrow margins and historic acrimony between the two parties could complicate and even delay the start of business in St. Paul.

Boycott, special elections and quorums: What the heck is going on at the Minnesota Legislature?

Historic acrimony has cast doubt over whether any work will get done during the first month of session, which starts next week.
Walter Mondale with former President Jimmy Carter in 2018.

Ted Mondale to deliver a eulogy written by his father for President Jimmy Carter

Before Walter Mondale died in 2021, he wrote a eulogy for Jimmy Carter, who outlived the former vice president from Minnesota.
The Minnesota Legislature will convene on Jan. 14 for the 2025 session. Two vacancies leave the Senate split at 33-33, while Republicans have one more

More than a dozen candidates file for special elections to determine control of Minn. House, Senate

Special elections will be held Jan. 28 to fill vacant seats in the closely divided Minnesota House and Senate. More than a dozen candidates filed for a Senate seat, while a half dozen filed for a House seat.
Tom and Mary Pat Santulli, left, thanked Sen. Amy Klobuchar for sponsoring an anti-hazing bill signed into law, during a press conference at the Unive

Eden Prairie parents who pushed for anti-hazing law mark its signing

Their son, Danny Santulli, suffered permanent brain injuries while pledging to a fraternity at the University of Missouri.
A special election to fill a vacancy in the Minnesota Senate for the Minneapolis seat held by Kari Dziedzic will be Jan. 28. Dziedzic died Friday foll

Special election set for seat held by the late Sen. Kari Dziedzic

Another special election in a suburban Minnesota House district to replace newly elected Democrat Curtis Johnson will be held the same day.
Newly elected DFL House member Curtis Johnson has decided to resign after a judge found he did not meet the state's residency requirement. The Legisla

DFLer resigns seat in Minnesota House after court finds he failed to meet residency requirement

A special election will be held Jan. 28 to fill Curtis Johnson's seat in east metro suburbs.
A new route has been proposed for the Bottineau Blue Line extension north of downtown Minneapolis. ORG XMIT: MIN2006231132092849

More than $1 billion in federal funding for Blue Line LRT extension unclear as Trump takes office

Hennepin County slated to pay just over half the cost to build the $3.2 billion line that would connect downtown Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park in 2030.
A pilot lands on the grass runway at the Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport in 1993. The runway crosses the border between the United States and Canada.

After seven decades, a rare airport straddling the U.S.-Canada border is closing for good in Minnesota

The Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport is one of only six general aviation airports across the U.S. that share a border with Canada. It closes Friday after more than 70 years in operation.
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Rep. Pete Stauber questions closing of Federal Prison Camp in Duluth

Federal officials cited aging infrastructure and staffing challenges in the pending closure. Some 90 jobs will leave Duluth.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., speaks during a news conference earlier this month.

In rare bipartisan effort, Klobuchar and Cruz push to make 'revenge porn' a federal crime

The Take It Down Act would require social media companies to remove nonconsensual intimate images.
Holiday travelers line up at security in Terminal 2 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in St. Paul on Tuesday, two days before Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving expected to be record-breaker at MSP Airport and on Minnesota roads

Travel has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels and then some. Pack some patience and plan carefully to stay sane.
Commuters exit the Northstar train in the morning at the Target Field Northstar Station in Minneapolis on Wednesday. Metro Transit held a celebration

What's the fate of the Northstar Commuter Rail and a link to St. Cloud?

This month marked the 15th year of the commuter rail service between Minneapolis and Big Lake. But ridership numbers haven't rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.
Karie Andrews and a group of Listening House clients help clean up bus stops and Green Line light rail stations in St. Paul.

Homeless Minnesotans hired to clean Metro Transit light rail stations in St. Paul

A pilot program launched earlier this year was recently expanded to pay unhoused workers to pick up litter at Metro Transit Green Line stations in St. Paul.
According to the FAA, laser strikes on aircraft have reached an all-time high.

As laser strikes on airplanes surge in Minnesota, so do dangers

Flashing a laser into the cockpit of an airplane can distract, even temporarily blind pilots. Minnesota incidents have increased by more than 180% since 2015.
Riders board the Green Line in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

Crime on Metro Transit buses and trains increased during the summer, but has decreased this year from 2023

The top crime on public transit: people smoking. Overall, crimes reported on buses and light rail have declined over this year and compared with 2023.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, DFL-Minn., speaks during a DFL election day watch party at InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront in St. Paul on Tuesday.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar defeats GOP challenger Royce White

Klobuchar won her fourth six-year term in the U.S. Senate.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., speaks during a DFL Election Day Watch Party at InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront in St. Paul on Tuesday.

DFL Rep. Ilhan Omar re-elected in Minnesota's safely blue Fifth District

Omar won a fourth term after a challenge from Republican Dalia Al-Aqidi in the urban district.
Travelers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport during MEA weekend last month. The airport nearly shattered its own record for the number of p

MSP Airport records second busiest day in history during MEA weekend

Oct. 17 was the second busiest day in MSP Airport's history, surpassed only by the day after Super Bowl LII was held in Minneapolis in 2018.
The Nicollet Avenue bridge, which spans Minnehaha Creek and Parkway, received a $34.3 million grant from the federal government for an overhaul.

Historic Minneapolis bridge spanning Minnehaha Creek gets $34 million in federal funds for overhaul

The bridge was last rehabbed in 1973 and has deteriorated due to salt and water exposure.
Two bills at the Legislature would change enforcement of fare evasion on Metro Transit LRT trains and rapid buses.

For the first time in years, Metro Transit could lower fares for most buses and trains

The Met Council will consider Nov. 13 whether to lower fares for most buses and trains, hoping the price decrease will attract more Metro Transit riders.
Andrew McGillivary, right, election systems program manager for Hennepin County, hands a stack of testing ballots to Seth Gellman, elections assistant

How Minnesota is recruiting poll workers in a divisive presidential election

More than 30,000 election judges, or poll workers, will conduct the election amid division statewide.
A Gold Line bus rapid transit station under construction at Rice Park in downtown St. Paul. Service will be expanded to downtown Minneapolis in 2027,

Metro Transit to expand Gold Line bus rapid transit to Minneapolis

A late add to the $505 million project involves upgrading existing I-94 express bus service between Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Commuters get on the C Line rapid bus Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019, outside HCMC at 7th St. and Park Ave.] DAVID JOLES • david.joles@startribune.com

Work on Purple Line bus rapid transit continues, despite Maplewood's opposition

The Metropolitan Council is continuing work on the Purple Line while Maplewood officials support a different kind of transit called arterial bus rapid transit.
Minneapolis demonstrates accuracy of voting equipment

Here's how election equipment is tested in Minnesota

Public Accuracy Tests are required by state law. We watched them in Hennepin County and Minneapolis.
TSA PreCheck staff directs foot traffic as MEA weekend travel kicks off at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Wednesday morning.

'Don't expect an empty seat': MSP Airport braces for influx of MEA travelers

Here are tips on how to avoid lines, whether you're traveling or picking up passengers this busy weekend.
Clockwise from top left, four of the six voters interviewed for this story: Wayne Rohde, Mary Zappia, Billy Bird and Greg Kjos. All describe themselve

What six independent voters in Minnesota think about the presidential election

About a third of likely voters in the latest Star Tribune/MPR News/KARE 11 Minnesota poll describe themselves as independent, and they're fairly evenly divided on the top of the ticket.
The Purple Ramp at MSP Airport's Terminal 2 now has an area to pick up and drop off passengers.

MSP airport's Terminal 2 adds new express lane for passenger pickup and drop-off

Area inside parking ramp aims to ease traffic backups in front of the smaller terminal at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
A light-rail train in Minneapolis in 2022. The Blue Line extension has cleared a key hurdle.

Blue Line LRT extension clears critical step despite opposition

Cities along the 13-mile route granted consent to move forward; critics are not happy with the votes.
Former Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales III.

With brash police chief gone, Metro Transit's safety efforts push on

Amid an investigation, the Met Council said last week Ernest Morales III was no longer chief of the Metro Transit Police Department.

MSP Airport to add two sensory rooms to help alleviate travel stress

Sensory or quiet rooms are an increasingly popular amenity at airports across the country.
Passengers wait for the bus at the Maplewood  Mall Transit Center in Maplewood, Minn., on Tuesday. The fate of the $445 million Purple Line bus-rapid

Maplewood vote puts Purple Line BRT project at risk

The fate of the bus rapid transit project between St. Paul and Maplewood now remains unclear.
A car at left makes an illegal pass through the bicycle lane as it speeds down Park Avenue near East 36th Street on Thursday in south Minneapolis.

Speeding motorists turn Minneapolis avenues into urban speedway

Minneapolis residents in the Central neighborhood are pushing Hennepin County to improve Park and Portland avenues to reduce frequent street racing and crashes.
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Republican Royce White received the endorsements of their respective parties this year.

Minnesota Poll: Klobuchar holds sizable lead over White in U.S. Senate race

The incumbent DFL senator's Republican challenger Royce White did well in greater Minnesota; the Twin Cities suburbs are up for grabs.
Several red and blue "I voted" stickers across a black background. The blue stickers are on the left and the red stickers are on the right

Minnesota 2024 voter guide: Who's running, where they stand on the issues

Early voting begins today in Minnesota. We ask major party candidates for U.S. Senate and Congress about issues ranging from the economy to immigration.
Commuters walk past a Delta help desk at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

MSP Airport ranked best in the U.S.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport won top place for "mega" sized airports in the prestigious J.D. Power survey after losing to Detroit last year.
A C Line rapid bus approaches a stop at Olson Memorial Highway and Penn Ave. N. Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019, outside HCMC at 8th St. and Chicago Ave.] DAVI

Ramsey County abandons Riverview streetcar project

The county cited public input in scrapping the $2.1 billion plan to link Union Depot to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America.
Isabella Rhawie, interim vice president for revenue development at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, in Terminal 2 where the first of a wave

New concessions planned for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport's Terminal 2

Plans call for local full-service restaurant, more coffee shops and quick-serve options.
Talking to Gen Z voters at the Minnesota State Fair

What do Gen Z voters care about in this election?

Will the key voting bloc support Harris or Trump? We went to the Minnesota State Fair (where else?) and asked them.
A new fire station at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was celebrated Monday.

New fire station dedicated at MSP airport

Airport firefighters respond to about 3,200 calls a year. The new station replaces an aging 60-year-old building.
Minnesota state Sen. Patricia Torres Ray gives Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan a big kiss on the cheek at the Minnesota delegation breakfast on Monday.

Minnesota delegates roll into Chicago excited by state and Walz's starring role at DNC

The governor's role on the national ticket sends partisan enthusiasm into the stratosphere.
Officials including Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales announce a three-month improvement project that will aim to improve Metro Transit rider

Sources: Metro Transit chief under investigation for hostile workplace allegations

Multiple complaints by staff prompted an internal investigation this spring, but Morales was not placed on administrative leave until last Friday.
The Riverview Corridor streetcar will look a lot like the Kansas City streetcar.

Streetcar from St. Paul to MOA could snarl traffic, officials say

Bus rapid transit would cost a billion dollars less and, they say, not disrupt airport passengers and workers.
Crime aboard the Green and Blue light rail lines and Metro Transit buses was down 17.5% during the second quarter of this year.

Metro Transit crime down in second quarter

But officials say there's still work to be done to attract more riders.
Amtrak’s Borealis daily service to Chicago from St. Paul’s Union Depot began May 21, but it doesn't serve Madison.

Why don't Amtrak trains from St. Paul to Chicago stop in Madison, Wis.?

They just don't. But new passenger rail service through Eau Claire is being studied.
Rendering of the proposed at-grade crossing of the Blue Line light-rail extension at Wirth Parkway/Grand Rounds in north Minneapolis.

Park Board members say Blue Line light rail crossing could endanger cyclists, pedestrians

Some on the Park Board want the Met Council to go back to the drawing board to preserve the Grand Rounds trail.
Commuters navigate the Delta ticket area at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Wednesday.

Massive MSP airport expansion will bring years of disruption

Leisure travelers have returned with a vengeance post-pandemic. Expect lots of construction over the next 20 years.
An image released by Tesla Motors, is a sketch of the Hyperloop capsule with passengers onboard. . Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk on Monday, Aug.

Hyperloop study fails to gain support from Met Council committee

Boosters say futuristic vacuum tube could whisk passengers between Twin Cities and Rochester in 15 minutes, although the technology is largely theoretical.
The confluence of the Interstate-35W and Interstate-94 during afternoon rush hour last week in Minneapolis. A new state law aimed at curbing climate c

Law seeks to change Minnesotans' relationship with cars in wake of a climate crisis

The Minnesota Department of Transportation leads effort to offer more choices so people drive less.
Kou Yang, an Metro Transit bus driver, sat at an event Tuesday marking Metro Transit's light-rail line anniversaries — 20 years of service for the B

Happy birthday, Metro Transit light rail

The transformative Blue and Green lines mark their 20th and 10th anniversaries, but both still face vexing challenges post-pandemic.
The Hiawatha Light Rail Line is being rebranded as the METRO Blue Line. The Blue Line is the first of the Twin Cities METRO system of rapid transit li

The time is now to comment on the Blue Line LRT extension

You can share your thoughts on a draft environmental plan online, at hearings and community events.
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No relaunch date yet for Minnesota's e-bike rebate application

Overwhelmed website shut down last week shortly after its launch. State officials working on a fix with outside vendors.
The state's new e-bike rebate program crashed shortly after it launched Wednesday. Officials are working with outside vendors to fix the problem.

State working with IT vendors to fix Minnesota e-bike rebate fiasco

Fewer than 80 applications were completed before the system shut down Wednesday. It's unclear when the popular program will be relaunched.
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State's e-bike online rebate application crashes

Technical difficulties cited within minutes of the program's launch; state is working on a fix.
Luke Breen, owner of Perennial Cycle in Uptown Minneapolis, flashes a Gazelle Ultimate C380+ electric bike from the store.

Starting Wednesday, Minnesotans can apply for rebates worth up to $1,500 for e-bikes

The state has allocated $2 million for each of the next two years to reduce the price of e-bikes for thousands of customers.
The Kenilworth Corridor between 21st Street and Cedar Lake Parkway. ] GLEN STUBBE • glen.stubbe@startribune.com Friday, April 19, 2019 Pretty s

Crews fix improperly installed Southwest LRT tracks

Problem was discovered by Minneapolis residents wielding tape measures.
The Hiawatha Light Rail Line is being rebranded as the METRO Blue Line. The Blue Line is the first of the Twin Cities METRO system of rapid transit li

Lawmakers frustrated by delays, cost overruns enlist MnDOT on light-rail project

Aware of the Southwest line's problems, Minnesota legislators are concerned about Met Council's ability to finish the Blue Line extension within budget and on time.
Passengers board at the Red Wing train station as Amtrak’s Borealis daily service to Chicago began from St. Paul’s Union Depot on Tuesday.

Amtrak's Borealis train makes its maiden Minnesota-to-Chicago voyage

Celebrations of the new Amtrak route occurred before an enthusiastic crowd at St. Paul's Union Depot and continued through its route through Red Wing, Winona and stops in Wisconsin.
Mark Hughes boards a Metro Mobility van outside the library in Woodbury on Friday.



The Metro Mobility van was scheduled to arrive at the pickup loc

Riders say Metro Mobility is a lifeline, but sometimes it makes their lives miserable

Delays, denials, circuitous routes, a confusing complaints process — Met Council says it's working on it.
Passengers made their way off and onto the Amtrak at the Union Depot, Thursday, May 8, 2014 in St. Paul, MN. It is the first passenger train in more t

All aboard: Amtrak announces Borealis route from St. Paul to Chicago

One-way fares begin at $41 for the new service, which will begin May 21.
Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle says the council "will take steps to ensure [rider] concerns are fully documented," following the release of

Late pick-ups, slow service, unearned bonuses: State audit finds fault with Metro Mobility

Report notes quality issues, challenges for lodging complaints. Met Council promises improvements.
The pilots on the first Aer Lingus flight from Dublin wave the American and Irish flag after the flight parks at the gate on Monday at Minneapolis/St.

Aer Lingus returns to MSP airport with nonstop flights to Dublin

Service to Ireland was suspended during COVID-19 outbreak