Duluth, with a population of 98,000, is great mid-sized city to live. It’s a tourist destination and wonderful place to live all year round. The city climbs to 500 feet above Lake Superior with most of the city built on the hillside where lake views are splendid. Duluth is a regional medical center, has four colleges, its own symphony orchestra, international shipping and a thriving tourist business.

Duluth offers acres of green park space, sailing, a regional Spirit Mountain ski facility, hiking and biking trails, two 27-hole public golf courses and two private 18-hole clubs. The city also has miles of intercity beaches on Park Point and 14 trout streams within the city limits that flow into Lake Superior.

Jakes 18 Photo - Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 United States

Most parks and attractions are accessible by bus, including the Lake Superior Zoo, Great Lakes Aquarium, Maritime Center/Aerial Lift Bridge, cultural centers, movie theaters, public libraries and malls.

Urban living in and around downtown Duluth has increased in recent years. Duluth has miles of Lake-Walk along the shores of Lake Superior, near the downtown business district and in Canal Park. The Lake-Walk is open all year round.

During the summer months, Duluth is called the “Air-conditioned City” as Lake Superior breezes keep temperatures cool in comparison with other Midwest cities. Residents living on the hillside rarely need air-conditioning.

In winter, it’s warmer by the lake. Winter in Duluth can be cold and snowy; but there’s plenty to do like skiing, skating and snowmobiling or just getting cozy by the fireplace. More information about Duluth Minnesota is available at www.visitduluth.com or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duluth, Minnesota

If you want to work, go to college or retire to a city where you won’t need a car, Duluth is a great place to live. The city is located on the western most tip of Lake Superior and is laid out in a narrow and long geographical configuration - 3 miles wide and 30 miles long. Eighty-five percent of the city’s population lives within 3 blocks of a DTA bus line and Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) routes provide service, seven days a week, to most neighborhoods in the city. DTA fares are low and you can get just about anywhere on the bus.

DTA fares for college students in Duluth are free through the DTA’s unlimited-ride U-PASS Program.

Where is public transportation available?

Duluth and Proctor, Minnesota; Superior, Wisconsin

What specific transit routes operate seven days a week?

Routes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, and 17 operate seven days a week

What neighborhoods and communities have seven-day transit service?

Most neighborhoods in Duluth have bus service seven days a week. The DTA provides daily “mainline service”, between 60^th Avenue East in the Lakeside neighborhood and the far west neighborhood of New Duluth.

DTA has daily service in the following neighborhoods: Lester Park, Lakeside,

East Hillside, downtown Duluth, Lincoln Park, West Duluth, Morgan Park, Smithville, Riverside, Gary and New Duluth.

The DTA provides daily service to the Woodland, Piedmont and Duluth Heights neighborhoods, University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), College of St. Scholastica and the neighboring cities of Proctor, MN and Superior WI across the bay.

Secondarywaltz photo – Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

The DTA also operates a downtown Trolley during the summer months that circulates daily between downtown Duluth, Canal Park and the Bayfront.

Two Neighborhoods are good choices for car-free living

In addition to the many neighborhoods in the DTA service area (listed above) that have daily and late night bus service the following are the best choices for anyone who doesn’t want to depend on a car:

East Hillside Neighborhood

This area of town includes a mix of student and family dwellings, with a variety of historic homes and senior apartments. This neighborhood also includes the University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD), the College of St. Scholastica and the Duluth Medical Corridor, which includes three hospitals and two clinics.

East Hillside has great DTA service, with six bus routes operating seven days a week throughout the neighborhood, along with late night service available on several routes serving the area. Bus riders living in East Hillside enjoy easy access to downtown shopping and entertainment centers, cultural events at UMD and neighborhood retail centers. It’s easy to connect to buses serving the Miller Hill Mall – Duluth’s largest retail mall area – and the Duluth International Airport.

West Duluth

This neighborhood is primarily residential with a mix of family and senior complexes. West Duluth is located along the DTA’s mainline route, which provides frequent daily and late night bus service. West Duluth is home to many “main street” stores, retail centers and Duluth Huskies professional baseball team. Residents of West Duluth enjoy direct service to downtown shopping and entertainment centers, the Miller Hill Mall retail district, Duluth International Airport, UMD, Lake Superior College, neighborhood retail centers and the Greyhound Bus Depot.

Duluth Transit Buses go almost anywhere you want to go

Public transportation is an easy and very affordable way to get anywhere in Duluth, Proctor, or Superior.

Out of town visitors without cars should stay in Canal Park

Canal Park has a multitude of hotels, shops and restaurants; and is near the Lakewalk and the downtown business district. Summer Trolley service and year-round DTA services are available throughout Canal Park.

Biking is Popular and Fun—but watch out for the steep hills

Duluth has many popular bike trails, but biking up the steep bluffs can be a challenge.

Many riders take DT buses, using the free bike racks available on all buses, to get to their favorite recreational bike trail.

Duluth is a good place to retire—but beware of the cold winters

Affordable housing (much less costly than big cities), and the convenience and quality of Duluth Transit buses make Duluth a good place to retire. However, if cold winters are a concern, retirees may want to go away for the winter or just enjoy Duluth

as visitors.

What You Need to Know

City or Region: Duluth, Minnesota

Population: City of Duluth: 98,000; Metro region: 160,000

Name of Transit Provider: Duluth Transit Authority (DTA)

Phone Number: 218/722-SAVE (7283)

Customer Service Phone Hours: 6 a.m. –7 p.m. Monday-Friday

8 a.m. – 7 p.m. –Saturday

8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday

Automated information available 24 hours a day during non-business hours.

Web Site: www.duluthtransit.com:

Days and Hours Transit Service Operates:

Monday-Friday: 6 a.m. – midnight

Saturday: 7 a.m. –8 p.m., Sunday: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Where is the nearest Airport? Is it served by public transit??

Duluth International Airport, in Duluth Heights is served everyday by Routes 5 and 10

Where is the nearest Bus Terminal? Is it served by local transit?

The Greyhound bus terminal, at 46^th Ave. West and Grand,

is served by routes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. (Routes 1, 2, and 3 operate seven days a week.)

New At

Pubtrantravel

Pubtrantravel welcomes Steve Atlas founder of carfreeamerica.org as its newest contributing writer.

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