ALL PARKS ALLIANCE FOR CHANGE

The transit system is rapidly expanding and now includes both light rail and bus rapid transit. Currently operating are the A Line, C Line, Blue Line, Green Line, Red Line, and Northstar commuter rail.

Projects in Engineering or Construction

Riverview Corridor – A 12-mile modern streetcar transit connecting downtown St. Paul to the south loop district in Bloomington. The line will share tracks with the Green Line in St. Paul and link to the Blue Line near Fort Snelling and continuing through the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Bloomington’s South Loop, and the Mall of America. The project is currently in the environmental analysis phase which will continue through 2022.

***Rush Line Corridor – A 14-mile bus rapid transit route connecting Union Depot in Lowertown, Saint Paul to east side neighborhoods of Saint Paul and the cities of Maplewood, Vadnais Heights, Gem Lake and White Bear Lake. The environmental analysis will wrap up in December of 2020.

D Line – A bus rapid transit upgrade that will substantially replace Route 5, operating primarily on Chicago and Emerson/Fremont Avenues between Brooklyn Center and Bloomington. Construction will begin in late 2020 or early 2021 pending full funding.

Blue Line Extension - Bottineau light rail – A light rail transit line that will extend the existing Blue Line to the northwest metro through north Minneapolis, Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal, and Brooklyn Park. Construction began on this project in late 2017 and it is scheduled to be opened in 2024.

Green Line Extension - Southwest Corridor light rail – A light rail transit line that will extend the existing Green Line to the southwest metro through Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie. The line will begin operations in 2023.

***Orange Line - A bus rapid transit line that will connect downtown Minneapolis with stations along I-35W in the south metro through Minneapolis, Richfield, Bloomington, and Burnsville. The project includes street and highway improvements, upgraded transit stations, and improved bus routes. The Orange Line is scheduled to open in 2021.

***Gold Line - Gateway Corridor – A bus rapid transit line that will connect downtown St. Paul to stations in east St. Paul, Maplewood, Landfall, Oakdale, and Woodbury along dedicated bus lanes. The route will run along the I-94 corridor, operating primarily in bus only lanes. The engineering phase, lasting two years, will begin in late 2020.

Future Transit Projects

Midtown Corridor – Potential transit investment along either the Midtown Greenway or Lake Street in Minneapolis. This corridor would connect to the blue and green lines at either end, as well as intersecting with the orange line along I-35W.

Nicollet-Central Corridor – Potential modern streetcar investment along Nicollet Avenue and Nicollet Mall in south and downtown Minneapolis, and into northeast Minneapolis.

***Red Rock Corridor – Potential bus rapid transit corridor along Highway 61 in the southeast metro. The project has begun by building an express bus service to build up ridership, with plans to introduce bus rapid transit in the near future.

Robert Street – Potential transit investment along Robert Street south of downtown St. Paul. Currently both bus rapid transit and modern streetcar projects are under consideration, and communities are considering both options in their comprehensive planning process.

B Line – A bus rapid transit upgrade that will substantially replace the western portion of Route 21, serving Lake Street and Marshall Avenue between uptown Minneapolis and the Midway area in St. Paul. This line will serve one of the slowest transit corridors in the region and improve on regular bus service in the area.

E Line – A bus rapid transit upgrade that will substantially replace parts of Route 6 in the Hennepin Avenue corridor, serving uptown Minneapolis. Busses along the corrido currently make up 45 percent of people traveling by vehicle but only 3 percent of traffic. Construction rapid transit line could begin as early as 2023.

***Highway 169 – Potential highway bus rapid transit providing service to 10 new stations from Shakopee to downtown Minneapolis primarily along Highway 169 and Highway 55.

***Orange Line Extension – Proposed extension of the METRO Orange Line phase 1 from the Burnsville Parkway Station to the Kenrick Park & Ride in Lakeville, adding two or more stations and approximately five miles to the initial line.

Additional Important Corridors being Studied

***I-35W North – This corridor links downtown Minneapolis with communities along I-35W north of downtown Minneapolis. The corridor was studied in the I-35W North Managed Lanes Corridor Study, but the BRT project is not being actively developed at this time.

***North Central – This corridor links downtown Minneapolis with communities to the north including Columbia Heights, Fridley, and Blaine. The corridor was studied in the Arterial Transitway Corridors Study by the metropolitan council, but the project is not being actively developed at this time.

Most Influential Routes for Manufactured Housing

All routes which are marked (***) are considered to be the most important for many manufactured home park residents. These routes are planned to run near several communities, and thus have the highest potential to impact a large number of residents. The best way to make sure these projects are serving the needs of everyone is to get involved. Refer to the APAC calendar for relevant project meetings, and come to APAC community meetings to give your opinions and idea