Metro Gold Line (Minnesota)
| Company type | Bus rapid transit |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | March 22, 2025 |
| Headquarters | Minneapolis–Saint Paul , United States |
Area served | Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area |
| Products | Bus rapid transit service |
| Owner | Metro Transit |
| Website | www |
The METRO Gold Line is a bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor operating within the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota. Managed by Metro Transit, it forms part of the broader METRO system. Spanning roughly , the route connects Woodbury and Downtown Saint Paul, primarily running alongside a dedicated busway adjacent to Interstate 94. Service frequency ranges from every 10 to 15 minutes throughout the week.
Initial planning commenced in 2009 under the title Gateway Corridor, with construction breaking ground in 2022. The line officially began operations on March 22, 2025. Metro Transit has plans to extend this service to Downtown Minneapolis by 2027.
History
The Gateway Corridor was originally envisioned to trace Interstate 94 from the St. Croix River Bridge in Wisconsin into Saint Paul, a major transit artery within the Twin Cities region. This corridor now experiences daily traffic volumes exceeding 150,000 vehicles, driven by recent demographic expansion. To explore alternative transit solutions, a commission was formed in 2009.
In August 2010, the Gateway Corridor Commission initiated a Transit Alternatives Analysis Study (AA), assessing various transit modes including light rail, commuter rail, and bus rapid transit. The study covered potential routes stretching from the Twin Cities to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, evaluating factors such as ridership forecasts, stop placements, and estimated costs for construction, operation, and maintenance. It sought to address issues related to congestion alleviation, economic development prospects, and environmental and social considerations.
The AA Study spanned about 18 months and concluded by spring 2012. Subsequent decisions regarding transit mode selection and routing were delegated to the Metropolitan Council and regional rail authorities to transition from planning stages toward implementation.
Ultimately, commuter rail was eliminated from consideration, leaving light rail and bus rapid transit as viable options. All BRT alternatives were planned to follow Interstate 94.
Bus rapid transit project development
Initially, the project was slated to end in Lake Elmo, Minnesota—a suburb characterized by lower residential density—prompting local disputes over increasing housing density near I-94 to facilitate transit-oriented development while maintaining rural character. While Lake Elmo's city council initially endorsed the project in 2014, a newly elected council reversed this stance by 2016, opposing the Gold Line BRT’s termination within city boundaries.
Resistance also emerged in Oakdale, Minnesota, where community members formed Citizens for Smart Transit to contest the initiative.
Washington County contributed funds from the Counties Transit Improvement Board toward Gold Line planning efforts. Given that most board resources had been allocated to western metro projects, advocates emphasized the need for greater investment in eastern metro transit developments such as this line.
Project approval
The bus rapid transit route linking downtown Saint Paul with Woodbury was rebranded as the METRO Gold Line and targeted for completion by 2024. Estimated at $485 million (in 2021 dollars), approximately 45% of funding came from federal sources. Projections by the Gateway Corridor Commission anticipated weekday ridership reaching 8,600 by 2040. The Metropolitan Council endorsed the locally preferred alternative in December 2016, advancing the project into New Starts Project Development by January 2018. After receiving a Finding Of No Significant Impact under the National Environmental Policy Act in January 2020, no additional environmental assessments were necessary.
In March 2021, the Federal Transit Administration upgraded its rating of the project from "medium-low" to "medium-high," facilitating progression into the engineering phase of New Starts. This upgrade reflected enhanced ridership estimates following an increase of 350 park-and-ride spaces. Utility relocation work was slated to begin as early as summer 2021.
By April 2021, proposed developments along the corridor were valued between $200 million and $290 million, reflecting anticipated growth linked to this transit investment.
Buses will operate on newly constructed roads parallel to existing highways for approximately 90% of their route. Service intervals are every 10 minutes during peak periods and between 20 and 30 minutes during off-peak hours. The journey across all twelve stations takes a minimum of 34 minutes. Dedicated bus lanes cover about 70% of the ten-mile stretch. Construction commenced on October 19, 2022, with service expected to launch in 2025.
Out of seventeen buses assigned to this line, five will be articulated electric models measuring 60 feet in length. Electric buses were first introduced in the Twin Cities on the Metro C Line back in 2019. New Flyer will provide both buses and charging infrastructure at an approximate cost of $10.8 million. Electric vehicles are scheduled for nine daily trips while diesel buses will serve thirty-eight trips.
Construction
The construction phase officially commenced in October 2022, with projected expenses totaling $505 million. By April 2023, federal contributions amounting to $238 million were secured through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, complemented by an additional $120 million from Ramsey and Washington Counties. Significant building activities took place throughout 2023 and 2024, aiming for a launch in 2025. During this period, businesses located on Saint Paul’s East Side experienced decreased accessibility and a decline in customer visits due to the ongoing construction.
In December 2023, a new $9 million bridge spanning Interstate 94 was inaugurated, primarily funded by $7.5 million in federal grants. The Bielenberg Bridge links Helmo Avenue in Oakdale with Bielenberg Drive in Woodbury, accommodating both general traffic and dedicated bus lanes designated for the Gold Line.
Extension to downtown Minneapolis
Metro Transit revealed plans in October 2024 to extend the Gold Line westward from St. Paul to Downtown Minneapolis by 2027. This expansion will replace the current weekday-only express bus service operating on I-94 between the two cities and will complement the slower Green Line light rail. The project’s estimated cost ranges from $15 to $20 million and will be financed within the existing budget framework.
The extension will make use of the present BRT stations on 7th and 8th Streets in downtown Minneapolis and will conclude at Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market on the Green Line extension. Only two new stops are planned: one at Snelling Avenue and another near U.S. Bank Stadium. The development of this Gold Line extension will proceed independently from MnDOT’s current Rethinking I-94 initiative.
Currently, Route 94 takes approximately 20–25 minutes to travel between downtown areas, whereas the Green Line requires about 40–45 minutes. In 2024, Route 94 operated with a frequency of every 20 minutes during peak hours and less frequently off-peak, serving roughly 800 riders on weekdays. The Gold Line extension will boost service intervals to every 10–15 minutes, improving transit connectivity between Minneapolis and St. Paul.