Metro Orange Line (Minnesota)

Orange Line (Metro Transit)

Company type	Public transit service
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	December 4, 2021 (2021-12-04)
Headquarters	Minneapolis , United States
Area served	Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area
Products	Bus rapid transit service
Owner	Metro Transit
Website	www.metrotransit.org/orange-line

The Orange Line of the Metro system is a bus rapid transit service managed by Metro Transit within the Twin Cities area. Primarily following the path of Interstate 35W, it links downtown Minneapolis to Burnsville, passing through Richfield and Bloomington. This corridor provides access to approximately 198,000 jobs, with nearly 25% located outside the Minneapolis downtown core. The stations along the route include highway median stops, exits, and street-level locations. Key features encompass off-board fare collection, articulated buses equipped with additional doors, upgraded station facilities, and dedicated transit lanes on segments of the highway.

Express bus operations along I-35W have existed since the 1970s. Initiatives to enhance transit options via light rail or bus rapid transit began in the early 2000s. By 2009, several corridor enhancements received federal funding. Originally named the I-35W Bus Rapid Transitway, the project was renamed METRO Orange Line in July 2011 as part of a broader Metro branding strategy. Although bipartisan support was present, securing complete financing proved difficult until it was finalized in 2018. Construction concluded in 2021, with service commencing on December 4. Projections estimate that by 2040, the Orange Line alone will serve around 11,400 daily riders, while improvements along the corridor could support up to 26,500 daily passengers.

Route description

The northern endpoint of the Orange Line consists of two stops located on 3rd Street in downtown Minneapolis. The initial four stops—3rd Street, 5th Street, 7th Street, and 11th Street—are situated on paired one-way streets, Marquette Avenue and 2nd Avenue, which were redesigned in 2009 to incorporate contraflow bus lanes under an Urban Partnership Agreement. The Marq2 transit corridor accommodates roughly 80% of express bus traffic entering downtown Minneapolis from regional park-and-ride locations. From downtown, buses access dedicated transit-only ramps connecting to I-35W MnPASS lanes that handle approximately 700 weekday bus trips. Along these MnPASS lanes, stops are provided at Lake Street and 46th Street within highway median stations. After crossing Highway 62, buses leave the freeway to serve a stop at 66th Street before merging back onto I-35W.

The route diverges from the freeway to serve stations and a park-and-ride facility at Knox Avenue and 76th Street near the Best Buy headquarters in Richfield. The Knox Avenue transitway passes beneath I-494 to reach the American Boulevard station close to Southtown Center and Bloomington’s Penn-American district. It briefly rejoins I-35W before exiting again at 98th Street to serve the South Bloomington Transit Center and adjacent park-and-ride lot. Crossing over the Minnesota River, the line enters Burnsville where it completes its journey via a loop including Heart of the City station near Minnesota State Highway 13 and terminating at the Burnsville Transit Station.

History

Transit service along the I-35W corridor has been a foundational element in Twin Cities transportation since express buses began operating in 1968; by 1972, there were fourteen routes utilizing this corridor. The introduction of ramp metering in 1974 allowed buses to circumvent traffic congestion more effectively. Although light rail options were examined starting in the mid-1980s, they were never implemented on this route. A proposed Dan Patch commuter rail line connecting Minneapolis and Northfield was discontinued in 2002 when legislation prohibited public funds for its study. In 2003, new laws required MnDOT to investigate bus rapid transit solutions for this corridor, which ultimately led to the development of what is now known as the Orange Line.

Background work

In January 2005, the Minnesota Department of Transportation determined that Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), utilizing both existing and planned HOV lanes, represented the most effective transit enhancement for the corridor. This decision followed Metro Transit's reorganization of I-35W bus routes, which introduced Route 535—providing frequent all-day service between Downtown Minneapolis and South Bloomington Transit Center—with intentions to expand service to daily operations and extend coverage to the University of Minnesota and Burnsville Transit Station. Between 2007 and 2010, reconstruction of the Crosstown Commons freeway segment extended HOV lanes northward to 42nd Street and added a median station at 46th Street. Plans also include relocating the Lake Street Station into the freeway median.

A $133.3 million Federal-State Urban Partnership Agreement awarded in 2007 funded a center high-occupancy toll lane along I-35W from Lakeville to downtown Minneapolis. This lane was designed to accommodate buses, HOVs, and tolled vehicles, supporting the intended BRT service.

Orange Line development

The integration of highway BRT on I-35W was formalized in the 2030 Transportation Policy Plan in 2010. The METRO Orange Line proposal released in 2012 outlined a route connecting downtown Minneapolis with Burnsville Transit Station, featuring stops at on-highway stations such as Lake Street, 46th Street, and American Boulevard, as well as slightly off-highway stations at 66th and 98th Streets. There was also consideration for extending service to Kenrick Ave Park and Ride in Lakeville.

By 2014, projections anticipated up to 100 buses per hour passing through Lake Street Station. The $150 million project secured funding from local, state, federal sources, and the Metropolitan Council, including a 30% contribution from the Counties Transit Improvement Board. The FTA approved project development in 2014, with an additional $64 million funding decision expected by 2016. Corridor ridership was recorded at 14,000 in 2014, with forecasts estimating growth to 20,000 by 2030. Routing through Southtown Center posed rezoning challenges during redevelopment efforts in 2015. The line's opening was targeted for 2019, with updated ridership estimates of 11,400 Orange Line trips and a total corridor ridership of 26,500 by 2040.

Routing concerns emerged regarding Burnsville and potential delays due to detours off I-35W to serve Heart of the City and possible extensions to Kenrick Avenue Park and Ride. Ultimately, approval was granted for two stations serving Burnsville via a loop configuration, addressing Dakota County commissioners’ concerns.

Following Dakota County’s withdrawal from CTIB in 2016—which led to its dissolution—and the failure of state funding during that year’s legislative session, doubts about financial feasibility surfaced. CTIB had initially planned to contribute $45 million with an additional $12 million from the state; however, CTIB significantly reduced its support. Despite this, bipartisan support remained strong due to the project's lower costs compared to light rail alternatives like Southwest LRT. Funding shortfalls were covered by Dakota County, Hennepin County, and regional railroad authorities; CTIB’s final contribution amounted to $8.6 million.

By November 2016, station designs were finalized for public review. Construction commenced in 2017 concurrently with MnDOT’s Downtown-to-Crosstown I-35W roadway improvements despite an initial lack of committed federal funds. In November 2018, a $74 million federal grant secured full funding for the $150.7 million project. Groundbreaking took place in July 2019; service officially began on December 4, 2021.

As of May 2022, weekday ridership surpassed 1,000 daily boardings—doubling the figures previously achieved by Route 535—with weekend service (which Route 535 did not offer) attracting between 300 and 400 riders each day.

Features

While the Orange Line integrates several bus rapid transit elements, it does not feature dedicated lanes along its entire route. Beginning in downtown Minneapolis, it runs within the Marq2 transit corridor, utilizing contraflow bus lanes. A dedicated transit ramp provides a direct connection from 12th Street in downtown to the I-35W MnPASS lanes. Throughout Minneapolis, the Orange Line travels on MnPASS lanes—HOT lanes that use dynamic pricing to maintain reliable travel times. The stops at Lake Street and 46th Street are located in the center of the highway, which removes the need for buses to exit and re-enter the freeway. Between 76th Street and American Boulevard, the route passes through a transit-only tunnel beneath I-494, linking major activity hubs in Richfield and Bloomington.

The vehicles serving this line are diesel-powered articulated buses equipped with three doors and wider aisles, all styled to align with the METRO branding.

Initially, service was intended to run every 10 minutes during peak periods and every 15 minutes during off-peak hours, with extended intervals during early mornings and late evenings. However, due to a shortage of drivers, the Orange Line commenced operations with 15-minute intervals on weekdays and 30-minute intervals on weekends.

Following the launch of the Metro Green Line in 2014, transit service in this corridor underwent restructuring. A public proposal was released in January 2021, and the Metropolitan Council granted final approval in May 2021. This plan expanded weekday service hours by 20%, impacting 11 existing routes while introducing five new ones. Nevertheless, driver shortages postponed full execution at the line’s opening on December 4, 2021.

The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority added a route that serves the Orange Line at Burnsville’s Heart of the City station.

Stations

Preliminary designs for stations were finalized by November 2016. Every station is ADA accessible featuring raised curbs to facilitate easier boarding by narrowing the gap compared to standard stops. Station amenities include bike racks, seating, real-time arrival displays, heating elements, waste and recycling receptacles, station signage, and informational kiosks. Energy-saving LED lighting illuminates all stations. Additionally, new sidewalks have been constructed to enhance pedestrian access within surrounding neighborhoods.

Station		Neighborhood(s)	City	Opened	Connections	Weekday Ridership
Marquette & 3rd Street	2nd Avenue & Washington	Downtown West	Minneapolis	December 5, 2009 (transit facilities) December 4, 2021 (Orange Line)	Numerous downtown routes	To be determined
Marquette & 5th Street	2nd Avenue & 5th Street				Multiple downtown routes, Blue Line, Green Line
Marquette & 7th Street	2nd Avenue & 7th Street				Several downtown routes; a short walk to C Line
Marquette & 11th Street	2nd Avenue & 11th Street				Various downtown routes
		Central (neighborhood), Minneapolis, Phillips West, Minneapolis, Lyndale, Minneapolis, Whittier, Minneapolis		October 21, 2021 (station) December 4, 2021 (Orange Line)	Routes 21, 27, 53, 460, 464, 465, 470, 472, 475, 477, 479, 578, 579, 600, 695
		Field, Minneapolis, King Field, Minneapolis, Regina, Minneapolis, Tangletown, Minneapolis		December 4, 2010 (station) December 4, 2021 (Orange Line)	Routes 11, 46, 578, 579
		Richfield, Minnesota		December 4, 2021	Route 515
Knox & 76th Street					Route 540
Knox & American Boulevard		Bloomington, Minnesota			Routes 4, 534, 538, 542
					Routes 18, 465, 534, 539, 546, 547
I-35W & Burnsville Parkway		Burnsville#Heart of the City	Burnsville		Route 444
Burnsville Heart of the City station					Routes: 425; Routes 444, 460, 465 and 495 are within walking distance at Burnsville Transit Station.

External links

• Official Metro Orange Line Website