Metro Red Line (Minnesota)
| Company type | Public transit service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | June 22, 2013 in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States |
| Headquarters | Bloomington, Minnesota , United States |
Area served | Bloomington, Eagan, Apple Valley, Minnesota |
Key people | Metropolitan Council (owner), Metro Transit (operator since 2020) |
| Products | Bus rapid transit service |
| Owner | Metropolitan Council |
| Website | metrocouncil |
The Metro Red Line is a bus rapid transit corridor serving the suburban areas of Bloomington, Minnesota and Apple Valley, Minnesota within the Twin Cities region. Running mainly along Minnesota State Highway 77 and Cedar Avenue, it connects the Apple Valley Transit Station through Eagan to the Mall of America station in Bloomington, where passengers can transfer to the Metro Blue Line. This service includes exclusive bus lanes, specially branded vehicles, transit signal priority systems, and dedicated stops.
Conceived to alleviate traffic congestion on Cedar Avenue, the initiative was originally named the Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transitway before being renamed the Red Line in 2011 as part of the regional Metro network. Although construction faced some delays, the service officially began operations on June 22, 2013. The primary project expenditure was $21 million, supplemented by $34 million allocated for express bus enhancements and $57 million directed toward roadway widening—bringing the total investment to $112 million. Additionally, a $15 million upgrade introduced an enhanced passenger station that allows buses to remain on the highway, reducing round-trip travel times by approximately ten minutes.
Initially managed by the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority under a contract with the Metropolitan Council, operational control shifted to Metro Transit on December 5, 2020.
Plans are underway for an extension reaching Lakeville, targeted for completion by 2040.
Route description
The northern endpoint of the Red Line is at the Mall of America station located within the Mall of America in Bloomington, offering connections to eight bus routes as well as the Metro Blue Line. From this point, the route follows Minnesota State Highway 77, serving the Cedar Grove Transit Station, which provides bus stops situated in the highway median alongside an indoor pedestrian corridor leading to a park-and-ride facility near Twin Cities Premium Outlets. Continuing southward, the line crosses over Interstate 35E and makes stops at stations near 140th and 147th streets before concluding at the Apple Valley Transit Station.
Service and operation
The Red Line aimed for a daily ridership of 975 passengers during its inaugural year. While overall ridership within MVTA reached record highs during this timeframe, usage of the Red Line itself initially fell short of expectations, achieving only about 85% of projected numbers. By 2017, average daily boardings had increased to approximately 1,600.
Between 2013 and 2017, funding responsibilities were shared equally between the Counties Transit Improvement Board and the Metropolitan Council. Following dissolution of this board, full financial responsibility transferred to the Metropolitan Council. Dakota County contributed $1.3 million toward operations in 2017. In 2020, MVTA managed Red Line operations under contract with a budget of $3.2 million. In December of that year, Metro Transit assumed operational duties from MVTA without altering service frequency or hours.
During 2019, ridership totaled 242,372 trips with a subsidy cost of $9.97 per passenger—higher than subsidies for both the Metro A Line ($3.85) and C Line, as well as light rail services ($1.96). Subsidies for suburban local and commuter express bus services within MVTA's jurisdiction were $12.10 and $6.07 per trip respectively, exceeding averages across the Twin Cities region.
The Red Line primarily utilizes dedicated bus lanes combined with transit signal priority technology to improve travel speed and dependability. Trips from Apple Valley to downtown Minneapolis via connection with the Blue Line take roughly one hour compared to express bus travel times of approximately 40 to 43 minutes.
Fleet
At its inception, the Red Line utilized a fleet of seven Nova Bus LFX 40 buses (numbered 4252-4258), which were distinctive within the Twin Cities area. These vehicles were chosen to provide a transit experience akin to light rail, featuring expansive windows, dedicated interior spaces for bicycles, and exterior styling that mimicked light rail trains. Both the stations and buses supported level boarding for ease of access. Priced between $450,000 and $550,000 each, these buses were equipped with advanced safety features such as lane departure alerts and collision avoidance technology. Shortly after launch, the original interior bike racks were replaced with exterior-mounted racks.
In December 2020, Metro Transit took over operations from MVTA, leading to the retirement of the Nova buses. Until 2022, service was maintained by seven 40-foot Gillig buses (1750–1756) temporarily wrapped in METRO branding. By December 2022, six new 40-foot Gillig buses (8020-8025), comparable to those deployed on the A Line, were introduced as permanent replacements.
Stations and transit way
Cedar Avenue underwent enhancements that incorporated bus shoulder lanes to expedite travel between Downtown Minneapolis and Lakeville. The dedicated transit corridor begins at Mall of America and continues through Eagan, Apple Valley, and Lakeville, featuring bus lanes on both sides that allow vehicles to avoid congestion. Stations include bus pull-off areas enabling passing maneuvers between buses. Buses operating within the reinforced 12-foot shoulder lanes can travel up to 15 miles per hour faster than general traffic while remaining within speed limits.
Before these improvements, buses had to exit the highway to access Cedar Grove Transit Station, adding approximately ten minutes per round trip and negatively impacting ridership. The opening of a center-median Cedar Grove station on May 20, 2017, eliminated this detour and reduced overall travel time. A climate-controlled walkway spanning 300 feet connects this new station to the existing transit facility. The $15 million project was funded by $10.4 million from the Counties Transit Improvement Board, $3.3 million from the state of Minnesota, and $1.3 million from Dakota County. This upgrade was projected to increase annual ridership by 40,000 trips and save $293,000 in yearly operational expenses.
Stations located at 140th Street and 147th Street cater to nearby businesses and residential areas but do not offer parking facilities, raising concerns about overflow parking in adjacent neighborhoods. Due to decreased ridership forecasts following the Great Recession, station designs were scaled down and original plans for skyway connections over Cedar Avenue were abandoned. Despite pressure from Apple Valley officials, the Metropolitan Council and Dakota County postponed skyway construction; however, the 147th Street station was designed with provisions for future connection.
Apple Valley has repeatedly applied for federal funding through the Metropolitan Council between 2016 and 2022 under Transit Modernization initiatives aimed at constructing the 147th Street skyway. The Minnesota legislature allocated $7 million for this purpose during its 2023 session. Similarly, Dakota County has pursued funding since 2018 for a pedestrian and bicycle bridge at 140th Street; this $2.9 million project received $2 million in grants during the 2022 funding cycle.
Plans are underway to redesign the Mall of America station with an expected reduction in travel times by two to four minutes.
Between its opening on June 22, 2013, and May 19, 2017, northbound Red Line buses made an additional stop at 30th Avenue Station, located just outside Mall of America.
| Station | ID | City | Connections | Opened | Fall 2019 Weekday Ridership | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mall of America station | 56873 | Bloomington | 5, 54, 442, 444, 495, 501, 515, 538, 539, 540 |
|
375 | ||
| Cedar Grove Transit Station | 56510,56511 | Eagan | 440, 442, 444, 445, 475 |
|
108 | ||
| 140th Street station | 48976,48977 | Apple Valley | 440 |
|
23 | ||
| 147th Street station | 48179,53494 | Apple Valley | 440 |
|
58 | ||
| Apple Valley station | 56979,56980 | Apple Valley | 420,440,442,447,475,477,480 |
|
177 |
History
Initial efforts to establish bus rapid transit (BRT) along this corridor commenced in 1999, supported by a $500,000 allocation from state funds. Early projections for extending the then-planned Hiawatha Avenue light rail (Blue Line) anticipated a daily ridership of up to 23,100 by 2020. In contrast, implementing dedicated bus lanes was estimated to draw approximately 18,400 daily passengers, offering a more cost-effective alternative. Both scenarios relied heavily on concentrated transit-oriented development.<ref>By 2003, studies expanding service to Lakeville forecasted daily ridership reaching 12,900 by 2025. The decision to favor BRT over light rail was made in 2004, as light rail costs were projected at $650 million. A 2010 analysis highlighted that Cedar Avenue accommodated around 150,000 vehicles each day, with expectations for this figure to double over the following two decades. Specifically, the Cedar Avenue Bridge across the Minnesota River carried roughly 90,000 vehicles daily, underscoring congestion issues that the Red Line sought to address. Construction activities began in April 2009, encompassing bus system enhancements, lane widening, and sidewalk expansion.<ref>
The overall expenditure for the project reached $112 million: $21 million allocated directly to the Red Line infrastructure, $34 million invested in express service improvements, and $57 million dedicated to roadway expansion. Funding responsibilities were distributed with 80% jointly financed by federal authorities, the state of Minnesota, and the Counties Transit Improvement Board (each contributing $19.7 million), while the remaining 20% was provided by county and local government sources.<ref>
In July 2011, the Metropolitan Council formally named the Cedar Avenue BRT as the Red Line, integrating it into a color-coded transit network alongside the Blue Line, Green Line, and Orange Line BRT services. Dakota County commissioners advocated for a unique logo design to distinguish it from both light rail and conventional bus services. Although originally scheduled for a November 2012 opening, the Red Line officially commenced operations on June 22, 2013, with complimentary rides offered during its inaugural week.<ref>
Local government representatives observed that the introduction of the Red Line stimulated real estate investments totaling $273 million within a half-mile radius of the corridor. The 2015 Implementation Plan Update proposed additional station developments and outlined plans for an extension reaching Lakeville by 2040.<ref>