Metro Transit Advances H Line with HDR

Metro Transit’s planned METRO H Line is moving toward detailed engineering, with HDR selected to provide engineering and construction administration services for the new BRT corridor in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The 17-mile line will link downtown Minneapolis with Sun Ray Transit Center on St. Paul’s east side.

HDR’s team will provide project management, station and civil design, transit systems and technology, electrical and traffic engineering, public engagement, risk management, and construction administration. The firm previously led work on Metro Transit’s C, D, and E Lines, contributed to two other lines, and is a partner on the planned Bronze Line.

The H Line will be the eighth arterial BRT line in the METRO network. Metro Transit says BRT service can be up to 25 percent faster than local buses through measures such as transit-signal priority, wider stop spacing, off-board fare payment, all-door boarding, and, in some locations, dedicated bus lanes. The agency says demand for the service is growing: BRT ridership rose 115 percent from 2022 to 2024 and represents approximately 16 percent of regional rides.

“Our team is excited to partner with Metro Transit to deliver the newest addition to the METRO network,” said HDR Project Manager Ryan Bauman. He said the project would connect destinations, jobs, and neighborhoods, while building on lessons from the C, D, and E Lines.