METRO Gold Line Expands Access to Opportunity in East Metro

Metro Transit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, has opened its METRO Gold Line BRT, providing frequent all-day bus service across a 10-mile stretch of the Interstate 94 corridor and significantly expanding access to jobs, housing, and other opportunities.

The Gold Line is the first of three Metro Transit BRT lines that will open in 2025 and the first in the state to operate primarily on roadway exclusively dedicated to buses. The line’s dedicated fleet of 60-foot buses includes five electric buses that will enter service later this year.

The Gold Line serves St. Paul, Maplewood, Landfall, Oakdale, and Woodbury. There are approximately 93,000 jobs and more than 41,000 residents within a half mile of Gold Line stations. More than 16 percent of all households within a half mile of Gold Line stations do not have access to a vehicle.

“At Metro Transit, we are dedicated to connecting people, strengthening communities, and improving lives,” said Lesley Kandaras, general manager. “The METRO Gold Line and all the improvements that will follow advance that mission.”

The Gold Line opens on time and within its $505 million budget. The project involved building 16 stations, as well as a dedicated road for buses, bridges, and underpasses. The project also included construction of a new bridge connecting Oakdale and Woodbury, Park & Rides, and trails.

Opening later this year are the METRO B Line, which will connect to the Gold Line at Union Depot, and the METRO E Line. Together, these new lines will grow the region’s METRO network to more than 120 miles, placing 38 percent of the region’s households with no vehicle access, 30 percent of the region’s renter households, and 28 percent of the region’s total jobs within a half mile of a METRO station.

“Today, the Twin Cities region leads the nation in many quality-of-life measures,” said Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle. “As a region, we are building one of the nation’s premier transportation systems, and the Gold Line represents a significant step forward.”