Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has officially approved nearly half the funding needed to build the $505 million METRO Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit project, money that was secured in the infrastructure law passed in Congress in 2022.
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The project is part of more than $21 billion invested in public transportation nationwide and is set to open in 2025.
Governor Walz was joined by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle, FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez, U.S. Representative Betty McCollum, Ramsey County Commissioner Trista MatasCastillo, and Washington County Commissioner Stan Karwoski to make this announcement.
The METRO Gold Line will be a 10-mile bus rapid transit route that travels between Lowertown in Saint Paul and Woodlane Station in Woodbury, serving stops in Maplewood, Landfall, and Oakdale.
The METRO Gold Line will offer easy transit service to nearly 100,000 jobs along the route, including the 3M headquarters. It will also offer convenient travel to Union Depot, Sunray Shopping Center, Woodbury Village, and other attractions.
“I am grateful to Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and all our federal partners for ensuring this important project becomes a reality,†said Governor Walz.
“The Gold Line will connect tens of thousands of Minnesotans to nearly 100,000 jobs, educational opportunities, friends, and family. Investments in transportation are investments in Minnesota’s economy, workforce, and future.â€
“Investments in public transit make it easier for Minnesotans to get to school, work, and other destinations, while reducing traffic congestion and pollution,†said U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.
“This federal funding will support the Metro Gold Line Bus project, helping construct bus-only lanes and providing more reliable transit service between downtown St. Paul and the eastern suburbs. I’ll keep pushing for resources to ensure public transit is safe and reliable for all Minnesotans.â€
Planning for the METRO Gold Line began in 2010. The FTA gave the green light to enter project development in 2018, and construction started in 2022.
As part of the Federal New Starts Program, the METRO Gold Line needed strong partnerships with Ramsey and Washington counties, the local funders for the project, and the federal government.
The METRO Gold Line will open in 2025 at a cost of $505 million, with more than 47% ($239 million) coming from FTA and nearly 48% ($120 million each) from Ramsey and Washington counties.
The federal funding from FTA comes from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provided about $2.7 billion in federal funding for over 180 infrastructure projects in Minnesota.
By 2030, Metro Transit anticipates operating a 165-mile network of 12 bus rapid transit lines, with connections to the METRO Blue Line and METRO Green Line light rail, their extensions, and local and express buses.
Bus rapid transit fills a gap in Metro Transit’s services by offering fast, all-day service where only local or express bus services currently exist.
Through 2021, Metro Transit found permitted development worth nearly $476 million and planned development worth more than $1.2 billion in the corridor. This includes 903 permitted housing units and another 1,461 planned housing units. ■