METRO Orange Line
The METRO Orange Line is a 17-mile planned highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line that will connect Minneapolis, Richfield, Bloomington, and Burnsville along I-35W. The Orange Line will provide frequent, all-day service in both directions, seven days a week.
This route will upgrade and replace the existing local Route 535 with enhanced service and amenities, and new station features will benefit other transit riders along the I-35W corridor. No changes to existing express bus routes are planned. Orange Line service will have competitive running times for station-to-station trips and offer a new option for reverse-commuters (riders traveling from urban areas to suburban destinations).
The project includes street improvements, upgraded transit stations, Park & Ride facilities, and improved bus routes. BRT provides high quality, reliable service like light rail transit, but is less expensive to build and allows for a more flexible route.
Funding commitments for the Orange Line have been provided by the Counties Transit Improvement Board, the State of Minnesota, the Metropolitan Council, Hennepin County, and the Federal government. The project recently received approval from the Federal Transit Administration to enter the project development and engineering phase, keeping the Orange Line on track for a 2019 opening.
Download a brochure about the project
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