B Line is the second of three bus rapid transit lines opening in 2025, seventh overall
Running between downtown Saint Paul and the western border of Minneapolis, the METRO B Line opened today, Saturday, June 14, bringing faster and more reliable service to one of the region’s busiest transit corridors.
Rides on the B Line are free on opening day, courtesy of Midtown Global Market.
The 13-mile B Line features 33 stations and connects with nine current or under-construction METRO lines, including the METRO Gold Line. Running primarily along Lake Street and Marshall and Selby avenues; more than 100,000 residents live within a 10-minute walk of B Line stations.
“This isn’t just another transit route. It’s a vital lifeline connecting residents to their daily necessities and ambitions, while simultaneously serving as a crucial gateway to the comprehensive METRO network that powers mobility throughout our entire region,” Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle said.
The B Line is the second of three bus rapid transit lines Metro Transit is opening in 2025. It replaces Route 21, the region’s busiest local bus route with about 7,000 average weekday rides. Along portions of Lake Street, buses carry 20% of people and account for 2% of vehicle traffic.
B Line service will operate from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily, with trips every 10 to 15 minutes throughout the day. More than one-third of the B Line corridor has dedicated bus lanes. Combined with wider stop spacing, all-door boarding and transit signal priority, B Line service is expected to be about 20% faster than the local service it replaces.
B Line expands access to METRO network, opportunity
Among those enthused by the enhanced connectivity is St. Paul resident Anders Bloomquist, who lives a short walk from a B Line station. “It is not just the benefit of the east-west connection, but to reach the A Line, Blue Line and the lines converging at Union Depot,” Anders said. “To be able to do that faster and more efficiently will be incredible.”
Sandriea White of St. Paul regularly rides the Route 21 for shopping and other errands. She is excited about connections to the Gold Line and future Green Line Extension. “The B Line will give me better access to life outside the cities,” she said.
Recent University of Minnesota graduate Morgan Bliss is excited about the way the B Line expands her options as she enters the job market. “It’s expanded where I can look for housing,” Morgan said. “I don’t necessarily have to know where I am going to work because this route will be an easy commute to anywhere across the cities.”
Partnerships make B Line corridor safer for all users
A combination of federal, state and Metropolitan Council funds was used to purchase a fleet of 60-foot buses, build stations with features like real-time signs and ticket machines, and install bus lanes and technology that helps buses get through intersections without stopping.
In coordination with these efforts, Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis put more than $25 million toward improvements aimed at reducing crashes and making Lake Street safer for all users.
Ramsey County and the City of Saint Paul put additional funding toward traffic signal improvements and lane restriping on Marshall Avenue to improve safety and transit and signal operations.
Service changes complement, expand on B Line
Because the B Line will make fewer stops than the Route 21, other service changes are taking effect across the corridor.
- Operating on Selby Avenue between downtown Saint Paul and the Midway shopping area, Route 72 will run every 30 minutes throughout the day, all days of the week.
- Route 27 will provide hourly service all days of the week, serving stops along Lake Street, 26th Street, and 28th Street between the Uptown Transit Center and Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue.
- Route 38 will run every 30 minutes all days of the week, serving Lake Street stops between Lyndale and France avenues.
A host of other service changes, including expanded weekend A Line service, also took effect across the region today. The changes advance the vision outlined in the Network Now service improvement framework endorsed this year by the Met Council.
Additional service improvements will be made in August and December, when the METRO E Line opens. By the end of the year, the METRO network will grow to more than 120 miles, putting 38% of the region’s car-free households, 30% of the region’s renter households, and 28% of the region’s total jobs within half a mile of a METRO station.
“We are excited to open the B Line because it will bring more convenient, reliable transit to the people we serve,” Metro Transit General Manager Lesley Kandaras said. “Along with the other service improvements we are making, launching the B Line is one more way we are advancing our mission to connect people, strengthen communities, and improve lives.”
What B Line partners are saying
“The B Line, alongside the Gold Line that opened earlier this year, is a critical step forward in expanding high-quality, high-frequency transit across Ramsey County. With future lines like the G, H and Purple on the horizon, we’re proud to continue working with Metro Transit and our city partners to improve mobility, accessibility, and opportunity for all. Projects like these help residents and businesses access jobs, education, healthcare, shopping, and recreation – especially in areas of concentrated poverty where better transit means greater equity and economic potential. This is how we build a stronger, more connected region.” -- Ramsey County Board Chair, Commissioner Rafael Ortega
“The Lake Street corridor is made up of some of the highest transit dependent neighborhoods in the city and state. These residents deserve access to efficient, safe and consistent transit. I am excited about the opening of B Line and other Arterial Bus Rapid Transit Lines that will make a meaningful difference by making it easier for people to get to work, school and live their lives.” -- Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley
"The B Line expands transit opportunities for all residents and visitors along one of our busiest commercial and residential corridors. Every transit investment strengthens our commitment to equity, sustainability, and building a city where everyone has access to high-quality transportation options." -- Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter
“We know construction is a challenge for both residents and businesses, but Lake Street never stopped moving – even as we built the B Line corridor. Thanks to Metro Transit and Public Works, two-way traffic stayed open, and every storefront stayed reachable, making sure this project was an investment, not a disruption.” -- Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey