Project Update (January 2025)
Following the Maplewood City Council's decision to withdraw support for the Purple Line BRT project in September 2024, Metropolitan Council and Ramsey County have initiated conversations with the City of Maplewood to explore potential paths forward for this critical regional transit project. These discussions aim to understand the City's concerns and collaboratively identify potential solutions that address their priorities while advancing the project's goals.
Municipal support is required for Purple Line to inform the process for amending Purple Line’s locally preferred alternative in the region’s long-range transportation plan, a federal requirement for continuing to advance the project.
Due to the nature of the ongoing conversations, project committee meetings have been paused and will resume once conversations have sufficiently progressed.
Project Update:
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CIG Program: The Purple Line BRT project has been withdrawn from the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program due to the inability to meet the December 9, 2024 deadline for completing the Project Development (PD) phase requirements. This step was necessary and consistent with prior staff communications regarding the project's timeline and eligibility considerations, discussed in the summer of 2024. The project will re-apply for the CIG Program once all PD phase requirements are fulfilled.
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Route Alignment: On October 14, 2024, the Purple Line Corridor Management Committee (CMC) supported a staff recommendation to no longer advance the route alignment for collocating Purple Line with the Bruce Vento Regional Trail north of Maryland Avenue. The White Bear Avenue Corridor remains under consideration.
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Project Development: The project team is currently finalizing the Route Modification Study Phase II Report, which will document the process, analysis, and engagement activities conducted between April 2023 and October 2024.
Commitment to Regional Transit:
Metropolitan Council and Ramsey County remain steadfast in their commitment to implementing the regional transit vision and ensuring the needs and voices of all residents are considered.
Project staff will continue to communicate any updates as they become available. The goal is to identify and present a clear path forward for consideration in spring 2025.
Project Overview
The METRO Purple Line BRT was initially envisioned as a 15-mile line between Union Depot in downtown Saint Paul and downtown White Bear Lake generally along Robert Street, Jackson Street, Phalen Boulevard, Ramsey County rail right of way co-located with the Bruce Vento Regional Trail and Highway 61. In spring 2022, the Purple Line began a Route Modification Study to evaluate a new northern terminus north of Beam Avenue to either end the line at Maplewood Mall Transit Center, I-35E & County Rd. E park & ride in Vadnais Heights or Century College on the border of White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi. An ending at Maplewood Mall Transit Center proved to be the only option that would qualify for federal funds.
The Purple Line project has evaluated several aspects of the White Bear Avenue Corridor as an alternative to using the Bruce Vento Regional Trail Corridor including traffic operations, property impacts, transit travel times, eligibility for federal funding, number of destinations, transit-supportive development, and the pedestrian experience. Learn more about the evaluation process and results on the Route Modification Study page.
The line will connect with existing and future light rail and bus rapid transit service of the METRO system, including direct or close connections to the Green Line, Gold Line, B Line, G Line, and H Line, as well as local and express bus routes. The line will increase accessibility to jobs, housing, and services, thus improving the attractiveness and competitiveness of the east metro area.
The Metropolitan Council, in partnership with Ramsey County and the Minnesota Department of Transportation, will design and construct the project. Metro Transit will own, operate and maintain the line. Design and construction funding will be provided by the Federal Transit Administration and Ramsey County. Operations and maintenance funding will be provided by Ramsey County and the Metropolitan Council.
Route Modification Study Factsheet – Hmong | Karen | Somali | Spanish (as of July 2024)
Project History
For past documents related to the Purple Line project, visit the Project Library (pre-2022). For more recent documents, check out the web pages of the project website.
View a map of the METRO Purple Line (as of December 2021)
Stay informed
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Project Contacts
Purple Line Project Office
[email protected], 651-602-1955
Media Contact
Laura Baenen, [email protected], 612-269-4365
Community Outreach and Engagement
Colin Owens, [email protected], 612-618-0495