Orange Line / 35W@94: Downtown to Crosstown Project

[Trademark]

The end of the line was never proposed farther then the Lakeville park and ride. Not to the truck stop off of 210th. But I agree that the Burnsville center is the logical conclusion to the line

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[DanPatchToget]

When they studied the Orange Line Extension in 2019(?) one of the options was ending at the park & ride at 210th Street, but thankfully that option didn't get far.

[Trademark]

When they studied the Orange Line Extension in 2019(?) one of the options was ending at the park & ride at 210th Street, but thankfully that option didn't get far.

They didn't go far enough. We need every 15 minute BRT to Owatonna

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[Trademark]

The lake street station is very protected from the elements. Whoever designed that did a great job in making sure it didn't become a wind tunnel.

[Korh]

Speaking of the Line, did anyone go to today's grand opening?
I was busy with work so I didn't go but I might try to go before the snow comes this year just to see how much different my trips would of been if I was still going to Normandale

[Bakken2016]

I did, I actually worked it! But it was a great time, Orange Line service itself is wonderful!


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[NickP]

Thanks for sharing Bakken!

[alexschief]

I also attended. I rode the line from end to end and made a few stops in between. The infrastructure is pretty impressive, but the frequency isn't great, especially on weekends (2 buses/hr, 30 minute headways). On weekdays it's better (looks like 4 buses/hr, 15 minute headways) but still not at the kind of service that should be standard on the METRO system. I know that Metro Transit is facing a staffing shortage like so many other agencies though, so I don't hold it against them at the moment.

Few other thoughts:

The stop at 76th and Knox serves Best Buy's headquarters, but it wasn't at all clear to me how employees would get to the buildings, the stop doesn't seem to be near the main entrances. Hopefully Best Buy might improve access in the future. There stop is also at the back of a Dick's Sporting Goods, where I went browsing while waiting for the next bus.


The stop at American and Knox is a split stop, and because American is such a nightmare to cross, it feels a bit isolated at the moment. There's a weird thing with the way the tunnel under 494 was built, thanks to a property owner who wouldn't sell. There are some suburban-style apartment blocks in this area and I hope the Orange Line sparks more development along these lines, hopefully with less parking.


Downtown ("Heart of the City") Burnsville is surprisingly decent? I can't think of the last time I set foot in Dakota County, so it was interesting to see what they've got going on there. The city is clearly trying to make this area into more of a place, and have had some success so far. Many MSP suburbs really never built out actual downtowns, and I think that those that do will be more competitive. Even if people don't want to live in the core cities themselves, they like the kind of amenities that come with a node of dense activity.

[thespeedmccool]

Keep the pictures coming, folks. I'm stranded in Rhode Island currently and loving these looks at the Orange Line.

The majority of reactions I've seen so far are impressed, though I think that's partially because no one had high expectations for highway BRT. Full agree that the station areas need some development attention, but I think it will come.

I did see one negative reaction from a South Minneapolis resident who was pretty dismissive of the idea that any Midtown residents would ever use the line, but I honestly think that's a little crazy. They expressed exasperation that the line didn't go along Nicollet and was really built to serve suburbanites, which I get, but I don't think those flaws are going to stop South Minneapolis residents from using the line to get downtown and to job sites in the southern suburbs.

The most negative thing I can say about the project from afar is the that the nonsense going on at 98th is just unacceptable. I really figured that before this thing entered operations, someone would realize the absurdity of the routing at this stop. Hopefully, it's a temporary issue and when 35W south of 494 gets redone in the future, this station gets a Cedar Grove Station-esque redo.

Most of all though, just excited to see METRO growing, even if this project is imperfect in many ways. On to the D Line, Green Line Extension, Gold Line, B Line, E Line, Purple Line, Riverview Corridor, F Line, G Line, and H Line (did I miss any?)

[alexschief]

I think that the Orange Line is arriving at a particularly unfortunate time, given that the downtown is still below capacity (although much more active last week than it seemed when I was last in town over the summer) and Metro Transit's operator shortage is so accute.

But I also think that in part because of these woes, people are looking for good news, and the Orange Line's opening is a signal that there are still investments being made in transit and that people still want to rely on it.

[HiawathaGuy]

Few other thoughts:

The stop at 76th and Knox serves Best Buy's headquarters, but it wasn't at all clear to me how employees would get to the buildings, the stop doesn't seem to be near the main entrances. Hopefully Best Buy might improve access in the future. There stop is also at the back of a Dick's Sporting Goods, where I went browsing while waiting for the next bus.

As someone who used transit to get to Best Buy HQ for years, I can assure you that anyone who uses transit knows how to access the nearest entrances from these stops. There are several doors from Bldg A (nearest these stops) as well as the entrance through the parking ramp, that anyone who used the 535 Bus would have experience with already. Some will have to make slight adjustments, but to have all day service without the bus needing to go from 82nd to Penn Ave to 76th back to 35W is a win.

[alexschief]

Would be nice to have the red carpet rolled out a bit more though.

I'm not worried that people who work there know how to get in, I just wish that there could be changes that would respect the transit service a little more. It sends a message when the front door faces the parking lot versus the station. Now I know the station is new and the DSG and the Best Buy buildings weren't built for it, so I'm not losing my mind over the oversight. It's just a note. If renovations are done in the future, I hope they take that in mind.

[Oreos&Milk]

Would be nice to have the red carpet rolled out a bit more though.

I'm not worried that people who work there know how to get in, I just wish that there could be changes that would respect the transit service a little more. It sends a message when the front door faces the parking lot versus the station. Now I know the station is new and the DSG and the Best Buy buildings weren't built for it, so I'm not losing my mind over the oversight. It's just a note. If renovations are done in the future, I hope they take that in mind.

How about a green carpet? I lovely greenway with a very wide trail perhaps made from stone or bricks maybe even orange brick trail? Maybe to on the nose..

I know on the west side the have some nice sidewalks trails especially since I know a few people who used to live there walked from those apartments west of there before they went “luxury” hopefully in time they will make some investments and improvements. Within a year or two I bet they just might.

I’m hoping for even a nice waiting space like a fountain or bench’s and a little garden. They could even name it and display a sign that just happens to be visible from the station. How about calling it “BEST little park BUY the Metro Station” a bit wordy but I think it be cute and cheeky.

[DanPatchToget]

A shame that for some reason when there’s a lot of snow Orange Line buses don’t use Heart of the City Station. Doesn’t exactly give people confidence that they can rely on this bus line in the winter.

[Bakken2016]

A shame that for some reason when there’s a lot of snow Orange Line buses don’t use Heart of the City Station. Doesn’t exactly give people confidence that they can rely on this bus line in the winter.

It’s built on a hill, I would prefer the bus doesn’t get stuck. It still stops outside the station.


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[LakeCharles]

I used the Orange Line twice last night in the thick of the snowstorm, and they were both on time plus drove faster than the cars navigating the snow. It was very nice!

[StandishGuy]

Meh. Ridership on this $150 million project better be good to justify the huge cost.

I'm pretty frustrated with Metro Transit service lately on regular routes. The Route #23 down 38th Street continues to be delayed by detours including the never-ending rerouting around George Floyd Square and construction projects near the 38th St. LRT station. So sick of standing at bus stops for 20+ minutes with no shelter as cars whiz by at 40mph and the app keeps saying the bus is 10 minutes away... 30 minute service on routes like the #22 and #23 are terrible, and I'm sick of these expensive highway BRT and ABRT projects eating up ll the funding for capital improvements and service hours. It is irritating that the Orange Line gets fancy bus stop buildings in the middle of suburban sprawl while a lowly bus shelter is few and far between in the urban core.

I realize this is a total rant, the funding sources aren't transferable and that one doesn't necessaryiliy affect the other. However, regular bus service, mostly for people who do not have a choice to ride it, remains shitty. These projects designed to transport suburban commuters into downtowns are far too expesnive and take funding and energy away from where the real need is- better and more frequent service in dense, walkable places.

[Bakken2016]

I don’t mean to discount your experience, but the 535 was heavily used bus for transit dependent suburban commuters. The Orange Line just upgraded the service to BRT with an extension to Burnsville.

I feel like people don’t think people who rely on the bus don’t live in the suburbs, and that’s completely false.


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[Trademark]

I don’t mean to discount your experience, but the 535 was heavily used bus for transit dependent suburban commuters. The Orange Line just upgraded the service to BRT with an extension to Burnsville.

I feel like people don’t think people who rely on the bus don’t live in the suburbs, and that’s completely false.


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Quality transit that crosses the river is extremely important. It's a huge natural barrier that acts as a wall to the jobs and other destinations that are out in the suburbs for reverse commuters.

[Nick]

It’s certainly the best project we’ve gotten for nine figures in a while, and will be the best we get for nine figures for a while.