As part of the Orange Line Connecting Bus Study's Recommended Plan, Route 515 consolidates from three variations to one.
In anticipation of the METRO Orange Line’s late-2021 opening, Metro Transit is proposing a host of bus service changes that will improve local bus service to help customers get to and from the new Bus Rapid Transit Line.
Based on public input and nearly 600 survey responses, Metro Transit developed a Recommended Plan calling for improved frequency on seven routes that connect with Orange Line stations in Minneapolis, Richfield, Bloomington, and Edina.
The plan also calls for the creation of five new routes that would expand access to employers, Normandale College, and residential areas.
Other highlights include:
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Extending Route 27 to serve the I-35W & Lake Street Station, re-establishing access to large employers like Abbot Northwestern Hospital, Allina, Children’s Hospital and Wells Fargo.
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Simplifying Route 515 from three variations to one.
The plan will be presented to the Metropolitan Council for final approval in June. Changes are expected to be made when the Orange Line opens.
The recommendations do not address bus service in Burnsville or areas south of the Minnesota River where the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) is the transit service provider.