The notoriously slow 21 bus is finally being replaced
The slower-than-molasses 21 bus route that runs from downtown St. Paul through Uptown Minneapolis is about to be replaced with faster service.
Why it matters: Saturday's opening of the B Line along Marshall Avenue and Lake Street marks the near-midway point of Metro Transit's plan to have 15 bus-rapid-transit lines in operation by 2035.
How it works: A third of the 13-mile route has red-painted lanes for buses (as well as bikes and vehicles turning right), plus pre-pay boarding stations, fewer stops and priority at traffic lights.
Metro Transit expects those enhancements will speed up service by 20%.
The 21 is the slowest local bus route in the metro. With an average speed of 8 mph, 5K runners often top that pace, Katie Roth, director of arterial bus rapid transit, said.
Follow the money: The two-year project cost $74 million, with roughly $43 million coming from the state, $16 million from the Federal Transit Administration and $16 million from local and regional sources.
Parking loss was minimal as previous Lake Street redesigns removed on-street spaces, Roth said.
The project also removed general traffic lanes on some of the busiest streets in the metro.
Zoom out: This is Metro Transit's seventh BRT route and it replaces the system's busiest local route, with 7,000 average daily riders.
In December, the E Line will replace the 6 route from Southdale Center to the University of Minnesota on France Avenue, Hennepin Avenue and University Avenue.
What they're saying: The B Line will not only connect to the E Line, but eight other bus rapid transit or light rail lines, including the new Green Line extension in 2027, Metro Transit general manager Lesley Kandaras said.
"So it's not just about opening the B line itself, but improving connectivity throughout our transit system," she said.
What we're watching: How much the only slightly speedier service lures more riders, as Metro Transit is still nowhere near its pre-pandemic ridership levels.
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