March 22 marked the official opening of Metro Transit’s METRO Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) after more than 15 years in the making. Hundreds gathered for the day’s festivities, beginning at the Woodlane Park & Ride with a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by ceremonial first rides, community celebrations at Woodlane and Sun Ray Park & Rides, and free Gold Line rides March 22-28.
L-R: Shawn Combs Walding, PE, Michael Jischke, PLA, ASLA, Adele Hall, AICP, Delaney Moberly, PE, Nathan Poole, PE, Kara Langford, PE, Sean Clarke, PE, Jim Gersema, PE
Since its inception in Metro Transit’s 2030 Transit Master Study, published in 2008, the METRO Gold Line BRT project has evolved into an essential link between downtown Saint Paul near the Xcel Energy Center and Woodbury. It consists of 7 miles of dedicated guideway and 4 miles of mixed traffic roadways. The project also resulted in the construction or reconstruction of the impacted roadways, station areas, pedestrian and bicycle access ways, and park-and-ride facilities.
Through five separate projects since 2013, nearly 250 SRF staff have worked with Washington County, Ramsey County, the Metropolitan Council, Metro Transit and their community and government agency partners to provide environmental, design, construction administration, right-of-way assistance, and Title VI assessment services for the project. Collaboration and coordination were key to the success of this project, which spans two counties and five cities in the Twin Cities Metro area.
SRF led the overall structural design and water resource design for the project, while also leading the design of the guideway and station locations within Saint Paul’s neighborhoods and downtown business district. The neighborhood roadway and station design minimized right-of-way impacts while enhancing pedestrian and bicycle connectivity by extending walks and trails into the surrounding areas.
This accomplishment represents the Metropolitan Council’s and Metro Transit’s commitment to enhancing regional mobility and is Minnesota’s first BRT line to operate primarily in bus-only lanes. The project was completed on time and under budget and will deliver more frequent service, a faster ride, enhanced stations and shelters, and specialized buses.
Congratulations to our project partners on this monumental achievement!
