The METRO Gold Line is an under construction bus rapid transit line in Minnesota. The line will travel from downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota to the eastern terminus in Woodbury, Minnesota. The 10-mile line runs largely along I-94 in bus only lanes with stops at designated stations. The project was initially called the Gateway Corridor before being named a color to match the rest of the Metro system operated by Metro Transit. The project is expected to open in 2025.[2]
Originally, the Gateway Corridor was planned to follow Interstate 94 from the St. Croix River Bridge in Wisconsin to Saint Paul and is one of the most heavily used and traveled corridors in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. As a result of recent population growth, the Gateway Corridor today moves more than 150,000 vehicles per day. In 2009, a commission was created to study and plan alternative transportation options in the corridor.
In August 2010, the Gateway Corridor Commission and its consultant team initiated a Transit Alternatives Analysis Study (AA), looking at the corridor from the Twin Cities to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This is the first step in determining the best mode (i.e. light rail, commuter rail or bus rapid transit); estimated ridership, possible routes and stops, and projected costs to build, operate and maintain. In looking at these four main areas, the study will help to address the issues of congestion, potential economic development/revitalization and environmental and social impacts.
The AA Study will take approximately 18 months to complete and is expected to be finished by spring 2012. Final decisions regarding the mode of transit and route will be determined by the Metropolitan Council and Ramsey and Washington County Regional Railroad Authorities. These decisions will help move this from a planning effort into a real, tangible project.
The Gateway Corridor Commission dropped the commuter rail option, leaving only possible bus rapid transit or light rail routes. All of the bus rapid transit route options would run on Interstate 94.[3]
Bus Rapid Transit
The proposed bus rapid transit line would from downtown Saint Paul to Woodbury and was proposed to be built by 2024. The project was renamed from the Gateway Corridor to the METRO Gold Line[4] The line would cost $485 million in 2021 dollars with 45% of that coming from federal sources. The Gateway Corridor Commission estimates 8,600 weekday riders by 2040.[5] Buses would run 90% of the time on new roads that run next to existing roads and highways. Service would be every 10 minutes during peak times and 20 - 30 during other times. Travel times from end to end for the 12 stations would take at least 34 minutes.[6] The Metropolitan Council approved the locally preferred alternative in December 2016. The project began New Starts Project Development in January 2018. After passing the National Environmental Policy Act with a Finding Of No Significant Impact from the FTA in January 2020, the Metropolitan Council declared no additional environmental review was needed for the project in March 2020.[1][7]
The project was given a "medium-high" rating by the Federal Transit Administration in March 2021. The rating allows the project to continue into the engineering phase of the FTA's New Starts program.[1][8] The "medium-high" rating was an improvement over the "medium-low" rating that the project received in January 2020. By adding 350 park-and-ride spaces, ridership projections increased which improved the project's rating.[9] Utility work for the project could start as soon as the summer of 2021.[7]
With 3 years needed until service could start, developments worth $200-290 million were proposed along the line by April 2021.[10]
Buses will operate in bus only lanes for 70% of the 10 mile long project. Construction was officially kicked off on October 19, 2022. Construction is expected to be completed and service begin in 2025.[11]
^Melo, Frederick (19 October 2022). "Metro Transit breaks ground on Gold Line from Woodbury to St. Paul". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
^. Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2012-03-19. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
^"Welcome to the expanding METRO network". Metro Transit. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
^Shaw, Bob (December 18, 2015) "Woodbury-to-St. Paul Gold Line would be second costliest, per rider" Saint Paul Pioneer Press
^Shaw, Bob (December 19, 2015) "Is the $485M St. Paul-to-Woodbury Gold Line bus worth it?" Saint Paul Pioneer Press
^ abJohnson, Brian (April 16, 2021). "Metro Transit Gold Line project advances". Finance & Commerce. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
^Moore, Janet (April 14, 2021). "East metro bus rapid transit Gold Line clears critical hurdle with feds". Star Tribune. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
^Shaw, Bob (April 15, 2021). "Gold Line clears key hurdle for federal funding". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
^Shaw, Bob (April 30, 2021). "Rapid-transit bus line sets up rapid-growth development in east metro". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
^Moore, Janet (October 19, 2022). "Construction officially begins on Gold Line BRT linking St. Paul and Woodbury". Star Tribune. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
metro, gold, line, minnesota, metro, gold, line, under, construction, rapid, transit, line, minnesota, line, will, travel, from, downtown, saint, paul, minnesota, eastern, terminus, woodbury, minnesota, mile, line, runs, largely, along, only, lanes, with, stop. The METRO Gold Line is an under construction bus rapid transit line in Minnesota The line will travel from downtown Saint Paul Minnesota to the eastern terminus in Woodbury Minnesota The 10 mile line runs largely along I 94 in bus only lanes with stops at designated stations The project was initially called the Gateway Corridor before being named a color to match the rest of the Metro system operated by Metro Transit The project is expected to open in 2025 2 METRO Gold LineOverviewSystemMetroOperatorMetro TransitStatusUnder ConstructionBegan service2025 est RouteRoute typebus rapid transitLocale Ramsey County Saint Paul Minnesota Maplewood Minnesota Washington County Landfall Minnesota Oakdale Minnesota Woodbury MinnesotaLandmarks served3M Headquarters Metropolitan State UniversityStartDowntown Saint PaulEndWoodbury MinnesotaLength9 mi 14 km Stations11ServiceRidership6 500 2040 projection 1 Route mapLegendSmith Avenue Transit CenterB Line to West Lake5th Street amp Rice Park6th Street amp Hamm Plaza5th 6th Street amp Minnesota Green LinePurple Line to White Bear Lake5th 6th Street amp RobertUnion Depot amp Wacouta Sibley Green LineUnion DepotGate A B Line and Purple LineDowntown fare zone limitI 94Mounds BoulevardEarl StreetEtna StreetHazel StreetSun RayMaplewoodGreenway AvenueI 694Helmo AveI 94TamarackWoodbury TheatreWoodbury I 494 PlannedPark and rideall stationsaccessibleThis diagram viewtalkedit previous line system nav next line Contents 1 History 2 Bus Rapid Transit 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditOriginally the Gateway Corridor was planned to follow Interstate 94 from the St Croix River Bridge in Wisconsin to Saint Paul and is one of the most heavily used and traveled corridors in the Twin Cities metropolitan area As a result of recent population growth the Gateway Corridor today moves more than 150 000 vehicles per day In 2009 a commission was created to study and plan alternative transportation options in the corridor In August 2010 the Gateway Corridor Commission and its consultant team initiated a Transit Alternatives Analysis Study AA looking at the corridor from the Twin Cities to Eau Claire Wisconsin This is the first step in determining the best mode i e light rail commuter rail or bus rapid transit estimated ridership possible routes and stops and projected costs to build operate and maintain In looking at these four main areas the study will help to address the issues of congestion potential economic development revitalization and environmental and social impacts The AA Study will take approximately 18 months to complete and is expected to be finished by spring 2012 Final decisions regarding the mode of transit and route will be determined by the Metropolitan Council and Ramsey and Washington County Regional Railroad Authorities These decisions will help move this from a planning effort into a real tangible project The Gateway Corridor Commission dropped the commuter rail option leaving only possible bus rapid transit or light rail routes All of the bus rapid transit route options would run on Interstate 94 3 Bus Rapid Transit EditThe proposed bus rapid transit line would from downtown Saint Paul to Woodbury and was proposed to be built by 2024 The project was renamed from the Gateway Corridor to the METRO Gold Line 4 The line would cost 485 million in 2021 dollars with 45 of that coming from federal sources The Gateway Corridor Commission estimates 8 600 weekday riders by 2040 5 Buses would run 90 of the time on new roads that run next to existing roads and highways Service would be every 10 minutes during peak times and 20 30 during other times Travel times from end to end for the 12 stations would take at least 34 minutes 6 The Metropolitan Council approved the locally preferred alternative in December 2016 The project began New Starts Project Development in January 2018 After passing the National Environmental Policy Act with a Finding Of No Significant Impact from the FTA in January 2020 the Metropolitan Council declared no additional environmental review was needed for the project in March 2020 1 7 The project was given a medium high rating by the Federal Transit Administration in March 2021 The rating allows the project to continue into the engineering phase of the FTA s New Starts program 1 8 The medium high rating was an improvement over the medium low rating that the project received in January 2020 By adding 350 park and ride spaces ridership projections increased which improved the project s rating 9 Utility work for the project could start as soon as the summer of 2021 7 With 3 years needed until service could start developments worth 200 290 million were proposed along the line by April 2021 10 Buses will operate in bus only lanes for 70 of the 10 mile long project Construction was officially kicked off on October 19 2022 Construction is expected to be completed and service begin in 2025 11 References Edit a b c METRO Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit PDF Federal Transit Administration March 2021 Retrieved 3 June 2021 Melo Frederick 19 October 2022 Metro Transit breaks ground on Gold Line from Woodbury to St Paul St Paul Pioneer Press Retrieved 3 December 2022 Article Star Tribune Archived from the original on 2012 03 19 Retrieved 2012 04 25 Welcome to the expanding METRO network Metro Transit Retrieved 14 June 2019 Shaw Bob December 18 2015 Woodbury to St Paul Gold Line would be second costliest per rider Saint Paul Pioneer Press Shaw Bob December 19 2015 Is the 485M St Paul to Woodbury Gold Line bus worth it Saint Paul Pioneer Press a b Johnson Brian April 16 2021 Metro Transit Gold Line project advances Finance amp Commerce Retrieved 3 June 2021 Moore Janet April 14 2021 East metro bus rapid transit Gold Line clears critical hurdle with feds Star Tribune Retrieved 3 June 2021 Shaw Bob April 15 2021 Gold Line clears key hurdle for federal funding St Paul Pioneer Press Retrieved 3 June 2021 Shaw Bob April 30 2021 Rapid transit bus line sets up rapid growth development in east metro St Paul Pioneer Press Retrieved 3 June 2021 Moore Janet October 19 2022 Construction officially begins on Gold Line BRT linking St Paul and Woodbury Star Tribune Retrieved 3 December 2022 External links EditKML file edit help Template Attached KML Metro Gold Line Minnesota KML is not from Wikidata METRO Gold Line site Gold Line Project Washington County Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Metro Gold Line Minnesota amp oldid 1163708856, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
