At the April 27 DMNA Board of Directors meeting, staff from Metro Transit provided an update and presentation on the METRO H Line, a planned arterial bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor that will serve the Como and Maryland Avenue corridor between downtown Minneapolis and Sun Ray Transit Center in St. Paul.
The presentation offered an overview of the project’s current planning phase and highlighted how the H Line is designed to improve transit speed, reliability, and connectivity along the Route 3 corridor. Once implemented, the H Line will replace and restructure portions of existing local service, including Route 3 branches, with faster, more frequent, and more direct service.
Key highlights from the presentation included:
- Improved travel times: The H Line is expected to reduce travel times along the corridor by approximately 20% compared to existing Route 3 service through fewer stops, faster boarding, and more efficient station design.
- Frequent service: Buses are planned to run as often as every 10 minutes during peak periods, seven days a week.
- Station upgrades: Stations will include real-time arrival information, lighting, shelters, seating, bike parking, security cameras, and other enhanced amenities consistent with Metro Transit’s other BRT lines.
- Network changes: The project will include service restructuring in both Minneapolis and St. Paul, including replacement and reconfiguration of several local routes to improve overall network connectivity and reduce duplication.
- Project timeline: The H Line is currently in planning, with engineering anticipated to begin in 2026–2027 and construction expected later in the decade, pending funding.
Metro Transit staff also discussed how the H Line is part of the broader Network Next and Metro BRT expansion strategy, which aims to build a more frequent and interconnected transit system across the region.
Community engagement and next steps
Metro Transit emphasized that the project remains in the planning and design phase, and community input continues to play an important role in shaping station locations, service design, and corridor priorities. Additional opportunities for public comment and engagement will be available as the project advances.
DMNA will continue to monitor the H Line planning process and share updates with the community, particularly as proposed changes to downtown Minneapolis service patterns and connections are refined.
The full Metro Transit presentation shared at the meeting can be viewed here:
https://www.thedmna.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026-04-27-Minneapolis-DMNA-H-Line-presentation.pdf