Network Now increasing transit service in St. Paul by 70%

Metro Transit’s Network Now framework, which outlines numerous bus and rail service investments to be made through 2027, won Metropolitan Council approval March 26, 2025. The council’s action sets the stage for future changes to several Monitor area bus routes and to Green Line light rail.
Work on the changes has been something the council and Metro Council staff have spent much time on, said Council Chair Charlie Zelle.
Council Member and Transportation committee Chair Deb Barber agreed, citing the 8,000 plus public comments and many months of staff time and outreach involved. She also called out the fact that overall, the transit system will grow by more than 30 percent.
“I’m very excited for this,” she said.
For longtime area bus riders, the vote means a final goodbye to the longtime Route 16 along University Avenue, Route 53 along part of Selby Avenue, and Route 84 along Snelling Ave. All three routes had been suspended or cut back in recent years.
For example, after Green Line light rail began operating in 2014, Route 16’s original downtown-to-downtown connection was eliminated, with service ending at Prior Ave.
Another area route eyed for change is Route 94, which will eventually become part of the Gold Line extension. The first segment of Gold Line bus rapid transit (BRT) began rolling in March, connecting downtown St. Paul to Woodbury.
Other area routes will see increased service and other changes, which will be rolled out in the months ahead. A Line BRT will expand service from every 15 minutes to every 10 minutes. Green Line and Blue Line light rail will expand service from every 15 minutes to every 10 minutes.
One big change is the upcoming replacement of Route 21 with the B Line bus rapid transit service, which will start mid-year. It is meant to provide faster service, payment before boarding, and other improvements.
In its place in St. Paul, Route 70 will be extended to replace Route 21 service between the Selby Ave. corridor and Midway shopping area. Route 70 will travel between Sun Ray Transit Center and Snelling Ave. and University Ave. every 30 minutes daily.
Another route seeing changes is Route 67, a longtime area “cross-town” route including much of Frogtown and Hamline-Midway. It will be restructured, with portions of the route on Thomas Ave., Rice St. and downtown eliminated. The route will serve Western Ave., University Ave., Marion St., Kellogg Blvd and downtown streets to Union Depot. It will retain service on much of Minnehaha Ave. and Fairview Ave. Part of the route in Minneapolis will be eliminated.
Some routes, including Routes 63, 65, 83 and 87, will see more frequent service.
Other Monitor area routes eyed for changes are:
• Route 3, which serves portions of Washington Ave. in downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, Como Ave., Front Ave., downtown St. Paul and Union Depot Transit Center. Route 3A will no longer serve downtown St. Paul. Instead, it will continue Maryland Ave. to White Bear Ave. and Sun Ray Transit Center. Riders can make transfer to get downtown. This route will also have frequency changes.
• Route 33 operates in a circular pattern along portions of Territorial Rd., Berry St., University Ave., 4th St., 15th Ave., Rollins Ave., 17th Ave., Elm St., Kasota Ave., Energy Park Dr., and non-stop on Hwy. 280 in Minneapolis. Saturday service will be discontinued due to low ridership. Weekdays’ span of service will be reduced during morning rush hours.
• Route 61 will become a Larpenteur Ave. crosstown route in St. Paul. All trips will be extended east from Larpenteur Ave. and Arcade St. to Larpenteur Ave. and Century Ave. Frequency will increase.
• Route 83 will see some change beyond frequency of service, to supplement a new Route 60 and provide more service to the Midway shopping area.
Some area district councils have had presentations on the upcoming changes by Cyndi Harper, manager of route planning, and Barrett Clausen, area route planner.
Network Now is meant to address changing transit needs in the region, said Clausen. It includes new or redesigned routes, changes in route frequency, elimination of suspended routes and new types of service.
Harper said many changes reflect post-pandemic realities. “COVID really did a number on us,” she observed. Ridership is bouncing back but not with the same travel patterns as before.
The framework will expand transit service regionally by more than 35 percent, and will make changes to commuter and express service to meet today’s travel patterns. It calls for improved frequency on more than 60 bus routes, and will restore light rail service to every 10 minutes.
In St. Paul, transit service will increase by more than 70 percent by 2027.
Learn about the framework at https://www.metrotransit.org/network-now