Item Description:
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Resolution of support for Metro Transit’s recommendation to advance the METRO J Line and METRO K Line and adopt both lines into the Metropolitan Council’s 2050 Transportation Policy Plan
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WHEREAS:
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WHEREAS, Metro Transit has prepared a study to update its Arterial Bus Rapid Transit (ABRT) Plan and to identify METRO J Line, METRO K Line, and METRO L Line; and
WHEREAS, Metro Transit has recommended designation of the West 7th Street Corridor for the METRO J Line and the Nicollet Avenue Corridor for the METRO K Line; and
WHEREAS, transit priority improvements will be evaluated along each of the project routes to ensure a fast and reliable transit system; and
WHEREAS, Metropolitan Council is in the process of amending its 2050 Transportation Policy Plan to add the METRO J Line and METRO K Line; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County requests Metro Transit continue exploring transit improvements for the following transit priority corridors that were not advanced as the METRO J Line, METRO K Line, or METRO L Line:
• County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 153 (Lowry Avenue) from Robbinsdale Transit Center to Roseville Transit Center; and
• CSAH 103 (85th Avenue North) from Elm Creek Boulevard/Interstate 94 to State Highway 252/W River Road
• CSAH 22 (Lyndale Avenue) part of the current METRO local bus route 4
WHEREAS, Metro Transit has requested a Hennepin County resolution of support for advancement of the METRO J Line and METRO K Line, and for adoption of these lines into the Metropolitan Council’s 2050 Transportation Policy Plan.
Resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that Hennepin County supports Metro Transit’s recommendation to advance the METRO J and METRO K Arterial Bus Rapid Transit lines for adoption into the Metropolitan Council’s 2050 Transportation Policy Plan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution of support for the METRO J Line and METRO K Line by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners does not imply a funding commitment for these transit projects.
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Background:
Metro Transit completed an Arterial Bus Rapid Transit (ABRT) Plan Update in 2025 that identified the J, K and L lines proposed for construction in the years 2030 through 2035. The plan identified J, K and L lines to proceed into planning and development and further updated the list of potential future ABRT corridors. Metro Transit identified 18 potential corridors for ABRT implementation and narrowed those down to 11 through an evaluation process that included ridership, equity, cost, land use, and feasibility. Metro Transit has made the following recommendations from this process based on the three highest scoring corridors:
• J Line as the West 7th Corridor connecting Downtown Saint Paul and the City of Bloomington via Lindau Lane, American Boulevard, and West 7th Street, while serving key destinations including MSP International Airport and the Mall of America.
• K Line as Nicollet Corridor connecting the City of Bloomington, City of Richfield, and City of Minneapolis via Nicollet Avenue to American Boulevard.
• Metro Transit will continue to study the feasibility of advancing Franklin/Grand/3rd Street as the L Line with other potential candidates Johnson/Lyndale S and Randolph/East 7th Street.
Hennepin County staff will coordinate closely with Metro Transit through planned reconstruction projects along portions of the future METRO K Line located on CSAH 52 (Nicollet Avenue).
Current Request:
Metro Transit has requested a resolution of support for Metro Transit’s recommendation to advance the J Line and K Line Arterial Bus Rapid Transit projects and adopt these lines into the Metropolitan Council’s 2050 Transportation Policy Plan.
Impact/Outcomes:
This resolution of support advances Hennepin County’s commitment to disparity elimination by improving access to high-frequency, reliable transit for those who depend on transit to meet daily needs. By expanding equitable mobility options, the resolution also supports key strategies in the Climate Action Plan to reduce reliance on personal vehicles and lower greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval