The new Metro Transit B Line launches Saturday and it's promising faster commutes.
Service is set to begin June 14 replacing the existing Route 21 bus, and aiming to significantly speed up transit for thousands who use the corridor along Lake Street and Marshall, and Selby avenues in both Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Tuesday, officials offered media a preview of the route which highlighted features like dedicated bus lanes, fewer stops, and off-board fare payment that is expected to cut travel times by an estimated 20% between Uptown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul.
"So this line is gonna be a fast frequent upgrade of that service that will add significant investment at stations for customers," says project leader Katie Roth.
She added the new route aims to provide a more efficient and reliable connection across the Twin Cities.
Roth says the bus shelter themselves have also gotten an upgrade.
"That means everything, from a lot of lighting so that people can feel safe and secure even late at night, we have security cameras at all of our stations and we have emergency telephones where people can get connected directly with Metro transit personnel in our transit control center," she says.
The B Line will replace Route 21, a very busy route that averaged over 10,000 daily riders on weekdays during its busiest times pre-pandemic.
