Metro E Line is Coming to LH

The METRO E Line is an arterial bus rapid transit (BRT) line that will upgrade and substantially replace Route 6, an important route in Linden Hills and one of Metro Transit’s highest ridership routes. The E Line is planned to be built starting in 2024 – 2025 but now is the time to comment, if you’d like your voice heard on this issue. Metro Transit is seeking public comment on station locations now through October 31, 2021. 

How will bus service in Linden Hills change:

E Line BRT service would run every 10 minutes, seven days a week during the day and most of the evening. Local Route 6 service would remain running every 20 minutes from Minnesota Drive and France Avenue to downtown Minneapolis via Southdale Transit Center and Xerxes Avenue.

Route 6 is not planned to run on 39th Street between Sheridan and France, or on France between 39th and 44th following the start of E Line service. Here is the current Route 6 map versus the proposed E Line/Route 6 map. Also to understand why certain bus stops are being phased out, here is a map showing ridership rates, before the pandemic.

Planned Rapid Transit Stations in Linden Hills:

BRT station platforms are larger and feature shelters with lights and heaters, benches, ticket machines and fare card validators and trash/recycling bins. This is what a BRT station will look like. Below are links to the four proposed station locations in Linden Hills with drawings and invitations to comment on each:

• Sheridan and 39th
• Upton and 43rd
• 44th and Zenith
• France and 44th

Why is it changing?

Per Metro Transit’s plan, the goals of the E Line project are to: 

• provide faster, more reliable transit trip times in the Route 6 corridor
• improve transit experience at stops and on vehicles 
• expand equitable access to destinations
• provide efficient connections to the existing and planned transit network.

To fully understand the plan, please view Metro Transit’s Draft Corridor Plan in its entirety. 

Metro transit is currently seeking feedback on proposed E Line station locations through October 31, 2021. There are several ways to comment on the plan: 

• Review the plan and take the Metro Transit E Line Draft Corridor Survey 
• Email comments to ELine@metrotransit.org 
• Call Customer Relations at 612-373-3333 

If you wish to comment on issues not relevant to transfer stations please email: ELine@metrotransit.org

Metro Transit’s Juan Rangel will be the featured speaker at LHiNC’s Annual Meeting on October 12.