Cedar Avenue Corridor Bus Rapid Transit
The Cedar Avenue corridor extends 16 miles south from the Mall of America in Bloomington through Eagan and Apple Valley to County Highway 70 in Lakeville. More than 155,000 vehicles travel Cedar Avenue daily, a number expected to almost double over the next 20 years as growth along the corridor continues.
Expanded transit service along Cedar Avenue is essential to meet the needs of residents, businesses and commuters, and the preferred transit mode for the Cedar Avenue corridor is bus-rapid transit (BRT). BRT buses operate on existing roadways like regular buses, but use bus-only shoulder lanes and enhanced transit stations to achieve service levels similar to light rail.
Construction
Construction of park-and-ride stations and bus shoulder lanes along the corridor is well underway. Once all stages of development are complete, the corridor will have 13 BRT stations, with four or five park-and-ride facilities, and will connect with the Hiawatha light rail line and other bus service at the Mall of America. Construction details from Dakota County.
FTA: No Significant Impact
The project achieved an important milestone August 17, 2011 when the Federal Transit Administration issued a "Finding of No Significant Impact", after reviewing an Environmental Assessment of the project and determining that the project will have no significant impact on transportation, social, economic and environmental factors in the Cedar Avenue corridor.
About the Cedar Avenue BRT Project
- Cedar Avenue BRT project facts (pdf)
- Cedar Avenue BRT Finding of No Significant Impact (pdf)
- Dakota County's Cedar Avenue BRT information
Metropolitan Council’s transitway vision
- 2030 Transitways map (pdf)