Minneapolis, Metro Transit partner on new Seventh Street bus lane downtown

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The City of Minneapolis and Metro Transit partnered up to install a new bus lane on Seventh Street between Chicago and First avenues downtown, officials announced Wednesday.

According to a release from Metro Transit, the new lane is similar to those put on Hennepin and Chicago avenues in the fall of 2019. Officials said the lanes have improved transit reliability on the corridors and helped lower greenhouse emissions by reducing idle time. 

Seventh Street is a key downtown transit corridor with bus rapid transit (BRT), including METRO C Line and the future METRO D Line, along with local and express bus service serving communities in both north and south Minneapolis.  

Currently, the Hennepin bus lanes are used during peak weekday periods between Franklin Avenue and Lake Street. The bus lane on southbound Chicago Avenue runs from East 28th Street to the Chicago/Lake Transit Center.