The Metro Gold Line, a 10-mile bus line connecting St. Paul, Maplewood, Landfall, Oakdale and Woodbury, started running on March 22. 

As Minnesota’s first rapid transit bus line that operates primarily within bus-only lanes, the new system will connect more people to St. Paul, according to Metro Transit spokesperson Laura Baenen. 

Baenen said this route received extensive feedback from Ramsey and Washington counties to determine where to put the stops in each city. 

The line has 16 stops running every 10 minutes during the week and 15 during the weekend, Baenen said.

“For seven out of the 10 miles, (the bus has) its own dedicated road, not a lane painted on a mixed lane road next to Interstate 94,” Baenen said.

There are around 93,500 jobs within a half mile from all the Gold Line stations, according to the Gold Line Fact Sheet.

Baenen said that about 16% of households along this route do not own a car, making St. Paul more accessible for those reliant on public transportation.

City of Maplewood spokesperson Joe Sheeran agreed and said the line helps connect people to jobs, including to the headquarters of 3M which is one of the biggest employers.

“This project highlights the collaboration between Maplewood’s neighbors, the county and a number of state agencies,” Sheeran said.

Luke McClanahan, a city planner for Oakdale, said this project’s work has been going on for 15 years with the city having planned development around the bus line.

“It just gives folks more options in terms of transportation, getting around the area than the metro,” McClanahan said. “Then, in addition to just the transportation aspect, a lot of new development has been spurred because of the new stations we have here in Oakdale.”

New apartment buildings and restaurants have sprung up in Oakdale near the Gold Line stops, including a new coffee shop by the Helmo Avenue stop, McClanahan said.

The current Gold Line route will connect to other lines of transit like the Metro Green Line and METRO B Line starting in June, as well as the METRO D line running from the Mall of America to the Northwestern suburbs, Baenen said.

With construction beginning in 2026, the Gold Line route extension would use existing bus stations to bring customers as far as the METRO Green Line’s Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market Station stop in Minneapolis, according to the website.

The tickets for the Gold Line cost $2 for adults and $1 for those with reduced fares, like youth, seniors, Medicare cardholders and people with disabilities.