Burnsville To Celebrate METRO Orange Line's Grand Opening Dec. 4

BURNSVILLE, MN — Burnsville city officials will celebrate the grand opening of METRO Orange Line this Saturday, Dec. 4.

The grand opening will take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Nicollet Commons Park, a short walk from the Heart of the City Station, with food trucks, booths from local businesses and community organizations and more.

To celebrate the completion, Metro Transit will offer free orange line rides Saturday, Dec. 4 through Monday, Dec. 6. [See the schedule for the METRO Orange Line.]

Metro Transit will also host its own celebration of the new Orange line at 1 p.m. at I-35W and Lake Street Station. That event, which will take place outside the south lobby on the street level, will feature remarks from project leaders and from partner agencies.

Outside the north lobby, guests can take in local entertainment and food vendors from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The METRO Orange Line is a 17-mile highway Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line connecting Minneapolis, Richfield, Bloomington, and Burnsville along I-35W. The Orange Line will provide frequent, all-day service in both directions, seven days a week.

According to Metro Transit, buses will travel on Marquette and 2nd Avenues in

downtown Minneapolis. South of downtown, the Orange Line will provide frequent service to stations at Lake Street, 46th Street, 66th Street, 76th Street, American Boulevard, 98th Street, Burnsville Heart of the City and Burnsville Parkway.

The $150.7 million project offers access to 198,000 jobs and 121,000 residents, including 56,000 jobs outside of downtown Minneapolis, Metro Transit officials said.

To learn more, click here.