By JOHN CHARLES WILSON
The Metro Transit bus service changes on 14 June 2025 were a real boon to the Phillips neighborhood, as I can guess many alley readers already know. The centerpiece of transit improvements, the B Line, replaced the infamous Route 21. Going 20 percent faster and without the time-consuming jog through Midway Shopping Center on the way to Saint Paul, this modern version of Selby-Lake goodness will make life easier for a lot of us.
Other bus routes that were improved at the same time:
- Route 2 (Franklin Ave) now runs every 10 minutes during the day and every half hour at night.
- Route 11 now runs every 15 minutes during the day, even on Sunday, and every half hour at night. All trips now go as far north as Columbia Heights.
- Route 27, which was suspended for COVID, came back to parts of the 26th/28th Street one-way pair, providing a less congested alternative to Lake Street for people in the residential areas nearby.
- People going to downtown Saint Paul can rejoice! Not only is the faster B Line replacing Route 21, but night and weekend service has been restored on Route 94 between downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Looking ahead, six months from now, the France Avenue sector of Route 6 will be replaced by the E Line, which will provide a faster way to Southdale from downtown Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota.
In a few years, Route 94 will become part of the Gold Line, making a one-seat ride between Minneapolis and the East Side and eastern suburbs of Saint Paul a reality.
Is Metro Transit perfect? No. Is Metro Transit better than it was a few years ago? The answer is definitely a yes. Keep doing better!
John Charles Wilson is a transit enthusiast who has been interested in this field since the 1970s.
