The Gold Line is now in action, connecting 10 miles of the east metro with a dedicated bus route for faster and smoother commutes.

Riders, who were ready for the opening on Saturday as early as 5 a.m., hopped on the inaugural Gold Line Route as its first wave of travelers.

“It was really awesome, great, very efficient, very fast,” said Marsh Clegg, a rider.

Clegg had no complaints after taking the full route, with 16 stops from Woodbury to downtown St. Paul and back just for fun.

“To be honest, it did follow up to my expectations,” Clegg added.

Hundreds of people joined in Saturday, including Metro Transit employees and elected officials to celebrate the launch of the line.

“It is the first major transit project for Washington County,” said Sen. Tina Smith.

It’s the first rapid transit in the state to mostly ride on a separate road just for the Gold Line buses.

“So if you see red paint and you’re starting to drive what you think might be this bus-only road, you’re not going the right way. You need to exit the guideway and get back out,” said project director Alicia Vap.

Metro Transit says 16% of the residents within the corridor don’t have cars, so this is about connectivity.

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Some riders say having its own road will make the commute faster.

“It really makes sense cause you can get the buses through without impeding anything,” said rider Ria Schmitt.

To celebrate the launch, ride fares are free through March 28.