Light rail temporarily replaced by bus service between Airport and MOA

A section of Metro Transit blue line stations between Mall of America and the airport is temporarily switching to bus routes during a construction project.

Metro Transit said the $15 million project will repair broken rails, signals and streets.

As a result, select stations in Bloomington will be closed until Aug. 15.

“It (transportation) lets people get around. It’s harder to get around on foot if they don’t have a vehicle,” Rachael Brown, Metro Transit rider, said.

When Brown takes family trips to the Mall of America, the blue line is a straight shot to her destination.

With light rail construction, the bus route is her only option.

“You have to catch so many buses to get here and I live all the way in Brooklyn Park so you have to catch four buses sometimes,” Brown said.

It’s the new reality for some passengers as Metro Transit kicks off the largest blue line project in history.

“This is a very big deal for us. This is for the life of the blue line. We’ve never had a project of this scale of this magnitude,” Drew Kerr, Metro Transit spokesperson, said.

Kerr said it’s time to refresh the system to make sure it’s ready for passengers for decades to come.

“One of the things that we’re doing is replacing about a half miles worth of track. Particularly in these curved sections. After 20 years, there have been a million trips on the blue line and that track gets worn down and needs to be replaced,” Kerr said.

The project also includes upgrading technology that runs the blue line safety system.

During construction, trains will not run between terminal two at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America until Aug. 15

In the meantime, metro transit buses will replace the routes.

Officials call the construction project short-term pain for long-term gain.

“It’s really disruptive, but it’s a lot of work. It’s really important for the longevity of this line,” Kerr said.

Metro Transit officials said the bus routes may take longer for passengers to arrive at their destination so it’s important to plan for extra time.

Customers can receive additional information by calling 612-373-3333.