# Gold Line *Bus rapid transit line linking downtown St. Paul and Woodbury, Minnesota, opened in 2025.* The Gold Line is a bus rapid transit line in [[Minnesota]]. It runs about 10 miles from downtown St. Paul through [[Oakdale]] to [[Woodbury]] and has 16 stations.[^1] [[Metro Transit]], the regional transit agency, reports that construction began in 2022 and service began on March 22, 2025.[^1] Metro Transit puts the total project cost at $505.3 million. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) paid 45 percent, and Ramsey County and Washington County paid 26 percent each. The Federal Highway Administration paid 1 percent, the [[Counties Transit Improvement Board]] 1.5 percent, and the State of Minnesota 0.5 percent.[^1] The FTA's New Starts project profile is the federal government's contemporaneous assessment of the project. It gave the Gold Line an overall project rating of Medium-Low and forecast 5,500 daily linked trips in the opening year, 2024.[^2] The profile set the New Starts share at $207.41 million, or 45.0 percent of a $460.90 million capital cost.[^2] The line was built with federal New Starts funding at that rating and entered service in 2025.[^1][^2] According to Wikipedia, the city council of [[Lake Elmo]] supported the project in 2014 and had voted against it by 2016.[^3] ## Who Metro Transit lists the funding partners as the FTA at 45 percent (about $249 million), Ramsey County at 26 percent, Washington County at 26 percent, the Counties Transit Improvement Board at 1.5 percent, the Federal Highway Administration at 1 percent, and the State of Minnesota at 0.5 percent.[^1] The FTA, as the federal funding agency, issued the project's Medium-Low overall rating.[^2] Wikipedia, a tertiary source, records local opposition. It reports that Lake Elmo's council supported the project in 2014 and voted against it by 2016. It also reports that Oakdale residents opposed the line and that a nonprofit, Citizens for Smart Transit, formed to fight it.[^3] ## What The Gold Line is a bus rapid transit project. The FTA profile describes twelve 60-foot diesel-electric hybrid buses serving 16 stations.[^2] Metro Transit reports that approximately 70 percent of the route runs in dedicated bus-only lanes.[^1] ## When The FTA profile's ridership forecasts assumed an opening year of 2024 and a horizon year of 2040.[^2] Construction began in 2022.[^1] Service began on March 22, 2025, the year after the opening year assumed in the federal profile.[^1][^2] Wikipedia dates Lake Elmo's council support to 2014 and its vote against the project to 2016.[^3] ## Where The route runs from downtown St. Paul to Woodbury by way of Oakdale.[^1] According to Wikipedia, businesses on St. Paul's East Side reported reduced access during construction.[^3] ## How much The FTA profile gives a capital cost of $460.90 million in year-of-expenditure dollars and a New Starts share of $207.41 million, or 45.0 percent.[^2] Metro Transit gives a total project cost of $505.3 million and an FTA share of 45 percent, which it states as about $249 million.[^1] The two agency documents therefore differ. The FTA profile reports $460.90 million in capital cost and $207.41 million in federal New Starts funds, while Metro Transit reports a $505.3 million total and about $249 million from the FTA. Neither document is dated in the record, and the record does not explain the difference.[^1][^2] ## How many The FTA profile reports a 10.3-mile route, 16 stations and twelve buses.[^2] Metro Transit reports 10 miles and 16 stations.[^1] Wikipedia gives 12 stations, which conflicts with the 16 stated by both agencies.[^3] The FTA profile forecast 5,500 daily linked trips in the opening year of 2024 and 6,500 in the horizon year of 2040.[^2] ## In the at-issue record - **Washington County package.** The FTA's New Starts profile rated the project Medium-Low overall and forecast 5,500 daily linked trips in its opening year.[^2] The project was built with $207.41 million in New Starts funds and a 26 percent share each from Ramsey and Washington counties.[^1][^2] The record shows the rating and the funding. It does not establish why the project proceeded at that rating. - **Lake Elmo's position.** According to Wikipedia, Lake Elmo's council supported the project in 2014 and voted against it by 2016.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Metro Transit, *Gold Line facts* (undated) — total project cost $505.3 million; FTA 45% (~$249 million), Ramsey County 26%, Washington County 26%, FHWA 1%, State of Minnesota 0.5%, Counties Transit Improvement Board 1.5%; 10 miles, 16 stations, downtown St. Paul to Woodbury via Oakdale; approximately 70% dedicated bus-only lanes; construction began 2022; service began March 22, 2025. https://www.metrotransit.org/gold-line-facts [^2]: Federal Transit Administration, *METRO Gold Line BRT New Starts project profile* (undated) — capital cost $460.90 million (year-of-expenditure); New Starts share $207.41 million (45.0%); 10.3 miles, 16 stations; twelve 60-foot diesel-electric hybrid buses; overall project rating Medium-Low; ridership forecasts of 5,500 daily linked trips in opening year 2024 and 6,500 in horizon year 2040. https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/funding/grant-programs/capital-investments/130136/mn-st-paul-metro-gold-line-bus-rapid-transit-profile.pdf [^3]: Wikipedia, *Metro Gold Line (Minnesota)* (undated; tertiary source) — Lake Elmo's council supported the project in 2014 and voted against it by 2016; Oakdale residents opposed; Citizens for Smart Transit formed to fight it; St. Paul East Side businesses reported reduced access during construction; gives a station count of 12, which conflicts with the agency figure of 16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Gold_Line_(Minnesota