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Rich Miller has driven Route 5 as an operator and relief instructor at Metro Transit. After helping test the METRO D Line, he predicts customers will like the improvements that are now two weeks away. Beginning Sat, Dec. 3, the D Line will largely replace Route 5, the state's busiest bus route.
Trips are projected to be about 20% faster through a combination of features, including wider spacing between stops. The D Line will have 40 stations, compared with more than 180 stops on Route 5.
"I think they’re going to like having faster service and fewer stops," said Miller, a 15-year safe operator from Heywood Garage. "It will be an added benefit to the driver and the customer. The constant stopping and starting can wear on a driver."
Buses traveling the corridor are testing Transit Signal Priority – technology that gives buses a better chance of getting a green light – at more than 50 intersections. D Line stations are also being safety certified, which involves checking the lighting levels and ensuring elements were constructed per designed standards.
"Things are coming together on schedule thanks to the work of many staff across Metro Transit who have worked on this project over the last several years,” Arterial Bus Rapid Transit Director Katie Roth said.
Save the Date: METRO D Line opening
The METRO D Line will open on Saturday, Dec. 3. Community celebrations will be held at Juxtaposition Arts in North Minneapolis and at Veteran’s Park in Richfield from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn more about the METRO D Line
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