The Minneapolis/St. Paul-based Metropolitan Council announced it will launch its Red Line bus rapid transit (BRT) service June 2013.

The 11-mile line will provide service along a five-station corridor from the Apple Valley Transit Station to the Mall of America, where it will connect with Blue Line (formerly Hiawatha Line) trains for easy travel to the airport, Metrodome, downtown Minneapolis and Target Field.

Vehicles will utilize bus-only shoulders along Cedar Avenue/State Highway 77. Traffic volumes at the Minnesota River crossing exceed 90,000 vehicles a day, with congestion extending to County Highway 42 in Apple Valley. That intersection is one of the busiest in the state, with 70,000 vehicles per day, with average speeds of 24 mph by 2040.    

The BRT service's fleet of seven buses, built by Nova Bus, can accommodate 30 people seated and 30 standing. The vehicles feature wider doors for easy boarding, modern heating/air conditioning systems, and an open interior design.

Other onboard features include security cameras, two bike racks,"Next Stop" display and audio announcements, and all front and back doors of Red Line buses will be equipped with Go-To card readers for faster boarding.

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