Metropolitan Council presents $1.05 billion 2026 transportation operating budget; Metro Transit Forward, sales tax revenue, and service expansion highlighted

Metropolitan Council transportation leaders presented a $1.051 billion proposed 2026 operating budget on Aug. 20, saying new sales tax revenues and service expansions are central to the plan.

Leslie Kenderas, general manager of Metro Transit, told the Council the budget advances Metro Transit Forward, the agency's strategic framework developed with employees, riders and community members since 2023. "That sales tax has provided us a significant measure of financial stability and the ability, if not expectation, to plan ahead," Kenderas said, referring to the metro-area sales tax for transportation that took effect in October 2023.

Kenderas and Kristen Prescott, interim finance director for Metro Transit, highlighted near-term service growth: three bus rapid transit lines opened or opening in 2025'the Gold Line opened in March, the B Line in June and the Metro E Line is scheduled to open in December'and staff are preparing for the Green Line extension launch in 2027.

Prescott said the transportation operating budget'which she stated as $1,051,000,000'is financed largely by state revenues, which she said make up 73% of the transportation funding mix presented. Uses by mode place Metro Transit bus service as the largest share, followed by light rail and special transportation services (13% indicated for special transportation services).

Heather Beisel described Special Transportation Services, including Metro Mobility and Metro Move, and noted this is the first year since 2021 with no federal pandemic-relief funds in the budget. She said there is $2,900,000 in the special transportation-services budget from the Department of Human Services for Metro Move and projected ridership for 2026 at about 91% of pre-COVID levels. Beisel also reported about $6,500,000 of fares for Metro Mobility and said fuel assumptions use $3.55 per gallon, down from $3.58 last year; she said fuel costs are down roughly 10% from the 2025 adopted budget.

Prescott described "Network Now" service expansion funding, cleaning and maintenance, public safety (including supplemental security), and work to prepare the system for the Green Line extension. She and Kenderas said the council should expect continued oversight of staffing and service as ridership and return-to-office patterns evolve.

Staff also noted a programmatic change for Metro Mobility and Metro Move: the program transitioned to a state forecasted program on July 1, which staff said will remove the need for an annual legislative appropriation to support those services; reporting will begin in the fall and be adjusted in the February and November forecasts.

A member of the public used a reopened public hearing to comment on autonomous vehicles and curfew issues tied to the proposed 2050 transportation policy-plan amendment. The Council reopened and then closed the hearing at the meeting; staff recorded that written comments on the proposed 2040 (sic) transportation policy plan would be accepted through 5 p.m. Aug. 27.

The presentation did not include a formal vote to adopt the operating budget. Staff gave an overall Council-level summary later in the meeting noting the Metropolitan Council's total 2026 budget of $1.8 billion and a levy of $98,000,000, a 2% increase over the prior year.