The American Boulevard Transit Study presented to the Bloomington City Council on Oct. 27 recommends a multimodal cross section and land‑use changes to support bus rapid transit (BRT), separated bicycle facilities and improved pedestrian space. The study is advisory; Metro Transit will decide whether arterial BRT routes will be advanced next year, and the city intends to coordinate future capital programming with transit investment and the comprehensive‑plan update.

Consultants and city staff summarized three study components: transit options and BRT routing; community priorities gathered in three rounds of engagement; and a land‑use analysis to identify priority redevelopment parcels along the corridor. The study evaluated four potential arterial BRT alternatives. Two options performed best in the consultant evaluation: the alignment to Southdale and an extension of an existing Route 4 as an arterial BRT line into Bloomington and on to the Mall of America. Both options were noted for serving destinations and populations more likely to use transit east of 35W.

The staff‑preferred concept for testing is a roughly 94‑foot cross section that would preserve vehicle access while reallocating space for transit lanes, separated sidewalks and a two‑way shared bikeway on one side of the street. The consultants emphasized the cross‑section is a study starting point, not an adopted, fixed design. As Kirk Roberts, a project lead, told the council, "this cross section represents the values of the community" and "is a cross section to be studied." The concept aims to fit within the corridor’s existing footprint in most places and minimize permanent right‑of‑way acquisition.

Public engagement showed support for off‑street bike facilities, added green space and safer pedestrian crossings; concerns included driveway and parking impacts where right of way is narrow and speed differentials on shared paths. Consultants recommended transit‑supportive zoning in redevelopable parcels; staff will pursue two new comp‑plan designations to guide higher‑intensity transit‑oriented development and corridor‑oriented uses that step down away from the street.

Timing and next steps: Metro Transit will announce results of its arterial BRT screening about mid‑2026. The city plans to program capital work to coordinate with any regional transit decisions and to bring recommendations into the 2026 comprehensive‑plan process. Consultants said parts of the preferred concept could be implemented incrementally and that sections with the widest right of way may be simpler to change; final design and traffic modeling would be required before any lane reallocations are built.

Ending: The planning commission will receive the study Nov. 6 for a recommendation to the council; staff indicated they will return to the council for formal adoption (likely December) and to incorporate the study into the comp‑plan update process.