County commissioner announces Dec. 6 Route 345 service, county circulator expansion and local program updates

Commissioner Karla Bingham told the City of Saint Paul Park council on Nov. 17 that Metro Transit will introduce Route 345 on Dec. 6, restoring a connection to the Newport Transit Station and extending service to West St. Paul, South St. Paul, the Mall of America and the airport.

"As of December 6, we will have a stop starting at the Woodbury Wood Lane station dropping down to the Newport Transit Station," Bingham said, describing hourly service that will operate seven days a week. She credited advocacy by the Red Rock Corridor Commission and council member Whitbread for helping secure the route.

Bingham also said the county plans to expand the Cottage Grove circulator (DARTs) to include St. Paul Park and Newport. The county anticipates launching the circulator service in early 2026 on a Thursday route that will stop at Park Estates, Pioneer Apartments and Pioneer Place before continuing to Cottage Grove's retail area and services.

She announced a major renovation for Park Grove Library — a project she estimated at $15,000,000 — with work to start in February 2026 and an expected closure of the facility for roughly one year. Library materials and some programming will be temporarily available through nearby Cottage Grove locations and rotating catalogs, she said.

On waste diversion, Bingham gave participation figures for the Ramsey/Washington joint food-scrap curbside program: roughly 11% enrollment across both counties, about 12% in Washington County, and an estimated 8% signup rate within Saint Paul Park. She encouraged residents to enroll and noted the remainder of Washington County will be rolled out in 2026.

Bingham said the county appropriated $250,000 to local food shelves to help meet increased demand and that local food shelves have reported a roughly 30% year-to-date rise in clients, many of whom are first-time users. She urged volunteers to support the Dec. 13 holiday train fundraiser that benefits Friends in Need food shelf.

The council asked operational questions, including whether overnight parking will be allowed at the airport transit stop. Bingham said county-owned transit centers typically do not permit overnight parking and recommended against it because sheriff patrols regularly drive through Newport.

Why it matters: the new Route 345 and the circulator expansion restore and broaden public-transport options for residents commuting to employment and services, and the library and food-shelf updates affect local access to essential public services.

What’s next: Bingham said the transit needs study will deliver early results in 2026. Residents seeking stops or more information were told to contact county staff.