Metro Transit outlines 2026 'Renew the Blue' shutdowns: buses to replace Blue Line from June 29–Aug. 19

Metro Transit staff briefed the Metropolitan Council on March 25 about the 2026 phase of Renew the Blue, a multi‑year rail capital maintenance program for the Blue Line.

Brian Funk, Metro Transit chief operating officer, and project staff described the work and the outreach program that will accompany it. Engineering staff said the 2026 program includes two partial‑line weekend shutdowns (May 9–10 and May 30–31) and a full‑line construction and bus‑replacement period running June 29 through August 19 (52 days). During the 52‑day closure, staff said buses will replace light rail service on the Blue Line between Target Field and Mall of America and rail will continue to operate on segments where permitted; some Green Line movements will be restricted near the I‑35W interchange during portions of the work.

Engineering and construction manager Wally Jackson described the construction scope—civil, communications, electrical, mechanical, structural, track and signal work—and listed location‑specific tasks such as bridge decking and rail replacement in downtown Minneapolis, signal work between Franklin Avenue and 42nd Street Station, and upgrades to intrusion detection systems at the Lindbergh Tunnel portal. Jackson said work at certain points (for example, a Lindbergh Tunnel boiler upgrade) addresses recurring winter‑related rail breaks.

Staff described operational changes for the bus replacement service, including revised staging and routing to reduce bus congestion, installation of ADA boarding pads at selected northbound stops (46th, 38th and Lake Street) to speed accessibility and avoid detours into transit centers, simplified two‑panel destination signage consistent with other rapid‑bus lines, and revised bus travel‑time estimates that vary by time of day to reflect congestion. Staff said one northbound routed run time (Terminal 1 to Nicollet Mall) was adjusted upward from prior estimates after learning from last year’s events.

Metro Transit emphasized coordination with the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and the Mall of America, and said it will avoid using Post Road for replacements this season because MAC reconstruction limits one‑way use; 34th Avenue will be the preferred routing in that area. Outreach plans include multilingual materials, station ambassadors, door‑to‑door engagement in neighborhoods near work locations, stakeholder toolkits for employers/hotels/major destinations, a project newsletter, and attendance at community events and large public gatherings.

Tanya Noreen (marketing/outreach) summarized lessons from the 2025 shorter shutdowns and said outreach will begin in earnest prior to the May weekend closures, with creative materials and priority‑language translations at key stations. Council members asked about coordination with major downtown events and ridership impacts; staff said the Green Line can be run into downtown during several July/August events and outlined alternatives such as bus connections and the E Line for affected riders.

Councilors expressed appreciation for the planning, urged continued emphasis on resident outreach in affected neighborhoods and asked staff to monitor ridership impacts and alternatives during the closure.

Key dates: May 9–10 (partial shutdown), May 30–31 (partial shutdown), and June 29–August 19 (full 52‑day bus replacement period).