City of St. Paul Unveils Vision for West 7th Transit

Stakeholders encouraged to participate in a series of April open houses on the proposed project.

When planning for the Riverview Corridor, a proposed transit route between Downtown and the Mall of America along West 7th St., was ended abruptly by Ramsey County last September, leaders within the City of St. Paul took up the remains of the project and promised they would move quickly to find a solution to the long-dormant corridor.  

Six months later, they have unveiled their proposed plan and are looking for public input.

The revised plan, which the City says builds upon the work done in the Riverview process, calls for major infrastructure investments in West 7th to go along with a bus rapid transit project and a new bicycle and pedestrian trail.

“The need to improve the West 7th Street Corridor remains clear,” Mayor Melvin Carter said in a statement. “We are committed to delivering a solution that expands access, enhances surrounding infrastructure, and makes it safer and more reliable for everyone to move through our city.” 

The proposed plan is similar to the bus alternative proposed during the Riverview Corridor process, replacing the route 54 bus with Bus Rapid Transit along the 12.5 mile stretch between downtown and the Mall of America. 

City planners said they tried to take feedback received from the Riverview process to come up with a plan that is more suitable to the communities along West 7th. 

The plan calls for dedicated lanes for the bus for about 53% of the route, including taking the buses off of West 7th on the eastern end of the road and moving them to Smith Ave. before heading down Kellogg Blvd. into downtown.

The project currently calls for a total of 21 stops along the route, with 16 new stations needing to be built, mostly along 7th and in downtown. 

Additionally, buses would move off of 7th between Lexington Parkway and St. Paul Ave., where they would share the abandoned CP rail spur, which the City hopes to be able to purchase as a piece of this project to create a bicycle and pedestrian connection between the Highland Bridge development and downtown.

“Adding a trail connection from West 7th to Highland Bridge is something our community has been asking for,” said Ward 3 Council Member Saura Jost.

The City is hoping to leverage already planned projects to help with offsetting some of the $450-$550 million cost of the project, including tapping into the longstanding MnDOT mill and overlay of West 7th in 2028 and 2029, the City’s existing downtown street and sidewalk plan and Metro Transit’s ongoing investment in bus rapid transit routes.

Based on their current estimates, it could take as many as eight years before we see bus rapid transit on West 7th. However, in order to get into Metro Transit’s pipeline to ensure they could move even that soon, some quick decisions about the project need to be made this summer.

With that said, according to Council President Rebecca Noecker, that shouldn’t come at the expense of the West 7th community.

“As we move forward, it is essential that we continue to prioritize community engagement, ensuring that local businesses, residents, and transit users continue to be involved in this stage of the project,” she said. “West 7th Street deserves thoughtful, effective investment that supports both the immediate needs and long-term goals of the neighborhood and broader city.”

Share your feedback

Residents, business owners and other stakeholders are encouraged to visit stpaul.gov/West7 to review the concept and provide feedback.

The City is also hosting a series of open houses in April on the project. 

• April 8, 6:30-8 p.m., Highland Community Center, 1978 Ford Parkway 
• April 9, 12-1 p.m., virtual (login information at stpaul.gov/west7) 
• April 10, 5-6:30 p.m., Palace Recreation Center, 781 Palace Avenue 

Meetings will include a presentation about the project status, benefits, and what to expect. There will be a roundtable-style conversation where participants can provide feedback and ask questions.  

Learn more about the project at stpaul.gov/west7.

Correction: The article was updated to reflect that Council Member Noecker believes that this project should not come at the expense of community involvement.