Metro Transit Seeks to Move F Line off Nicollet
A proposed amendment would reroute the F Line bus rapid transit to 2nd and Marquette avenues.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Business Strategy
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An amendment formalizing a shift of the proposed F Line bus rapid transit from Nicollet Mall to 2nd and Marquette avenues passed the Metropolitan Council Transportation Committee on Nov. 9. The measure now goes to the full Met Council for final approval.
Why it matters
Nicollet Mall no longer supports the consistent, permanent transit experience that bus rapid transit requires, and buses on the mall currently move slowly. The change affects how downtown Minneapolis riders reach one of the system's busiest lines, the F Line, which ranks fifth-highest in Metro Transit ridership.
Buses generally travel about 5 mph on Nicollet Mall and are stopped about half the time they are on the street. The F Line ranks fifth-highest in Metro Transit ridership, though the projected travel-time gains from the reroute have not yet been quantified.
The players
Metro Transit
Metro Transit is the largest public transit provider in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region, operating bus, light rail and commuter rail service.
Metropolitan Council
The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning agency for the seven-county Twin Cities area, overseeing transit, wastewater and regional planning.
City of Minneapolis
The City of Minneapolis is the largest city in Hennepin County and the seat of local government for downtown streets and public spaces.
The details
The F Line was originally planned to run on Nicollet Mall, where Route 10 currently operates. The city of Minneapolis has indicated it wants Nicollet Mall to become a pedestrian-only street, and a 2023 Vibrant Downtown Storefronts Workgroup report helped start talks between the city and Metro Transit about relocating transit service.
Timeline
2023: Vibrant Downtown Storefronts Workgroup report jump-starts city and Metro Transit talks about moving transit off Nicollet.
Nov. 9, 2025: Amendment passes the Metropolitan Council Transportation Committee.
Market Landscape
The proposed F Line relocation follows Metro Transit's regional bus rapid transit planning for the Metropolitan Council corridor, and it reflects a broader pattern of downtown streets being reconsidered for pedestrians rather than buses. Shifting service to 2nd and Marquette avenues would position the F Line on a corridor designed to handle higher and more reliable service levels.
Riders on the F Line would see service move from Nicollet Mall to 2nd and Marquette avenues if the full Met Council approves the amendment. Downtown commuters who currently use Route 10 on Nicollet would need to watch for route changes as other bus routes may follow the F Line off the mall.
The takeaway
Transit planners are weighing reliability for riders against the pedestrian uses that cities want for downtown streets, and this amendment shows how those goals can be reconciled by moving buses to parallel corridors.
Further reading
For related coverage of planning decisions that shape downtown commerce, see Business Strategy in Minneapolis.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Star Tribune.
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