The City of Minneapolis is moving forward with a plan to convert Nicollet Mall into a bus-free pedestrian plaza, with the main goals of increasing vibrancy and improving transit downtown.

Staff from Public Works and Community Planning & Economic Development (CPED) have been working in partnership with Metro Transit officials for about a year to explore the possibility of a pedestrianized Nicollet Mall, as suggested by Mayor Jacob Frey’s Vibrant Downtown Storefronts Workgroup. 

Three options for moving buses off of Nicollet Mall and onto other nearby streets were presented to the Climate & Infrastructure Committee during a meeting in late July.

Two of the options involve moving buses to the Marq2 corridor along Marquette and Second avenues, which primarily serves suburban commuters. Each of the one-way streets has two bus-only lanes traveling in the opposite direction of regular traffic. In one scenario, Marq2 would essentially keep its current configuration, with one-way pairs for buses and cars traveling in opposite directions; in the other scenario, the streets would be converted to two-way traffic, with bus rapid transit (BRT) and local routes on Marquette Avenue and express service on Second Avenue.

The third option calls for a complete reconstruction of Third Avenue, identified by the City as a “high-injury street,” to accommodate BRT and local routes in two directions, as well as an upgraded bicycle lane, while maintaining express service on Marq2.

The Marq2 transit corridor runs along Marquette and Second avenues between Washington Avenue and 12th Street South.

Lots of details still need to be worked out, including costs, but City staff is committed to “ensuring that transit remains as good or better – ideally better – with any of these investments,” Public Works Transportation Planning Manager Kathleen Mayell said during the July 25 meeting.

In a March presentation obtained through a data practices request, Metro Transit staff said the agency is open to moving buses off of Nicollet Mall so long as the City can accommodate future “transit investments” and allow the agency to provide a level of service similar to what it provides on Nicollet Mall today. 

“Our goal is to ensure any changes provide a customer experience that is as good as or better than today,” agency spokesperson Drew Kerr told Downtown Voices in an earlier interview.   

The City is just beginning the community engagement process to identify a preferred concept between three options. An online survey is expected to launch in about a month. City staff also plan to do in-person outreach on transit and Nicollet Mall.

Readers shared their thoughts on the potential changes to Nicollet Mall and Marq2 in the latest edition of Voices of Downtown. Another Minneapolis resident shared his opinion via MinnPost this week.

Nicollet Mall is the most traveled corridor in the entire Twin Cities, and its transit lines have some of the worst speed and reliability issues, according to Mayell. An estimated 12,000 people get on and off buses or trains along Nicollet Mall every day. 

Currently, Nicollet Mall serves Routes 10, 11, 17, 18, and 25. Marq2 serves the Orange Line, Metro Transit’s 17-mile rapid bus route that connects downtown Minneapolis and Burnsville, and 33 express routes.

One of the options would retain one-way pairs of lanes on Marquette and Second avenues. Slide courtesy of the City of Minneapolis

Under the first option presented at the meeting, Routes 10, 17, and 18 would move from Nicollet Mall to Marquette and Second, while Routes 11 and 25 would move to Hennepin Avenue, where they would align with existing service and stops. The Orange Line and 33 express routes would stay on Marq2 in this scenario, but there would be some reconfiguration of transit operations behind the curb.

Another option would convert Marquette and Second avenues to two-way traffic. Slide courtesy of the City of Minneapolis

About half of Marq2 would be reconstructed if the City and Metro Transit were to move forward with the second option of Marquette and Second as two-way pairs. Routes 11 and 25 would move to Hennepin, the 33 express buses would move to Second, and the Orange Line and Routes 10, 17, and 18 would move to Marquette under this plan.

A third option involves two-way traffic on Third Avenue and requires a full street reconstruction. Slide courtesy of the City of Minneapolis

With the third option on Third Avenue with two-way traffic, Routes 10, 17, and 18 would move to Third Avenue, with BRT and local routes sharing stations. Routes 11 and 25 would move to Hennepin, and the Orange Line and 33 express buses would remain on Marq2.

All three options for moving buses off of Nicollet Mall will be presented to the Metropolitan Council’s Transportation Committee on Aug. 12. Community engagement will continue throughout the summer and fall, with CPED focusing more on Nicollet Mall vibrancy and Public Works and Metro Transit honing in on transit improvements. 

“Downtown is for everyone, so we want to use a racial equity lens when evaluating these success metrics,” CPED planner Shanna Sether said during the Climate & Infrastructure Committee meeting on July 25. 

The City ultimately hopes a public plaza will lead to new activations, investments, and businesses along Nicollet Mall help with retail vacancy, declining property values, and other downtown issues exacerbated by the pandemic.

After Mayell and Sether gave their presentations, committee chair and Ward 7 Councilmember Katie Cashman said she’s excited about the idea but wants to ensure transit users are prioritized in outreach. 

Cashman also said bathrooms, water fountains, and seating are “absolutely critical” for pedestrians and should be implemented with changes to Nicollet Mall.

Downtown’s other councilmember, Michael Rainville of Ward 3, said he thinks Nicollet Mall “could be the best pedestrian street in North America,” rather than just the Midwest, as he’s previously said.

Mayell said City staff plan to identify a preferred transit alternative sometime in the winter, then secure a memorandum of understanding with Metro Transit on a full-fledged plan in early to mid-2025.

The earliest buses could be moved off of Nicollet Mall is 2026. Construction is anticipated to take at least a year.