A new bridge over Interstate 94 built for the METRO Gold Line bus rapid transit project is slated to open next week to vehicles and pedestrians.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Bielenberg Drive Bridge, connecting Woodbury and Oakdale, will be at 11:30 a.m.  Monday at the southern end of the bridge in Woodbury. The new bridge will have dedicated lanes for METRO Gold Line buses that will connect downtown St. Paul and Woodbury with bus rapid transit service in 2025.

The 10-mile rapid transit line will run largely along the I-94 corridor and will make 16 stops between St. Paul and Woodbury, including in Maplewood, Landfall and Oakdale.

It will be the state’s first bus rapid transit line that travels primarily on bus-only lanes, helping to avoid traffic congestion. The line will not just operate at peak times, but seven days a week with buses every 10 to 15 minutes.

According to Metro Transit, the Gold Line also will offer pre-boarding fare payment for faster stops; access to park-and-ride lots in St. Paul, Oakdale, and Woodbury; real-time arrival and departure information, heated shelters, lighting and security features.

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