Frustration Grows as Metro Transit Signals Phase-Out Of Northstar Rail In North Metro

Frustration Grows as Metro Transit Signals Phase-Out Of Northstar Rail In North Metro

ANOKA, MN — Metro Transit is preparing to phase out its Northstar Commuter Rail service in the north metro, replacing the long-struggling rail line with new bus options. But at an informational open house held April 29 at Anoka City Hall, community members voiced frustration over what they see as vague planning, a lack of transparency, and minimal attention to outlying communities that rely on the route.

Sara Otto, a Wright County resident who frequently rides the Northstar from the Big Lake station, attended the session and said riders are being left in the dark.

“We were notified back in March and told that buses will be the solution,” Otto said. “There’s been no detail for those of us outside of the Metropolitan Council—they’re not addressing anything at all. We’re supposedly one of the two biggest stations, and there’s nothing being done about a solution.”

The Northstar line, which stretches from downtown Minneapolis to Big Lake, has faced dwindling ridership and mounting financial losses in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted commuter patterns, and service reductions have since become the norm. Still, for communities like Big Lake and Elk River, the Northstar remains one of the only public transit links to the Twin Cities.

At the April 29 meeting, Metro Transit representatives outlined a broad vision of shifting toward a “flexible and cost-effective” bus system in place of rail. However, many attendees noted the absence of concrete proposals—such as bus route specifics, schedules, or how the plan would accommodate current rail riders, especially those in Greater Minnesota.

City and county officials from Anoka and Sherburne counties, where many of the Northstar stations are located, have expressed concern over being excluded from key decision-making conversations. “We are stakeholders in this system too,” said one Anoka County commissioner in attendance, who asked not to be named. “If Metro Transit is pulling the plug on rail, we at least need to know what comes next for our residents.”

The Northstar rail line originally launched in 2009 with the promise of a regional commuter alternative to highway congestion. But after years of operating below projected ridership levels—and with operating subsidies increasing—debates have continued over its long-term viability.

Metro Transit says additional community engagement sessions are planned for later this spring, with a finalized transition plan expected by summer.

For riders like Otto, however, confidence in the process is waning. “We deserve answers. Right now, all we’ve been given is uncertainty.”