Minneapolis Weighs Moving Buses Off Nicollet Mall Amid Revitalization Debate
Minneapolis' Nicollet Mall is described as stagnant and underperforming due to a lack of storefronts and excessive transit use. The city is considering moving bus routes off the mall to nearby streets to improve transit speed and create space for…
Minneapolis St. Paul, MN, October 20, 2026 —
Minneapolis is considering moving bus routes from Nicollet Mall to nearby streets as part of an effort to address concerns about the downtown corridor’s performance and make room for revitalization efforts.
The mall is described as stagnant and underperforming, with a lack of storefronts and what has been characterized as excessive transit use. Under the idea being considered, shifting buses off the mall could improve transit speed while opening space for more street vendors and programming intended to bring activity to the area.
The proposal faces some opposition. The information available does not identify who is opposed, explain their concerns or provide details about how the proposed route changes would work. It also does not specify which bus routes could move, which nearby streets might carry them or whether a decision has been made.
The city’s consideration of the change links transit operations with a broader effort to encourage activity on Nicollet Mall. However, no timeline, implementation details or projected outcomes were provided. The information also does not include data on storefront vacancies, transit use or current bus speeds.
For now, moving routes remains a proposal under consideration, rather than a confirmed change. The scale of the opposition and the details of any final plan were not provided.
Story summarized from the original created by Bill Lindeke on www.minnpost.com, see more information here.
