Metro Transit to restart bus and Northstar service Wednesday

After buses and trains were shut down for days across the Twin Cities amid the fires and riots in the wake of George Floyd's death, Metro Transit has announced a restart over the next two days.

On Wednesday, buses and the Northstar commuter rail will begin again. Thursday, the agency plans to resume Blue and Green Line light-rail service, "barring any major issues," Metro Transit said in a statement Tuesday night.

Any changes to Thursday transit service will be announced by 6 p.m. Wednesday, the agency said.

Transit officials warned schedules could be adjusted. That includes "ongoing and changing detours for many routes," including the 5, which runs up Chicago Avenue through the 38th Street intersection, as well as the 7, 11, 18, 21 and 23 routes that serve the area.

Metro Transit promised Rider Alerts when the detour information is received.

Also on Wednesday, SouthWest Transit on Wednesday will resume express bus service from the southwest suburbs to downtown Minneapolis. Plymouth Metrolink is starting service then, too.

The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) will resume the modified service schedule that it put in place for the COVID-19 pandemic. And Maple Grove Transit will resume service on Route 781 from the Maple Grove Transit Station to downtown Minneapolis.