First are listed primarily Minneapolis routes, followed by St. Paul routes. Also noted are former route numbers of the Twin City Rapid Transit Co. (TCRT), and of MTC. The TCRT numbers are from a map from 1954, after the last streetcars were replaced with buses. And the MTC numbers were in use during the 1970's and 1980's.
Until 2001, each city had its own set of route numbers, including duplication of numbers among both cities. But the St. Paul routes were renumbered mainly to the 60's, 70's, and 80's, avoiding duplication. All former numbers listed were of the numbers for that city.
Routes 3, 16 and 21 have a long history of operating between both Twin Cities, and are listed under both cities. Effective 6/14/2014, St. Paul route 67 was extended west, absorbing Minneapolis route 8 via Franklin Av. Also on that date, the Smith segment in South St. Paul was transferred from route 67 to route 62.
Not included are express and limited stop bus routes, suburban only bus routes, and bus routes created to serve the University of Minnesota.
The Nicollet route in Minneapolis was originally a steam dummy route, the Lyndale Railway Co., constructed in 1879. That company operated a branch to Minnetonka, and was renamed the Minneapolis Lyndale & Minnetonka Railway Co. In 1889 that line was abandoned west of Lake Calhoun, but restored in 1905.
The Selby and the East 7th St. routes in St. Paul were at one time cable car routes, constructed in 1888 and 1889, respectively.
The Bryn Mawr streetcar route in Minneapolis, operating on Laurel Ave., was replaced with a bus route in 1939, TCRT route 2. But the bus route was since discontinued. The Hope streetcar route in St. Paul was discontinued in 1939, with no direct bus replacement. The E. 6th St.-Minnehaha bus route was created at the time, TCRT route 17 and MTC route 12. But that route was eventually consolidated into route 74.
There was also a bus route on St. Lawrence Av. in St. Paul, operating to the city airport, route 14. That route was short lasting. And route 76 in St. Paul was discontinued 9/10/2005.
Discontinued routes are in parentheses.
After new management took over the Twin City Rapid Transit Co. in 1949, the system underwent perhaps the most rapid conversion from streetcars to buses in the country. Although the Twin City Rapid Transit Co. chairman was later convicted and sentenced to prison, for illegally profiting from the conversion to buses.
Route Route Name Horse Street Motor TCRT MTC
Number (Segment/Former Name) Cars Cars Buses No. No.
(2) Laurel Av. (Bryn Mawr) 1892 6/29/39 2
2 Franklin Av. 1888 1891 4/18/53 7 2
(3) Broadway Av. 1914 4/16/50 3 3
3 Como Av. 1898 6/18/54 22 6
4 Johnson St. 1911 11/28/53 4 4
4 (8th St. SE) 1899 11/28/53 4 4
4 S. Lyndale Av.-Bryant 1884 1891 11/28/53 4 4
5 Fremont Av. 1889 1891 7/11/53 5 5
5 Chicago Av. (8th Av. S) 1881 1890 7/11/53 5 5
6 Hennepin Av. (Harriet) 1876 1891 6/18/54 22 28
(44th St.) 1905 6/18/54 22 28
6 Xerxes Av. 1913 6/18/54 22 28
6 France Av. (W. 39th St.) 1925 8/11/52 22 6
6 (4th St. SE) 1875 1891 6/18/54 22 6
7 Plymouth Av. 1890 1891 11/28/53 17 20
7 27th Av. 1880 1891 11/28/53 8 7
7 Minnehaha Av. (Ft. Snelling) 1891 11/28/53 8 7
7 34th Av. 1914 4/18/53 21 22
9 Glenwood Av. (Western) 1881 1891 3/ 6/54 9 9
9 E. 25th St. 1912 11/28/53 17 20
10 Central Av. (Columbia Heights) 1882 1891 2/21/53 1 10
11 4th Av. 1876 1889 3/ 6/54 9 9
11 2nd St. 1881 1891 3/27/54 24 18
12 Excelsior Blvd. New Bus 23 12
14 Broadway Av. (Robbinsdale) 1883 1891 7/10/48 13 14
14 Bloomington Av. 1885 1891 2/21/53 1 14
14 Cedar Av.-42nd St. 1914 4/18/53 21 22
16 University Av. (Interurban) 1890 1890 11/28/53 18 16
17 Lake St.-Minnetonka Steam 1891 8/27/38 12 17
17 Washington St. (Monroe St.) 1882 1891 3/27/54 24 18
18 Nicollet Av. Steam 1890 3/27/54 24 18
18 Grand Av. 1907 10/18/52 11 10
19 Olson Hwy. (6th Ave. N) 1885 1891 5/25/40 16 19
19 Penn Av. 1891 1891 7/11/53 6 5
21 Lake St. 1905 7/11/53 19 21
22 N. Lyndale Av. (Humboldt) New Bus 1930's 7 8
22 Cedar Av.-28th Av. 1881 1891 8/19/50 16 19
23 38th St. New Bus 1930's 20 23
25 Silver Lake Rd. (Stinson) 1920 1/10/48 2 1
25 Douglas Av. (Kenwood) 1890 1890 8/27/38 13 1
27 26th St.-28th St. New Bus
32 Lowry Av. New Bus 1930's 14 11
(32) (Washington Av.) 1875 1890 4/18/53 8 20
67 E. Franklin Av. 1914 11/29/40 8 8
Route Route Name Horse Street Motor TCRT MTC
Number (Segment/Former Name) Cars Cars Buses No. No.
3 Como Av. 1891 7/11/53 2 5
3 Western Av. 1914 8/23/41 2 5
(14) St. Lawrence Av. New Bus 14
16 University Av. (Interurban) 1881 1890 10/31/53 1 16
21 Selby Av. Cable 1898 7/11/53 3 21
54 W. 7th St. (Ft. Snelling) 1872 1891 5/17/52 7 9
61 E. Hennepin Av.-Larpenteur New Bus 4
61 Arcade St. (Phalen) 1913 4/ 5/48 20 15
62 Rice St. 1887 1891 5/17/52 12 12
62 Smith Av. (Cherokee) 1888 1890 11/ 1/52 5 7
63 Grand Av. 1883 1890 11/ 1/52 4 3
63 E. 3rd St. New Bus 18 3
64 Maryland Av. New Bus 12/ /28 16 14
64 (Payne) 1872 1891 9/ 6/52 6 14
65 Dale St. 1914 5/ 3/52 10 6
67 Thomas St. (Hamline) 1906 11/ 1/52 5 7
68 Jackson St. 1892 10/29/38 13 8
68 Robert St. 1888 1891 10/29/38 13 8
70 St. Clair Av. 1915 9/ 6/52 6 10
70 Burns Av. (Maria) 1914 5/17/52 7 3
71 Edgerton St. (Mississippi) 1890 11/ 1/52 4 11
71 Concord St. (South St. Paul) 1887 1891 5/17/52 12 11
74 Randolph Av. 1906 5/17/52 8 14
74 E. 7th St. (Hazel Park) 1885 Cable 1893 5/17/52 8 9
74 (E. Minnehaha) New Bus 1939 17 12
(Hope) 1909 1939
75 Stryker Av. 1894 1/24/48 2 5
(76) St. Anthony (Rondo) 1888 1891 1/24/48 17 22
80 White Bear Av. New Bus 20
84 Snelling Av. 1905 9/ 6/52 10 4
87 Raymond Av. New Bus 15 16
87 (Cleveland Av.) New Bus 1930's 9 7
Route Route Name Horse Street Motor TCRT MTC
Number (Segment/Former Name) Cars Cars Buses No. No.
Like most transit systems, the Twin City Rapid Transit Co. was primarily franchised to operate within Minneapolis and St. Paul. But a few streetcar routes did operate into the suburbs.
In addition, there were two interurban railway routes. The former North St. Paul Railroad Co., later St. Paul & White Bear Railway Co., operated east to Stillwater. And the former Minneapolis Lyndale & Minnetonka Railway operated west to Lake Minnetonka. Both routes were discontinued on 8/11/32. Local streetcar service continued afterward, ending in Mahtomedi and Hopkins respectively.
These streetcar lines were generally extensions of the city streetcar lines. And the present day bus routes are similarly extensions of the city routes. A few exceptions were with the restructuring with the former interurban routes. The Hopkins streetcar was cut back to Edina effective 8/4/51, evolving into bus route 28 via 44th St., discontinued in the early 2000's. While service further west into Hopkins was assumed with an extension of bus route 4 via South Lyndale. Hopkins would be more directly service by bus route 12, operating via Excelsior Blvd., which never had streetcar service.
Bus service to White Bear and Mahtomedi had been provided from St. Paul over routes different from the interurban railway route. For example, in 1954, St. Paul route 16 exited St. Paul via Maryland Av. And in 1982, St. Paul route 15 operated via Arcade St., Frost Av. and White Bear Av. serving Maplewood Mall. Eventually, White Bear and Mahtomedi would instead be served by express bus or dial-a-ride services.
Route Name Streetcars Buses New Route (Segment/Former Route Name) Introduced Introduced Number Hopkins 1905 8/ 4/51 4 Mahtomedi 1890 11/ 3/51 270 White Bear 1904 9/10/32 265 Columbia Heights 1893 7/28/51 10 Robbinsdale 1892 7/10/48 14 St. Louis Park 1892 8/27/38 17 South St. Paul 1905 5/17/52 71
Twin City Rapid Transit Co. acquired these bus companies, which had been introduced as bus competition to some streetcar routes.
In 1924 acquired Twin City Motor Bus Co., which had been operating between Minneapolis and St. Paul in competition with the University Av. streetcar line.
In 1925 acquired Minneapolis-St. Paul Motor Bus Co., which had been operating between Minneapolis and St. Paul in competition with the Como Av. streetcar line.
In 1926 acquired American Automobile Transportation Co., which had been operating between Minneapolis and St. Paul in competition with the Selby-Lake streetcar line.
Several transit routes evolved from services provided by independent operators in various suburbs.