The Northstar commuter rail line, a public transportation service running between Big Lake and downtown Minneapolis, is facing an uncertain future.

The Northstar Commuter Rail – a passenger rail that stretches from Target Field to Big Lake, Minnesota – might be transitioned to a bus service, which some lawmakers say would be cheaper and more effective.

The train, which launched in November 2009 and makes stops at stations in Elk River, Ramsey, Anoka, Coon Rapids and Fridley, has long been viewed as a weak link in the metro’s public transit

The Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced they are exploring alternatives.

A Minnesota House committee will hear a proposal Monday that effectively begins the process of shutting down the Northstar Commuter Rail system that runs from downtown Minneapolis to Big Lake, and has gotten very little use since the pandemic.