train stopped at Government Plaza before platform lengthening. In 1905,
Twin Cities Rapid Transit (TCRT)
streetcars began running on new track down 5th Street from
Hennepin Avenue to 4th Avenue in order to relieve congestion on the High Street Loop. In 1920, TCRT's flagship
Interurban between Downtown Minneapolis and
Downtown Saint Paul, streetcar predecessor to the Green Line, was rerouted down 5th Street from
Washington Avenue via 5th Avenue. Streetcars continued this routing through downtown and were converted to buses on November 28, 1953. Fifth Avenue was converted to westward
one-way traffic in the mid-1960s in conjunction with the construction of
Interstate 94 and
Interstate 35W. The westbound stop remained for Routes 16, a bus predecessor to the Green Line and replacement of the
Interubran. Soon after the
Metropolitan Transit Commission assumed TCRT's operations in 1970, the corridor would remain critical for westbound service from Saint Paul. In 1976
express bus service between downtowns was inaugurated along Interstate 94. In June 1998
limited-stop Route 50 began operating, supplementing Route 16 during rush hours. In order to compensate for the loss of westbound bus traffic on 5th Street at the beginning of light rail construction, a
contraflow bus lane was placed one block north on 4th Street South. Construction of the downtown stations began summer 2002. Service began at this station when the first phase of the
Hiawatha Line, now the Blue Line, opened on June 26, 2004. Additional light rail service commenced June 14, 2014, with opening of the Green Line to Saint Paul. The station was designed by Barbour LaDouceur Architects, with
Seitu Jones serving as architectural design team artist. In response to
historic preservation concerns wanting to retain sightlines of
Minneapolis City Hall from the adjacent street and
plaza, particularly the
Richardsonian Romanesque facade and arched entrance, the shelters at this station are spaced widely apart at each end of the long platforms.
Side platforms extend into the sidewalk, closing off 5th Street to vehicle traffic. This is the only segment of the light rail along 5th Street with no vehicle traffic adjacent to the tracks. Government Plaza was the only downtown station that could not accommodate 3-car long trains, only being built for a maximum of 2-cars. The platform was lengthened from to the weekend of June 26, 2009. The
Green Line Night Bus and
rail replacement buses serve regular
bus stops at 5th Street, the westbound stop is adjacent on 4th Avenue with the eastbound stop one block away on 5th Avenue. == Public art ==