The Red Line travels primarily on Minnesota State Highway 77 and Cedar Avenue from the Apple Valley station in Apple Valley, north through Eagan, Minnesota, to the Mall of America station in Bloomington where it connects to the Metro Blue Line.

During planning the project was known as the Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transitway until it was renamed the Red Line in 2011 as part of a regional branding of the Metro system.

A further $15 million was spent to construct an improved passenger station that no longer requires buses to exit the highway and saves 10 minutes on a round trip journey.

After the Counties Transit Improvement Board was dissolved, the Metropolitan Council supported the full budget of the Red Line.

[9] The MVTA operated the Red Line through a contract with the Metropolitan Council and cost $3.2 million in 2020 to provide the service.

[11] Red Line buses run mostly on bus-only lanes and have transit signal priority.

[7] The Red Line initially operated using Nova Bus LFX 40' buses (4252-4258), the first and only in the Twin Cities.

During this time the Metropolitan Council was preparing to replace the fleet with permanent buses similar to those on the A Line.

Cedar Avenue was reconstructed with new bus shoulder lanes for easier travel between Downtown Minneapolis and Lakeville.

The transit way begins at Mall of America and heads towards Eagan, Apple Valley and Lakeville with bus shoulder lanes on both sides of Cedar Avenue, making it easier to bypass traffic.

[citation needed] Buses in the 12 feet (3.7 m) reinforced shoulder lanes are allowed to travel up to 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) faster than regular traffic as long as they are within the speed limit.

[19] Apple Valley has applied for federal funding through the Met Council to construct the 147th St skyway in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022 under the Transit Modernization category.

[3] From the route's opening on June 22, 2013, until May 19, 2017, northbound Red Line buses used to make an additional stop outside of the Mall of America at 30th Avenue Station.

An extension of the then in development Hiawtha Avenue light rail (Blue Line) was considered and was projected to attract the most riders with up to 23,100 by 2020.

Exclusive bus only lanes for the corridor would have cost a fraction of the light rail extension but only attract up to 18,400 riders a day by 2020.

[3] A 2010 report estimated 150,000 daily vehicles on Cedar Avenue with volumes expected to double within 20 years.

[35][36] The majority of the project cost (80%) was split 3 ways with the federal government, the state of Minnesota, and the Counties Transit Improvement Board each covering $19.7 million.