MINNEAPOLIS — Buses could soon disappear from Nicollet Mall through downtown Minneapolis, but not before residents and commuters get the opportunity to provide feedback.

The city of Minneapolis' open house at IDS Center Tuesday brought in the crowds.

"There's been so many people that have come to give us their thoughts," said Kathleen Mayell, the city's transportation planning manager.

Some are in favor of removing buses from the mall, like resident Andrews Finsness.

"I'm really, very happy that it's out there so we have a chance to make Nicollet Mall great," Finsness said.

Others, like Carmelle Abron, are against the plan.

"I happen to work downtown and the bus literally stops right in front of the door, so that helps me tremendously," Abron said.

Abron's bus drops her off right at her work on the mall, which is helpful since she deals with mobility issues.

"Walking over from Hennepin [Avenue] will be a real pain, especially in the wintertime with the sidewalks all slippery," Abron said. "It's going to take me a little bit to walk down here."

The city is seeking public input on three proposed designs that reroute buses from the mall and onto other nearby streets like Hennepin, Marquette and Second avenues.

"There are a lot of concerns that people are talking about it and that's why we're here to gather that feedback," Mayell said.

The city says bus transit on the mall is some of the slowest in the state — averaging just 5 mph — with buses often coming to a complete stop to let others pass on the exceptionally narrow road.

Mayor Jacob Frey says plans go beyond transit improvements but also transform Nicollet into a world-class destination.

"By creating a pedestrian-only space with more green areas, new activations and dynamic events, we're elevating the experience for everyone who visits, lives and works downtown, while building on the incredible momentum we've seen in recent years," Frey said in a statement.

Recovery Bike Shop owner Seth Stattmiller recently wrote about the planned changes on his company's website.

Stattmiller called the plan "confusing" and "ambiguous." He suggested the city may have capitulated to businesses that have complained about "undesirable people" who hang out at bus stops.

Moving the buses lets down the community, he said.

"Those are our neighbors, those are the people that are contributing to our economy, those are people that have jobs and are shoppers," said Stattmiller.  

The city's online survey about the plans closes at the end of the week.

This spring, the city will gather more feed back on one selected design, but don't expect any changes to bus routes until at least 2026.