148 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Minneapolis, MN Star-Tribune editorial, 9/12/17:

 

Keep pressing for solutions for budget-challenged Southwest light-rail line

 

Metropolitan Council Chair Alene Tchourumoff acted responsibly in rejecting all four construction bids for the proposed Southwest Light Rail line. The full Met Council should formalize Tchourumoff’s judgment that the bids be denied due to “responsiveness and price” when it formally considers the matter at a Sept. 20 meeting.

 

Entire editorial

[KevinKorell]

Minneapolis, MN Star-Tribune, 9/21/17:

 

 

Southwest light-rail wall draws the ire of Minneapolis, state officials

 

A proposed concrete wall along a portion of the proposed $1.9 billion Southwest light-rail route in Minneapolis has drawn the ire of elected officials who want an additional environmental study done before the partition is built.

 

 

Here's more.

[KevinKorell]

Minneapolis, MN Star-Tribune commentary, 9/18/17:

 

 

Southwest light rail dos and don'ts

 

In an alternate universe, the planning of Southwest light rail goes much smoother than in this universe, where planners assume light rail through a forest will get more ridership than light rail through Uptown, freight railroads don’t need to be consulted on poorly planned reroutes until the last minute, and tunnels through forest and houses built 25 feet away from the freight rail tracks are acceptable.

 

Complete commentary continues

[KevinKorell]

Minneapolis, MN, Star-Tribune, 9/29/17:

 

 

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Public outreach planned over Southwest LRT wall

 

 

 

A incongruous white Metro Transit van toddled carefully along the Cedar Lake bike trail earlier this week, causing some bewilderment among the path’s bikers and joggers.

 

A group of transit planners, elected officials and reporters tumbled out of the van, and were soon peering at the horizon where a 10-foot concrete wall will be built to separate freight trains from the proposed $1.9 billion Southwest light-rail line.

 

 

Here is the latest.

[KevinKorell]

Minneapolis, MN Star-Tribune, 10/7/17:

 

 

Hopkins mayoral candidate says light rail would bring 'ethnics' and 'riff raff'

 

A Hopkins mayoral candidate said this week that a proposed light-rail line would bring “riff raff and trash from Minneapolis” into the suburb, including people he called “ethnics” and “coloreds.”

 

 

More

[KevinKorell]

Minneapolis, MN Star-Tribune, 10/20/17:

 

 

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Worries grow that costs could still rise for Southwest light-rail line

 

A shortage of construction workers and uncertainty about a potential rise in the cost of building materials in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria could drive up the price of the $1.9 billion Southwest light-rail project at a time when transit planners are trying to pare its costs.

 

 

Read

[KevinKorell]

Minneapolis, MN Star-Tribune, 11/8/17:

 

 

Wall between freight, Southwest light-rail lines would affect historic district, feds say

 

 

A proposed concrete wall separating freight and light-rail trains along a short stretch of the Southwest light-rail line will “adversely affect” a historic rail district in Minneapolis, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) said this week.

 

 

More

[KevinKorell]

Minneapolis, MN Star-Tribune, 11/21/17:

 

 

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Feds require new study for Southwest light-rail crash wall

 

 

Federal transit officials say more environmental study is needed along part of the proposed Southwest light-rail route where a crash-protection wall will be installed to separate freight and LRT trains.

 

 

The latest

[KevinKorell]

Engineering News-Record, 11/28/17:

 

Some Companies Are Shut Out of Minneapolis Light-Rail Extension

 

Designers and contractors barred from a first round and a pending rebid of the construction work on a $1.9-billion extension of the Minneapolis light-rail system are criticizing the region's Metropolitan Council for shutting them out after the first-round bid prices proved too high.

 

 

Article

[KevinKorell]

Sun-Sailor, Coon Rapids, MN, 12/26/17:

 

Southwest Light Rail Transit line opening delayed until at least 2023

 

Don’t plan on buying a Southwest Light Rail Transit line ticket within the next five years.

 

The Metropolitan Council has pushed back the projected opening date for the project again, this time to 2023.

 

 

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