92 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

CCX Media,  6/23/22:

 

 

    BLUE LINE EXTENSION LIGHT RAIL ROUTE OFFICIALLY APPROVED  

 

 

A revised light rail route from Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park now has the green light. The Metropolitan Council and the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners approved the modified route for the METRO Blue Line Extension this week.

 

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[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 6/24/22

 

Met Council, Hennepin County Board OK Blue Line route recommendation

 

The Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County Board in Minnesota have approved a new route for Metro Transit's Blue Line Extension project in the Minneapolis area.

 

The route adoption advances the light-rail project after the transit agency's Corridor Management Committee approved the route recommendation last week. The agency will continue environmental, design, engineering and anti-displacement activities in preparation for full funding under a grant agreement with the Federal Transit Administration, Metro Council officials said in a press release.

 

Continue here. 

[CNJRoss]

Metropolitan Council news release

 

METRO BLUE LINE EXTENSION ROUTE RECOMMENDATION ADOPTED BY METROPOLITAN COUNCIL AND HENNEPIN COUNTY BOARD

Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2022

 

The METRO Blue Line Extension officially has a new route after the Hennepin County Board and Metropolitan Council voted to adopt the revised route modification on June 22. These actions allow project leaders to move forward on this important transit project by continuing environmental, design, engineering, and anti-displacement activities in preparation for the eventual full funding grant agreement application to the Federal Transit Administration.

 

“When I began my tenure as the Metropolitan Council Chair, the METRO Blue Line Extension was different from the route that was adopted today,” said Charles Zelle. “When we made the tough decision to move away from the original freight rail aligned route, we quickly realized we had an opportunity to reevaluate not only the route, but also our priorities for the project. I believe the benefits of the new route exceed the original route, from providing needed transit connections in North Minneapolis to serving North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale and the growing communities of Crystal and Brooklyn Park. This is a critical transportation investment for our communities and region.

 

“With the new route officially recognized, I look forward to continuing our conversations with community partners and bringing this project across the finish line.”

 

The Met Council and Hennepin County Board actions come after more than 18 months of robust community engagement where project staff held hundreds of community meetings and virtual open houses, and thousands of face-to-face community interactions. Feedback received guided decision making through the route selection process. As the project moves into this next phase, project staff will continue to solicit feedback and communicate with the community to ensure the project delivers maximum benefit.

 

“I am proud of the work Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council have done to identify and now adopt the new route for the METRO Blue Line Extension,” said Irene Fernando, Hennepin County District 2 Commissioner and Chair of the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority. “The new proposed route for the Blue Line Extension light rail project will bring transformational benefits to residents from Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park. The communities served by the route are transit-reliant and racially diverse and have experienced historical disinvestment. The proposed route will connect students to education, workers to jobs, patients to healthcare, and families to resources, while connecting the corridor to the broader transit network. This project will ignite economic development for small businesses, result in more affordable housing options, increase access to educational opportunities, and build wealth for working families.”

 

“The impacts of this project are transformational for our communities, our county, and our region,” said Jeff Lunde, Hennepin County District 1 Commissioner. “I am proud of my vote to adopt the new route and I hope others recognize what this project means for our communities. It will not only connect people to opportunity, but also provide much needed infrastructure benefits such as improved pedestrian access, utility upgrades and roadway improvements. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to meaningfully change people’s lives.”

 

As the project moves forward to the start of construction sometime in 2025, anti-displacement efforts will continue. The Anti-Displacement Work Group led by the Met Council and Hennepin County and facilitated by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs has been meeting to discuss actionable policies to minimize the potential displacement that may occur due to the project.

 

“I fully support the new Blue Line Extension route, and I believe it is important to ensure the historical displacement these projects can bring are not repeated,” said Reva Chamblis, Metropolitan Council Member for District 2. “To that end, I support the project’s anti-displacement efforts and am thankful for the project’s willingness to recognize past wrongs and work towards a solution that secures tangible community benefits. My hope going forward is we continue our deep work with community and find real solutions to real issues.”

 

The project staff would like to thank everyone who has provided comments, input, and suggestions during the past 18 months. The project would not have reached this important milestone without the passion and interest from the community.

 

To share your Blue Line Extension story, provide additional comments, see what your neighbors are saying, or learn more about the projects anti-displacement efforts, visit MyBlueLineExt.org.

 

For the latest project news and information please visit BlueLineExt.org.

 

 

[KevinKorell]

Railway, Track, & Structures,  6/30/22:

 

 

   Two cities still have sticking points about Blue Line extension      

 

In an attempt to ease the tension of the proposed Blue Line extension light rail route approved by the Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County (Minn.) Board, stakeholders went on a bus tour on June 29.

 

The ride still left opinions a little shaky.

 

 

Story

[KevinKorell]

KARE-TV, Channel 11 in Minneapolis, MN, 6/29/22:
 

 

    Officials approve Metro Blue Line extension connecting downtown Minneapolis to north metro  

 
 
Feeling seen, heard and valued. Those are the sentiments surrounding the newly revamped Metro Blue Line Extension project. 

 

Read

[KevinKorell]

KMSP-TV, Channel 9 in Minneapolis, MN, 7/14/22:

 

 

   Cities seek changes as Blue Line LRT extension moves ahead    

 

 

As it tries to avoid the cost overruns and delays of the Green Line light rail extension, the north Metro's Blue Line project faces a different challenge: opposition along the route.

 

Here is the story.

[KevinKorell]

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, 7/29/22:

 

 

     Despite gentrification concerns, Met Council, Hennepin County move Blue Line along  

 

 

Metro Transit’s controversial Blue Line Extension through North Minneapolis will move forward with federally mandated environmental review, which will take up to two years, thanks to blessings from three Metropolitan Council committees and Hennepin County.

 

Read this.

[KevinKorell]

CCX Media, 8/18/22:

 

 

  ENGINEERING FIRM TO ADVOCATE FOR ROBBINSDALE IN NEW BLUE LINE ROUTE  

 

 

This week marked another step in the saga over light rail in the northwest suburbs. City leaders in Robbinsdale have expressed concerns about the proposed route going down the middle of County Road 81. Tuesday night, the Robbinsdale City Council took steps to hire an engineering firm to work with project leaders on the city’s behalf.

 

Update

[KevinKorell]

Minnesota Spokesman-Reporter, 11/2/22:

 

 

   Light rail route through North Mpls still unsettled  

 

 

Northside residents have scored some wins, yet they remain concerned about the impacts the Blue Line Extension may have as the Metropolitan Council prepares to study how it will affect the community.

 

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[KevinKorell]

CCX Media, 11/9/22:

 

 

    ROBBINSDALE VOTERS ELECT PRO-LIGHT RAIL COUNCIL MEMBERS  

 

There’s substantial change coming to the Robbinsdale City Council. Some of that change might be influenced by voters’ thoughts on the light rail project.

 

The proposed METRO Blue Line Extension light rail route would go down the middle of County Road 81 or Bottineau Boulevard in Robbinsdale. Council candidates have weighed in on the issue early and often.

 

Full story