Statement on New Direction for Blue Line Extension Light Rail Project
What’s happened?
Since the 1970s, the Twin Cities 7-county metro area has envisioned and pursued a regional light rail transit system. Over the years, light rail has complemented buses to create high-quality transit connections for Hennepin County residents. This work occurs in partnership across all layers of government, with the Metropolitan Council acting as the regional planning organization to implement these important projects.
The Blue Line Extension, which has been in the works for over 30 years, is a 13-mile light rail project connecting North Minneapolis, Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal, and Brooklyn Park to the current Blue and Green Lines.
What’s new?
A key component of the planned route requires the use of BNSF Railway right-of-way for about 8 miles of the alignment, which BNSF Railway has since refused. Today’s joint statement from the Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County serves as an acknowledgement of this reality, and more importantly, it serves as a joint commitment to continue moving this light rail project forward.
I am fully committed to advancing the Blue Line Extension light rail project because it serves racially and economically diverse communities and residents who rely on transit for mobility. While I am disheartened at BNSF’s unwillingness to cooperate on this project, I am also hopeful that we can utilize this opportunity to meaningfully engage residents in the process moving forward.
The principles that guide our work, and the principles that will determine the technical aspects of the Blue Line Extension, are essential components to what comes next. We must center our original purpose and need in the actions going forward. We know that the cities involved in this project have undertaken robust planning efforts and made considerable investments in the infrastructure necessary to support light rail, and we intend to make use of as much of that work as possible.
Because this light rail line is more than just a project to advance—it is a commitment to the residents and communities along the corridor for robust engagement and economic investment for years and decades to come. The Blue Line Extension will further our region’s transit vision, and it will connect students to schools, workers to jobs, and patients to health care.
What’s next?
By Minnesota Statute, the Corridor Management Committee (CMC) is responsible for advising the Chair of the Metropolitan Council on the design and construction of the proposed light rail line. The Blue Line CMC was initially formed in November 2014 and last met July 2019.
The immediate next step is for the Blue Line CMC to meet and discuss potential next steps. The Metropolitan Council Chair has called this meeting for Thursday August 13th from 1:30pm to 3:00pm. The Blue Line CMC is made up of representatives from each of the cities along the current alignment, as well as other key community and government representatives.
Closing
Thank you to all of the residents, organizations, businesses, government staff, and elected leaders who worked on this—from convening community meetings for station-planning, to passing ordinances for municipal consent, to allocating funds—this work has been collective, and I am grateful for your time and efforts.
In the coming months, there will be opportunities for engagement and feedback. The Blue Line Extension light rail project represents significant investments, so it will be essential to engage in a way that is evidence-based, equitable, and visionary.
If you have further questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to Constituent Services & Policy Aide Bill Emory at bill.emory@hennepin.us.