HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn. — Minneapolis, Crystal, Robbinsdale, and Brooklyn Park have now all given municipal consent on preliminary designs of the Blue Line light rail extension through their cities.
The 13-mile-long project has been in the planning stages for 10 years, with officials hoping to get it up and running by 2030. It would connect Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park with about a dozen stops in between.
The Blue Line Extension is being conducted by Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council, who project 15,000 rides daily on the route.
“We are pleased our city and county partners have confirmed we’re on the right track and ready to move forward together," said Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle in a statement. "This is an important investment in our regional transit vision that will improve people’s lives and make our communities prosperous for generations to come.”
This comes after debate and opposition within some of the communities along the route, including Robbinsdale. Residents there told KARE 11 the plans don't address public safety and displace residents and businesses.
Hennepin County Board Chair Irene Fernando said in a statement the municipal consent approval is a "historic investment in communities that have been historically underinvested in."
“This project is about our future and the type of community we want to build together. It’s important that we get it right. There’s still a lot of work to do. Elected officials’ strong support shows the value they know Light Rail will bring to their communities. Projects of this scale require strong partnership with the communities they will serve—Hennepin County is dedicated to that. We look forward to continuing to work with each city along this route to make sure the Blue Line Extension best serves their communities and our region long into the future."
The proposed plans can be viewed by clicking here. The plan now goes to a final design phase.