“Workers need to be able to get to and from work, and businesses need to be able to get goods to and from their markets. We must either improve our transportation systems or else suffer the consequences of their decline."

The Southwest Corridor is one of Minnesota’s most heavily traveled regions, linking downtown Minneapolis with the southwestern suburban cities, and over 200,000 workers to jobs in the metro area. The new Southwest Light rail line will provide a fast, safe, reliable transportation choice and connect major activity centers in the region.  The investment will also boost the economy by creating 3,500 construction jobs and 175 permanent operations jobs.  Governor Dayton knows we need to act now to connect Minnesotans to jobs, schools, and entertainment in the bustling Southwest Corridor.  

The Southwest Light rail line will be part of an integrated system of transit-ways connecting passengers with the Target Field Station, Hiawatha, Central Corridor, and the Northstar Commuter rail line. MnDOT predicts that the number of miles of congested roadways will more than double by 2025. The Southwest Light rail could reduce congestion with an estimated daily ridership of 29,660 rides per day. The Southwest Light rail line Is also a clean, GREEN, way to commute, running on electricity and producing no emissions. [Keep Reading]