New and expanded regional parks and trails, a new "bridging facility" park designation, and an equity analysis for park and trail master plans are among the changes proposed to the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan. The Met Council has released a draft amendment to the plan for public comment. Learn about the proposed changes and how to comment. Deadline for comments is Oct. 30.

Big changes are ahead for metro area transit service. On Saturday, Sept. 12, Metro Transit will put more buses on the street on several of its busiest local routes as well as on the METRO A and C rapid bus lines. On the METRO Green and Blue light rail lines, trains will run every 10 minutes for most of the day. Learn more about the coming service changes.

Multiple funding sources are available to help pay for the cleanup of contaminated sites, also called brownfields. The Met Council and its partners will hold two consecutive webinars on Wednesday, Sept. 2 on local funding sources and how to apply for brownfield cleanup grants. Contact Marcus Martin with questions.

• 11 a.m. - Local Brownfield Funding Resources Webinar
• Noon - An Insider's Guide on Applying for Local Brownfield Grants

The Met Council this month awarded nearly $900,000 to Washington and Ramsey counties and the Three Rivers Park District to buy property for regional parks and open space. The investments reflect the region's commitment to grow the network of regional parks and trails and preserve natural resources. One of the grants will help Washington County acquire 41 acres for the future Grey Cloud Island Regional Park on the Mississippi River in Cottage Grove. 

Despite many challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Met Council’s summer intern program narrowly escaped collapse last spring and emerged with 25 students earning their keep in jobs embedded across the agency. Almost half the cohort are working in Metro Transit. The interns worked on projects from light rail construction to housing choice vouchers.

In September, speedier service and new shelters are coming to the Route 63 corridor – which runs from the Battle Creek neighborhood of Saint Paul to the eastern edge of Minneapolis. Stops with a history of low boarding will be eliminated and several others will be relocated so buses can pass through signalized intersections before stopping. The improvements are part of Metro Transit's Better Bus Routes program. Riders are looking forward to the changes.