 The original design concept for the Lowry Station was an elevated track and station near North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale. However, stakeholders did not broadly support that concept due to difficulty in accessing the elevated station, lack of station visibility, visual impacts to Victory Memorial Park, and the number of new structures required.
The design team worked through multiple iterations of at-grade concepts to achieve a feasible design with some modification to the Lowry bridges. Current working design concepts feature:
- LRT and station at-grade with Lowry Avenue, making it more accessible for all riders (no stairs or elevators)
- Station just south of Oakdale/Lowry between the newly constructed Lowry bridges
- Realigned Grand Round (to the east) to separate the intersection from the bridges and station
- Grade-level pedestrian access, with convenient access between North Memorial Hospital and the Lowry Station
- Design integrated into the existing park property, to free up more usable green area
The Blue Line Extension project team still needs to work through more design refinements, but the intent is to proceed with the at-grade concept.
This topic was discussed at the December Corridor Management Committee meeting.
We know you have questions about the Blue Line Extension, and we’re committed to answering them! Staff are always available to answer your questions directly. Reach out anytime. We hear some important questions a lot, so we’re starting a new section in these newsletters to make it easier for you to get answers.
Is there a topic or question you would like to see addressed in future newsletters? Submit it here.
Why was LRT chosen for this corridor?
 Many residents have asked why light rail was chosen for this line instead of bus rapid transit or another mode. It’s an important question with many considerations.
Project partners, including Hennepin County, the Metropolitan Council, the Federal Transit Administration, and corridor cities, analyzed a total of 9 light rail transit (LRT) and 12 bus rapid transit (BRT) route alternatives for this corridor.
Both LRT and different varieties of BRT work together to efficiently move transit customers in our high-frequency rapid transit system. The graphic above illustrates some of the features of each.
Light rail was recommended for this corridor over BRT because of BRT’s lower estimated ridership and requirement to transfer, limited vehicle capacity, fewer passengers per revenue hour, and greater impact to general roadway traffic compared to LRT.
Light rail is the right service for this community for many reasons, which were reaffirmed by the Corridor Management Committee in 2021.
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LRT and BRT are both crucial parts of our transit system. They each serve different functions and work together with local bus, roads, sidewalks and bikeways to let people move freely.
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The Blue Line Extension is the final leg of the light rail network, which is the backbone of our transit system.
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This project is an extension of the existing Blue Line, providing a one-seat ride without transfers between Brooklyn Park and the airport and major key destinations and connections along the way.
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This corridor relies on transit and deserves investment at the same level as communities along other LRT lines and the many community and economic benefits of light rail.
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Changing from LRT to BRT would mean starting over, jeopardizing local and federal funding, and potentially adding many years to the timeline of delivering rapid transit service to this corridor.
Upcoming Cultivate Arts events
Cultivate Arts events inform, educate, and collect community feedback on the project with culturally representative arts activities that also build artist capacity, demonstrate arts and placemaking tools, and activate the creative economy.
Join us in celebrating art, culture, and community along the Blue Line Extension corridor, and learn more about the project at one of our upcoming Cultivate Arts events. For more information, visit yourblueline.org/cultivate.
Art of Healing
Saturday, December 16 | noon-3:00 p.m
Hennepin Technical College, Cafeteria, 9000 Brooklyn Boulevard, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
Black Movie Night
Saturday, December 16 | 7:00 p.m
The Zen Bin, 2123 West Broadway Avenue, Minneapolis, 55411
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