The Met Council has awarded a total of $2 million in parks equity grants to 22 projects proposed by regional park agencies in the seven-county region. The goal of the grants is to expand access to regional parks and trails for people of all races, ethnicities, incomes, abilities, and national origins. Learn more about the funded projects.

Metro Transit’s ridership continues to grow and incidents of crime are declining as efforts advance to improve conditions and expand the official presence on transit. Through the first quarter of 2024, ridership is up 13% over the same period last year. The introduction of Transit Rider Investment Program agents and increased focus on cleaning and repair are making a difference. Read more about transit safety and hiring initiatives.

The Federal Transit Administration has awarded $700,000 to the Met Council for station area planning for the Blue Line Extension project in Minneapolis. Planning for connections, development, and growth near future stations is critical, both to maximize the benefits of transit investments to the people and businesses in the corridor today, but also to set the stage for future growth and development. More about station area planning efforts.

Fats, oils, grease, and rags (paper towels, disposable wipes, tissues, napkins, and other textiles) that are flushed down the drain can cause expensive problems for cities, homeowners, and business owners. A community task force helped the Met Council develop educational and outreach materials, including a video, for local governments to use to reach out to food service establishments. Learn more and access the materials. 

Imagine 2050, the next regional development guide, will have a specific equity chapter that details how the regional equity goal sets the direction for Met Council work, and the vision for how our work will move consistently and clearly to achieve equity. Key elements of the Met Council's draft Equity Framework are environmental justice; community-centered engagement; anti-displacement; and action commitments related to land, water, and people. Read about the draft equity chapter and see a presentation.

Met Council greenhouse gas emissions are trending down, zero-emission bus fleet transition plans are in place, and we are updating our localized flood mapping tool. These are among the achievements during the first year of the Met Council’s five-year, internally focused Climate Action Work Plan. Learn about the progress we've made.

When leaders at Union Congregational United Church of Christ decided to renovate their aging building, they didn’t have to look far for the funding they needed. To raise money, the St. Louis Park church sold some of their undeveloped property to Project for Pride in Living, a nonprofit that is building 60 affordable housing units on the site. Read more of this story and learn about the broad regional benefits of transit-oriented development, as documented in the latest Development Trends along Transit Report.

Minnesota Brownfields and members of the redevelopment community gathered in April to celebrate projects demonstrating innovation, collaboration, and exemplary results in revitalizing formerly contaminated land. Met Council Livable Communities grants supported several of the nominated and winning projects. See the winners and watch a video about the nominated projects.