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A rendering of what the station area in Robbinsdale could look like. This and other designs are 30% complete.

Cities, County approve preliminary designs

This week the cities of Minneapolis, Robbinsdale, Crystal, and Hennepin County voted to approve Preliminary Design Plans for the Blue Line Extension. Brooklyn Park voted to approve the plans last week. Of the 38 elected officials responsible for voting on these plans, 33 voted to approve the plans.

“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. “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.”

The process, known as municipal consent, gives cities along the route the opportunity to review early drafts of the design plans for station locations, track placement and major structures with just about 30% of the design work completed. This allows them to officially request design changes as the project moves forward.

To ensure the project is positioned to best meet city’s needs, project staff committed in recent weeks to several key changes, including:

• Constructing a 13^th station in Minneapolis at the corner of Washington and West Broadway avenues at the same time as the rest of the project. This station was previously designed to be built at a future date after the line opened.
• Moving the Downtown Robbinsdale station to the north side of 40^th Avenue on Bottineau Boulevard. It had previously been planned for the south side of that intersection.

These changes will be reflected in 60% design plans expected to be published for public feedback early next year.

Cities also highlighted in their approval resolutions priorities for future collaboration as the project moves toward more detailed design plans, including:

• Continued analysis and refinement of the Lowry Avenue station
• Pedestrian and bicycle amenities, connections, and safety
• Specific anti-displacement measures and commitments
• Public utility coordination
• Operations and maintenance agreements

“The Blue Line Extension is a historic investment in communities that have been historically underinvested in,” said Hennepin County Board Chair Irene Fernando. “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 project will continue to work closely and collaborate with city staff and other stakeholders as design advances. A schedule of weekly meeting will address issues and challenges as they come up.

Community leaders voice support

During their review of the Blue Line Extension’s preliminary plans many community leaders expressed enthusiasm for the project. Here are a few examples:

“As someone who grew up in North Minneapolis, I grew up on the 5 and 19 [bus routes]. Those are the most ridden routes in the metro...yet we haven’t had the best infrastructure....when I think about the type of infrastructure Northsiders deserve, Light Rail is it... I think we are designing a route that can start to address some of that lack of access to our city’s natural resources but also, we’ve developed the relationships and we’re passing a resolution alongside this that gets anti-displacement. I want my residents to know that the discussion is ongoing and is going to be robust, it is going to be diligent.”
Minneapolis City Council Member, Jeremiah Ellison

“This can be the playbook for how to get it right for communities that are underserved and have a difficult relationship with transportation entities. … We’re going to work together to make sure that it’s a successful blue line for north side.”
Minneapolis City Council Member, LaTrisha Vetaw

“The most important thing we can do as a city, state, and county to address climate change is encourage people to drive less. With our growing metropolitan area, we need to have alternative modes of green transportation like an electric train so everyone can go where they need to.... I envision a Robbinsdale that is a metropolitan hub and gateway to the rest of the northwest suburbs and now is the time to bring that vision into reality.”
Robbinsdale City Council Member, Aaron Wagner

“The massive amount of development people are having in the southwest corridor; Brooklyn Park has paid for …. Now we have that opportunity to have that type of development come through. That will allow us to catch up with what we're seeing in the other metro areas…and bring us to the 21st century.”
Brooklyn Park Mayor, Hollies Winston

“Between the Blue Line, the 252, investments, and conversation of east-west connection, [the Blue Line Extension] will really help increase our public transportation [in Brooklyn Park] …Overlay that with pedestrian and bike plans, that will uplift public mobility in our city and allow us to be part of a larger system.”
Brooklyn Park City Council Member, XP Lee

“Putting 2 pieces of metal in the ground for 11 miles means they can't take it away from us …that investment is owed and deserved and frankly it's time we move this project forward.”
Hennepin County Commissioner, Jeffery Lunde

Join Staff at Upcoming Project Meetings and Events

Cultivate Arts Community Event

Oct. 5 from 12-1:30pm
North Hennepin Community College
7411 85th Ave. N.
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445

Midtown Global Market Community Resource Fair

Oct. 11 from 12-3pm
Midtown Global Market
920 E Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55407

LatinoFest

Oct. 11 from 5-7pm
Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center
5600 85th Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55443

1st Annual Cultivate Arts Celebration

Oct. 24 from 5:30-8pm
North Hennepin Community College, Grand Hall
7411 85th Ave. N.
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445

BROOKLYN PARK  |  CRYSTAL  |  ROBBINSDALE  |  MINNEAPOLIS  

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