FTA OKs engineering for more Twin Cities LRT
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefThe Federal Transit Administration has granted approval to begin preliminary engineering for the Southwest Corridor, the third proposed light rail transit line for Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The 15-mile line would link downtown Minneapolis with Eden Prairie, Minn.
Construction is ongoing for the second line in the system, the Central Corridor project, connecting downtown St. Paul, the state capital, with the Hiawatha Line in Minneapolis.
Projected ridership for the Southwest Corridor is nearly 30,000 riders each weekday by 2030, comparable to current ridership on Hiawatha LRT, according to the Metropolitan Council.
“What this means in the eyes of the FTA is that we have a sound and viable project that will create jobs and benefit employers as well as those who live and work near the transitway,” said Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh in a statement. “We have the confidence of the federal government, in addition to all the local partners, that we have a project that meets the standards for moving forward amid all the projects standing in line for federal transportation dollars. The FTA’s blessing is a very good sign.”
Preliminary engineering is expected to take about two years. Pending FTA approval of final design and potential federal funding assistance, construction would begin in 2014, with revenue service targeted for late 2017 or early 2018.
The Southwest Corridor would serve Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Hopkins and St. Louis Park, connecting with LRT operations in Minneapolis, becoming the 26-mile Green LRT Line. FTA’s approval letter specifically notes that the Metropolitan Council needs to continue work to resolve the relocation of a freight rail line in St. Louis Park, which has become a contentious issue among local citizens.
