Poll: Third Twin Cities LRT line supported
Written by Douglas John BowenThe Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports a poll conducted by three chambers of commerce shows roughly 61% of Minnesotans favor a state bonding commitment of $25 million to build a third light rail transit line in the Twin Cities.
The poll surveyed 700 state residents during the month of January.
The St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, Minnesapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce sponsored the poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and also Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates.
The Southwest LRT line would run 15 miles between downtown Minneapolis and the Twin Cities southwestern suburbs, linking with the existing Hiawatha Line, in revenue service in Minneapolis, and the Central Corridor Line serving St. Paul, now under construction.
Not surprisingly, support for the move was stronger within the Twin Cities, with 64% of residents favoring the expenditure.
Plans call for the state to commite $125 million for the Sourthwest Line over several years, while federal funding, not yet secured, is anticipated to cover $625 million of the cost.
