The Southwest LRT line will connect to other rail lines (Hiawatha, Central, and Northstar) and high-frequency bus routes in downtown Minneapolis, providing access to the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, Mall of America, the State Capitol, and downtown St. Paul.

Upcoming Route Selection & Station Area Planning Open Houses 
July 6, 2009

Open houses are planned for August to release the evaluation results for the three potential Southwest LRT lines.  The evaluation includes ridership forecasts, cost estimates, cost-effectiveness calculations, transit mobility measures, and an inventory of potentially affected critical environmental resources.  This information will be used to select the preferred LRT route, which is called the Locally Preferred Alternative or LPA. 
Click here for the dates/times/locations of the Public Open Houses. 

In late August, it is expected that the Southwest Transitway Technical Advisory Committee will set in motion the process of selecting the routing of the Southwest LRT line.  The Technical Advisory Committee will make a recommendation on the preferred route and forward it to the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC).  Click here to see who represents your interests on the PAC.

The PAC's route recommendation will be forwarded to the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA) board.  The HCRRA's official action will then be brought to the Metropolitan Council as a request for amendment of the Council's 2030 Transportation Policy Plan to show the chosen route for the Southwest LRT line, which is then referred to as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). Click here to learn more about what an LPA is.

Once the LPA selection occurs, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) analysis will be conducted for that route with an anticipated completion time of end of 2009.  Click here to learn more about the DEIS process.

Attend a Station Area Planning Meeting in Your Community 

April 30, 2009

The Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA) is partnering with St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie to complete station area planning. Visit the Meetings & Events page for details on upcoming public meetings in these communities. Station area planning in Minneapolis will be conducted after a route to downtown Minneapolis has been chosen, which is expected this fall.

Station area planning covers the half mile radius (or about a ten-minute walk) for each of the 12 stations.

NEWS RELEASE: Congressman Keith Ellison Helps Secure Additional Funds for Southwest LRT

March 27, 2009 

Light Rail Transit Project Slated To Receive More Than Half Million Dollars From Appropriations Bill

MINNEAPOLIS – In late February, Congressman Keith Ellison (D-Minneapolis) announced that the House of Representatives approved federal funding for fifteen projects in the Fifth Congressional District. After it passed the Senate, President Barack Obama signed the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill (H.R. 1105) on March 11, 2009.

The Southwest Light Rail Transit Line will receive $534,000 as part of the appropriations bill.