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.

RFP Withdrawal: Southwest LRT Transitional Station Area Action Plans

August 8, 2011
August 30, 2011 (update)
September 9, 2011 (update)
September 20, 2011 (update - RFP withdrawal)

Hennepin County is withdrawing the Transitional Station Area Action Plans RFP at this time and will reissue it in early 2012, after the consultant selection for Southwest LRT Preliminary Engineering has taken place. 

Download the RFP here.

Download the Responses to Proposer Questions & Due Date Extension here.

Download the second Due Date Extention notice here.

Download the official notice of RFP withdrawal here.

Southwest LRT Line to Proceed into Preliminary Engineering 

September 6, 2011 

The Southwest Light Rail Transit (LRT) line has received permission from the Federal Transit Administration to enter into preliminary engineering.

“This is a milestone to celebrate. The Southwest LRT project is now real, after more than a decade of hard work and commitment,” said Commissioner Gail Dorfman. “We go from one of 100 communities around the country seeking FTA approval, to one of a dozen that has the go ahead to begin engineering the line.”  “We would not be here were it not for the strong partnership between Hennepin County, the Metropolitan Council, the cities along the corridor, and businesses and residents,” said Commissioner Jan Callison “The continuing support from public and private partners has been instrumental in bringing us to this point and will be critical to getting the line to opening day and beyond.”  “Southwest is the next big step – we’re creating a regional system, not just talking about one,” said Counties Transit Improvement Board Chair Peter McLaughlin. “Southwest LRT will serve more than 240,000 jobs and connect the region’s top job center, downtown Minneapolis, with the region’s sixth largest job center, Opus/Golden Triangle.”

Hennepin County, along with cities and community partners, led the Southwest LRT project through an alternatives analysis and draft environmental impact statement, which included the selection of a locally preferred route, before transitioning the project to the Met Council in 2010. Hennepin has also developed the Southwest LRT Community Works project to integrate land use and development planning as engineering of the transit line progresses. The Southwest LRT Community Works project will identify housing and economic development opportunities at station locations and along the corridor, and enhance connections to existing residential and commercial nodes. The Southwest Corridor LRT line stretches approximately 15 miles from downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie, with projected ridership of nearly 30,000 average weekday riders by 2030.