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.

Minneapolis Station Area Planning Underway

July 23, 2010 

Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis are partnering to prepare strategic station area plans around the five proposed Minneapolis stations on the Southwest LRT line: Royalston, Van White, Penn, 21st Street, and West Lake.  Station area strategic plans will be based on previous land-use studies and will include platform locations, station access routes, land use concept plans, and an analysis of development opportunities within a half-mile radius of each station. 

The station area planning process is expected to be complete by the end of 2010 and will become the basis for proposals to the City of Minneapolis Planning Commission and City Council.  The plans will also be used to inform the next phase of the LRT project, Preliminary Engineering.  For more information and opportunities to get involved, see the Station Area Planning information page.

Metropolitan Council Approves Southwest LRT Locally Preferred Alternative

May 26, 2010

On May 26 the Metropolitan Council approved light rail on the 15-mile Southwest Corridor between downtown Minneapolis and Eden Prairie.  At the same time the Council approved the locally preferred alternative (LPA), it amended the region's 2030 Transportation Policy Plan to include LRT as the mode of choice in the corridor, making the project eligible for federal funding.

"I am pleased that Southwest LRT has reached this milestone and is transitioning to the Metropolitan Council," said Hennepin County Commissioner Gail Dorfman. "I am confident that Southwest LRT will be a strong candidate in the competition for federal dollars.  Light rail in the corridor will generate strong ridership, connect people with key destinations, and serve as a catalyst for economic development."

"World class cities have growing, vibrant transit systems," said Metropolitan Council Chair Peter Ball.  "The selection of the mode and alignment for this corridor is an important step forward.  It moves the project to the next level and continues the process of building out the region's rail corridor network."