Posted In: Communities Date: 2/20/2019 Council makes $21.4 million available in 2019 for local investment and regional opportunity The funds promote livability, a mix of housing choices and affordability, jobs and local economic development. Read more
Posted In: About Council, Transportation Date: 2/19/2019 Governor Walz proposes $1.5 billion transit package Includes an investment strategy to support the region’s bus system for generations to come, and includes addressing the structural budget issues created by the growth in demand for Metro Mobility. Read more
Posted In: Parks Date: 2/19/2019 Parcel by parcel: Expanding Above the Falls Regional Park The Council approved a land swap that will allow the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to go ahead with plans to expand Above the Falls Regional Park. Read more
Posted In: Transportation Date: 2/14/2019 Federal awards allocated to 57 transportation projects Every two years, the Council allocates roughly $200 million to locally initiated projects that meet regional transportation needs. This process is called the Regional Solicitation. Read more
Posted In: Transportation Date: 2/13/2019 Rethinking I-94: Engaging communities to improve the I-94 corridor An effort to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion in a stretch of freeway in Minneapolis and Saint Paul is initiating and fortifying connections with the residents who live in the corridor. Read more
Posted In: Housing Date: 2/5/2019 Report: Region has likely lost more affordable housing than it produced since 2011 A new Met Council Research report says the seven-county area is losing ground when it comes to meeting the housing needs of working families. Read more
Posted In: Council News Date: 1/10/2019 Slawik sworn in as Metropolitan Council Chair “I am very familiar with the good work of the Council and its importance to our region. That’s one of the reasons that I accepted this position – I believe in the mission and work of the Council.” Read more
Posted In: Communities, Housing Date: 1/9/2019 Council awards grants supporting jobs, housing and economic development A majority of these grants will help clean up contaminated sites for future development; one grant was awarded for contamination investigation. Read more
Posted In: Wastewater & Water Date: 1/8/2019 New Chaska Lift Station means more wastewater pumping capacity Over the last three years, MCES built a new, larger wastewater lift station that blended in so well with the surrounding community that its mission stumped even some local residents. Read more
Posted In: Transportation Date: 1/7/2019 Harrington to lead Dept. of Public Safety After seven years leading the Metro Transit Police Department, John Harrington has stepped down as Police Chief to take on a new role with the state. Read more
Posted In: Transportation Date: 2/11/2019 Transit lines grow ridership, investments lead the way METRO Green Line, METRO Blue Line and A Line each set annual ridership records, while demand for Metro Mobility continues to climb. Read more
Posted In: Council News Date: 1/14/2019 Council chair announces leadership changes Focus on tackling the challenges facing regional transit, housing, equity, and investments in the region's planning and infrastructure that contribute to its economic vitality and competitiveness. Read more
Posted In: Council News Date: 1/5/2019 Walz and Flanagan announce Met Council Nominating Committee Applicants selected to be interviewed by the committee will testify at one of four public meetings: Jan. 29, Jan. 30, Feb. 12 or Feb. 13. Read more
Posted In: Council News Date: 12/19/2018 Maplewood mayor named to lead Council Maplewood Mayor Nora Slawik, who has been involved in local and state politics, transit planning and several area nonprofits, will begin in her new role in January. Read more
Posted In: Communities Date: 12/12/2018 Council grants help cities plan for development around future transit lines Nearly half a million dollars in grants will help local communities plan for development around future transit lines and for other predevelopment activities. Read more
Posted In: Transportation Date: 11/30/2018 Federal, state and local officials break ground on Southwest LRT After more than two decades of planning, state’s largest infrastructure project is moving into construction. Read more
Posted In: Transportation Date: 11/28/2018 FTA announces full federal funding of Orange Line BRT $72 million in federal funding means transit project is fully funded. Read more
Posted In: Transportation Date: 11/15/2018 Lunda/McCrossan chosen to build Southwest LRT Council awards civil construction contract, setting stage to break ground on Southwest LRT. Read more
Posted In: Council News, Transportation Date: 11/14/2018 SWLRT gets critical approval from federal government to begin construction The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) cleared the path for construction to begin on the Southwest Light Rail Transit Project (SWLRT). Read more
Posted In: Council News Date: 10/30/2018 Metropolitan Council Chair to Step Down November 30 Council Chair Alene Tchourumoff will pursue a new professional opportunity. Vice Chair Harry Melander will assume the duties of the Chair in the Chair’s absence, until the end of the administration. Read more
Posted In: Communities, Council News, Housing, Parks, Planning, Transportation, Wastewater & Water Date: 1/1/2019 12:00 PM - Location: various locations and dates Upcoming Council and Committee meetings The Council and its committees meet regularly most months. Find information on all upcoming Council and Committee meetings. Read more
Posted In: Planning Date: 1/13/2019 Afraid of losing federal funding, more suburbs plan to comply with ADA Star Tribune At the federal government’s behest, the Met Council Transportation Advisory Board has stipulated that any city vying for funding must have a plan to make streets, sidewalks and intersections easier. Read more
Posted In: Transportation Date: 12/27/2018 Train to somewhere: Delays done, Southwest light rail rolls forward Minnesota Public Radio MPR News looks back at the November groundbreaking ceremony for the Southwest LRT route. Construction begins this winter. Read more
Posted In: Communities, Housing, Planning Date: 8/17/2018 Twin Cities area needs new strategy on affordable housing Star Tribune Editorial Board: Region ranked second only to Pittsburgh in key housing-cost measure. Read more
Posted In: Parks, Planning Date: 8/15/2018 'More popular than the mall': Met Council count shows our love for parks remains strong Star Tribune New trail segments help boost regional park visits to 58.3 million in 2017. Read more
Posted In: Planning, Transportation Date: 8/3/2018 Facelift underway for Mall of America transit station State's busiest hub to get $25 million upgrade, first big change in 25 years. Star Tribune State's busiest hub to get $25 million upgrade, first big change in 25 years. Read more
Posted In: Planning, Transportation Date: 8/3/2018 Key light-rail leader Mark Fuhrmann to retire from Metro Transit Fuhrmann guided major Twin Cities transit projects for Metro Transit. Star Tribune Fuhrmann guided major Twin Cities transit projects for Metro Transit. Read more
Posted In: Communities, Parks, Planning Date: 7/31/2018 Bringing parks to people: A Q&A with new Regional Parks Ambassador Amanda Lovelee MinnPost Lovelee is an artist with a history of thinking about unique ways to spur civic engagement. In her new position, she is tasked with, in her own words “bringing parks to people." Read more
Posted In: Communities, Transportation Date: 7/24/2018 Gold Line planners seek feedback at open house Bulletin-South Washington Councy The Metropolitan Council hosted the first of a series of open houses intended to gather community comment on the nine-mile, round-trip route that will run from St. Paul to Woodbury. Read more
Posted In: Communities, Planning, Transportation Date: 7/8/2018 Study finds transit access to jobs rises, thanks to A-Line Star Tribune Twin Cities transit riders can reach more than 18,000 jobs within a half-hour when traveling by bus or train, up 7 percent between 2016 and 2017, according to study results released by the U of M. Read more
Posted In: Planning, Transportation Date: 6/27/2018 Twin Cities metro shows significant improvement in access to jobs by transit according to annual U of M study University of Minnesota Overall, workers in the metro can reach an average of 7.0 percent more jobs by transit than a year ago, the 9th highest change in transit accessibility among the metropolitan areas we analyzed. Read more