Before final decisions are made on the scope for the Southwest Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, the Metropolitan Council will conduct a tree and vegetation survey along the trails and freight railroad tracks in the Kenilworth Corridor. The survey will be conducted between November 13 and mid-December, 2013 in partnership with the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and Hennepin County.
The purpose of the survey is to develop a baseline inventory of the trees and other vegetation within the corridor. This information will be used to assess potential impacts that may result from the construction of the Southwest LRT project.
Printable flyer (PDF) including a map of the survey area
The survey area is between the planned sites of West Lake Station, located near the West Lake Street bridge, and Penn Station, located south of Penn Avenue and I-394, as shown in the map below.
Above: Map of Kenilworth Corridor Tree and Vegetation Survey area.
A professional arborist will record the size, species and condition of the trees in the study area, and attach small aluminum identification tags to trees. A field survey team will follow the arborist, recording additional information on understory vegetation (bushes and other plants) and ground cover.
If the two shallow LRT tunnels are approved as part of the project scope, the Southwest LRT Project Office will hold a public design workshop focusing on landscaping/greenscaping in the Kenilworth Corridor in Winter/Spring 2014 where community members will be able to participate in deciding how the area would be landscaped and planted after tunnel construction.
For more information, please contact Sophia Ginis, Southwest LRT Community Outreach Coordinator, at 612-373-3895 or [email protected].