ST. PAUL – Feb. 4, 2011 -- The Federal Transit Administration, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Council, will undertake a supplemental environmental assessment for the Central Corridor LRT Project.
The purpose is to address the potential loss of revenue by local businesses during construction. This environmental review is being conducted in response to U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank’s Jan. 26 ruling in the NAACP’s lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Two town hall meetings are scheduled for 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 17 at Model Cities Brownstone conference room, 849 University Ave. W., in St. Paul to consider the views of the general public and local merchants and to gather data.
Staff from the FTA and Central Corridor LRT Project will be available at the meetings to discuss the proposed project and the supplemental environmental review process. Further information will be available at the meetings and also may be obtained from www.centralcorridor.org
People with special needs should contact community outreach coordinator Shoua Lee for reasonable accommodations. Her contact information is [email protected] or 651-602-1014.
About the Central Corridor LRT Project
The Central Corridor Light Rail Transit Project will link downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis along Washington and University avenues via the state Capitol and University of Minnesota. Construction began in 2010 on the planned 11-mile Central Corridor line, and service will begin in 2014. The line will connect with the Hiawatha LRT line at the Metrodome station in Minneapolis and the Northstar commuter rail line at the new Target Field Station. The Metropolitan Council would be the grantee of federal funds. The regional government agency is charged with building the line in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The Central Corridor Management Committee, which includes the mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis, commissioners from Ramsey and Hennepin counties and the University of Minnesota, provides advice and oversight. Funding is provided by the Federal Transit Administration, Counties Transit Improvement Board, state of Minnesota, Ramsey and Hennepin counties’ regional railroad authorities, city of St. Paul, Metropolitan Council and the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative.
Media Contact
Laura Baenen
Communications Manager
Central Corridor LRT Project
651-602-1797 (office)
612-269-4365 (cell)
[email protected]