Timeline Overview

The project released 30% design plans in the spring of 2024, then received feedback from community and project partners to refine these plans before municipal consent.

Project staff updated projected estimates for cost and ridership in February 2024. Updating preliminary cost and ridership estimate ranges are two of many factors the FTA consider in evaluating the project for federal funding.

Learn more about preliminary cost and ridership estimate

Legislation passed in 2024 by the State of Minnesota allocated $10 million to a new Blue Line Extension Anti-Displacement Community Prosperity program and established a community-led governing board to oversee it.

Read about the legislation.

Hennepin County is leading funding initiatives that will help prevent displacement and maximize investment and benefits of light rail for current corridor residents and businesses. The Blue Line Extension is also working to incorporate anti-displacement measures directly into the project through the environmental review process. 

Learn more about Anti-Displacement efforts.

Project staff, in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration, published the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS), which identified specific impacts and opportunities of the project, and shared environmental findings during summer 2024. The Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS) is anticipated for summer 2025, which will identify solutions for impacts, including how to avoid, minimize and mitigate them. 

Learn more about environmental review.

From July 26 through October 10, 2024, cities along the route went through a process known as “municipal consent,” which involves local review of the major physical design elements of the project. Hennepin County and the four corridor Cities voted to approve preliminary design plans.

Learn more about Municipal Consent. 

2020: Project partners decide to explore alternate routes: Read press release here.

2022: Route recommendations: Read the Route Modification Report published in June 2022 here.

2022: Route recommendation approved by Corridor Management Committee: Read press release here.

2023: Previous plans: View previous design plans evaluated from August 2020 – September 2023 here.

2013: Alternative Analysis Summary Report  

This Alternative Analysis Summary Report summarized the Alternatives Analysis evaluation process and recommendations for the original route for the Blue Line Extension (previously titled Bottineau Transitway).  

2016: Record of Decision 

The Record of Decision (ROD) from September 19, 2016 summarizes alternatives considered, impacts identified in the Final EIS, and measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse impacts. The ROD applies to the project described in the Final EIS published July 15, 2016.