Metro Blue Line Extension

The METRO Blue Line Extension is proposed to operate on 13.4 miles of light rail track connecting downtown Minneapolis to the communities of North Minneapolis, Robbinsdale, Crystal, and Brooklyn Park. The proposed project would provide transit improvements in the highly traveled northwest area of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and a one-seat ride from Brooklyn Park to MSP airport and Mall of America. The project provides an opportunity to invest in BIPOC communities and reduce regional disparities.

Connecting with the existing METRO Blue Line at Target Field Station, the Blue Line Extension and its 13 new stations will be part of an integrated system of transitways serving the region, including connections to METRO Green Line, Northstar Commuter Rail line, bus rapid transit lines, existing bus service, and proposed future transitways.

This route will:

• Connect people to new opportunities and destinations.
• Link people more efficiently to educational and employment opportunities, reduce transit commute times, and increase access to goods and services in an area where building community wealth is a priority.
• Improve public health and reduce pollution by connecting people to quality health care and providing clean active transportation options.
• Make a generational and unprecedented transit investment in a corridor that has experienced a history of systemic racism and high percentage of zero-car households.

Planning for the Blue Line Extension has spanned over a 10-year time period. Throughout these efforts, there has been a strong level of collaboration and partnership with agency and community partners at all levels. The Met Council and Hennepin County are working jointly to develop this project.

Alignment principles

Meet Federal Transit Administration New Starts criteria

• Maintain BLRT Purpose and Need
• Maintain mode
• Minimize travel time
• Maximize ridership
• Maximize community and economic development
• Maximize project rating
• When appropriate, pursue opportunities to serve even more people and destinations, especially areas with lower rates of car ownership/vehicular access and those with mobility challenges

Maintain existing alignment as much as possible

• Maintain existing termini: Target Field Station in Minneapolis and Oak Grove Station in Brooklyn Park
• Serve the existing corridor cities of Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Robbinsdale, Golden Valley, Minneapolis, and their major destinations

Mitigate negative impacts

• Complement existing and planned METRO transitways
• Minimize residential, commercial and environmental impacts
• Support safety and connections prioritizing people walking, biking, and rolling
• Maximize carbon pollution reduction

Demographics and destinations

What's next for the project

2024 will be a big year for the METRO Blue Line Extension project. Project staff will be working on more detailed plans for local review and approval, and we'll be out in community in more ways than ever, connecting with residents and businesses as we work together to advance this generational transit investment with corridor communities.

• Municipal consent: This summer, cities along the route will start the process known as "municipal consent," which will include local review and feedback of physical design elements. Keep an eye out for community meetings and public hearings to be scheduled in your city.
• Environmental review: In 2024, project staff, in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration, will publish the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) and will share environmental findings during the summer months. This document will clearly outline potential project impacts and benefits. There will be a 45-day public comment period to inform the next phase and the Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement, which will identify solutions for impacts, including how to avoid, minimize and mitigate them.
• Anti-displacement and community prosperity:
  • The Anti-Displacement Working group will reconvene in January to guide implementation of strategies to support residents and businesses before, during, and after construction.
  • Corridor partners are pursuing a coordinated legislative strategy at the Minnesota Capital to secure investment and policy actions that support anti-displacement and community prosperity work.
  • Partners are advancing specific strategies in areas like workforce, mitigation of property impacts, community ownership, and other areas.
• Updated project cost and ridership estimates:
  • Project staff expect to share updated projected estimates for cost and ridership this spring. These are two of many factors the FTA will consider in evaluating the project for federal funding.
  • Ridership estimates will be updated again in summer 2024 using new data.
• Cultivate Arts will be back in 2024 with a new program consisting of local artists to creatively engage communities on the project. Be on the lookout for engagement activities this summer.

• Final design will continue through 2025, with construction anticipated from 2026-2027 and anticipated opening of the route in 2030.

As the project moves into these next phases, community feedback will continue to be crucial to inform decisions and design and ensure the project delivers maximum benefits for the communities it will serve.

For in-depth information about demographics and destinations, review this interactive map provided by Hennepin County.