Historic Properties
Compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) requires projects receiving federal funding to take into account the effects of their undertakings on historic properties. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office (MnHPO) specifies activities to be carried out regarding historic properties and districts.
Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement Implementation
The Environmental Impact Statement process is complete; mitigation measures are identified in the Final EIS and Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) [PDF]. The Metropolitan Council tracks the implementation of mitigation measures to ensure compliance with the project's environmental documentation and agreements. This page provides updates on the implementation of mitigation measures for impacts to historic properties prior to and during construction.
The SWLRT Project, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the City of Hopkins, prepared a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for the Hopkins Downtown Commercial Historic District. Property owner outreach is ongoing to provide information about the potential listing. The State Historic Preservation Review Board (more information here) will consider the nomination in November 2021 for listing in early 2022. Information about the National Register of Historic Places can be found here. This fulfills the Council’s mitigation commitment to prepare the nomination and conduct public education.
Nomination Form (PDF)
Presentation (PDF)
The Council and FTA began reporting to the Minnesota Historic Preservation Office and other Section 106 consulting parties in October 2016 on the implementation mitigation measures in accordance with the Section 106 MOA. These reports are available below.
For More Information
Please direct questions about historic properties to the Southwest LRT Community Outreach Coordinator for your area:
Section 106 Quarterly Reports
Section 106 Assessment of Effects Supplement
Section 106 Assessment of Effects for Historic Properties Supplement 1: Additional Documentation and Assessment of Additional Effects on the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad / Great Northern Railway Historic District
The Federal Transit Administration has found that a proposed corridor protection wall between Southwest LRT tracks and freight railroad tracks and other changes in Minneapolis would “adversely affect” a historic railroad district. The term “adverse effect” is a technical one as part of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. An “adverse effect” occurs when an action has a negative impact to the location, design, setting materials, workmanship, feeling, or association of a historic resource.