Feds sign off on Metro Blue Line extension environmental review

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has given its approval to the Metro Blue Line Extension Light Rail Transit Project's environmental review.

“The completion of the federal environmental review is an important milestone for the Blue Line Extension LRT Project,” Metropolitan Council (Met Council) Chair Adam Duininck said.

With the FTA‘s issuance of the Record of Decision for the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the next step is for the Met Council, as the Responsible Government Unit, is to determine the adequacy of the Final EIS on Sept. 28. That will conclude the state environmental review process for the project under Minnesota Rules chapter 4410.

After the Met Council vote on Sept. 28, the project will ask the FTA to authorize the project’s entry into the engineering phase.

“The project will be poised then to advance the design over the next year and request federal funding in spring 2017,” Duininck said.

The Blue Line Extension will operate northwest from downtown Minneapolis, Minn., through north Minneapolis, Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal and Brooklyn Park, drawing riders northwest of Brooklyn Park. The proposed alignment is primarily at-grade and will have 11 new stations in addition to Target Field Station and about 13 miles of double track.

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