Metro Blue line FIES received
Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
The Twin Cities Metro has received the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed Blue Line Light Rail Transit (BLRT) Extension Project.
The Metropolitan Council and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a Final FEIS Amended Draft Section 4(f) and Section 6(f) Evaluation, USACE Section 404 permit application and Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement for the proposed BLRT Extension project.
The project is approximately 13 miles of a new light-rail transit line proposed as an extension of the Blue Line (Hiawatha LRT). It will operate from downtown Minneapolis, Minn., through the communities of Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal and Brooklyn Park. The Project’s Draft EIS was published in March 2014.
Since the completion of the Draft EIS, the proposed BLRT Extension project team developed and evaluated 16 technical segment-specific and system-wide issues, including proposed adjustments to accommodate local goals and objectives, improve the performance of the proposed light-rail extension, reduce project costs and avoid or minimize adverse environmental impacts. The FEIS evaluates the No-Build Alternative and the proposed BLRT Extension project (Preferred Alternative). The proposed alignment includes 11 new light-rail stations, approximately 1,670 additional park-and-ride spaces, accommodations for passenger drop-off and bicycle and pedestrian access, as well as new or restructured local bus route connection stations to nearby residential, commercial and educational land uses.
Following the review period and consideration of the comments received on the adequacy of the FEIS, a Federal Record of Decision and Minnesota State Adequacy Determination are anticipated. The Record of Decision and Adequacy Determination will document Metropolitan Council’s and FTA’s final decision regarding the environmental phase of the Project.
The FEIS, including the Amended Draft Section 4(f) and Section 6(f) Evaluation, USACE Section 404 permit application and Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement and all appendices, is available online here.
