Southwest light-rail project in Minn. could receive large federal grant
Written by RT&S Staff
The Southwest light-rail project will now be under the state legislature microscope.
Metropolitan Council
A federal grant could be on its way to the Southwest light-rail project in Minneapolis. Congress needs to approve the $929 million grant, and that review lasts 30 days.
The Southwest project is the largest public works endeavor in Minnesota history and is a 14.5-mile route connecting downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie. The project has been underway for months and is scheduled to be complete in 2023. The total cost for the line is $2 billion, with $727 million so far coming from local funding.
Southwest is actually an extension of the Green Line, which originates out of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
The federal grant news gives the Metropolitan Council some positive vibes after it was decided earlier in the week that the Bottineau Blue Line would have to be reconfigured. Continuous attempts at negotiating with BNSF, which owns a portion of the planned corridor, failed.
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