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Light Rail Transit

The proposed METRO Blue Line Extension project will bring light rail transit to the northwest communities of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro.

Project overview

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Route

The line will travel 13 miles northwest of downtown Minneapolis. The train will travel from Target Field Station in downtown Minneapolis to the the 63rd Avenue station in Brooklyn Park. From there, the trail will move onto West Broadway Avenue through Brooklyn Park before ending north of Trunk Highway 610 at the Oak Grove Parkway station.

Stations

The METRO Blue Line Extension will include five stations in Brooklyn Park:

  • Oak Grove Parkway and West Broadway
  • 93rd Avenue North and West Broadway
  • 85th Avenue North and West Broadway
  • Brooklyn Boulevard and West Broadway
  • 63rd Avenue North and Highway 81

Connecting rail and bus lines

Once complete, the METRO Blue Line will connect the region’s northwest communities to:

  • LRT on the METRO Green Line
  • Future LRT on the METRO Green Line extension (Southwest LRT)
  • Bus rapid transit on the METRO Orange and Red Lines
  • Northstar commuter rail line
  • Local and express bus routes

The increased transportation connectivity will provide access to employment, educational and entertainment opportunities for residents of Brooklyn Park.

More information

Visit Metropolitan Council’s METRO Blue Line Extension website

Visit Hennepin County’s Bottineau Community Works website 

Project updates

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Route Modification Report

The Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County have approved a change to the planned route of the METRO Blue Line Extension, primarily affecting the portion of the line in Minneapolis, Robbinsdale, and Crystal.

Anti-displacement Workgroup

The METRO Blue Line Extension project has formed an Anti-Displacement Workgroup to guide anti-displacement strategies and policies by through personal insight, local expertise and direct connections to communities impacted by the project.

The group includes community leaders, residents, and business owners potentially at risk of displacement. Other experts and staff from nonprofits, philanthropic and agency partners are also involved. This includes Hennepin County, Metropolitan Council and corridor cities.

The Workgroup is led by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA), under the leadership of C Terrence Anderson, CURA’s director of community-based research.

Preparing for LRT in Brooklyn Park

Station plans

The City of Brooklyn Park adopted Station Area Plans for each of the five planned stations in the city in 2016. These plans are included in the City’s Comprehensive Plan and will guide future development to take advantage of the regional investment in light rail transit.

Click here to read the Brooklyn Park station area plans (PDF) >

TOD zoning

Transit-oriented development (TOD) zoning gives direction to the design of buildings, sidewalks, parking, and other infrastructure. TOD zoning promotes walkability and a mixture of uses, such as office, retail, and residential. To make station areas welcoming, pleasant, and accessible to all transit riders, the City of Brooklyn Park adopted Transit-oriented Development (TOD) zoning standards in July 2018. Based on years of station area planning, it was determined this is the best way to ensure high-quality development along the line.

Click here to read the TOD section of the City’s zoning ordinance.

West Broadway Avenue Streetscape Design Manual

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LRT is not the only new element coming to West Broadway Avenue. Along with construction of the train, the streetscape will undergo changes to include a multi-use trail and new landscaping on both sides of the road. Reconstruction of the road will allow the trails, cars, and train to exist together safely. Some small strips of land along the corridor will be acquired to make room for the trails and streetscape improvements.

In fall of 2017, Blue Line project staff from the Met Council and Hennepin County talked to the impacted property owners and discussed the acquisition process and minimizing negative effects on property values. Project staff will begin full negotiations with affected property owners through winter 2019 and into 2020. Affected property owners will get more details about the process once it is underway. Overall, project staff anticipates minimal impacts to properties and limited acquisitions along West Broadway Avenue.

This image shows the landscaping improvements, new residential fence, and trail along West Broadway Avenue.

See the West Broadway Streetscape Framework Manual here (PDF) >

Advisory committees

The METRO Blue Line Extension (BLRT) has two advisory committees with membership from Brooklyn Park. One committee is for business members and one  is for community members. The purpose of these committees is to serve as a voice for the community and to provide guidance to the BLRT Corridor Management Committee (CMC) on community issues during the engineering and environmental phases of Blue Line project development.

Business Advisory Committee

The METRO Blue Line Extension (BLRT) Business Advisory Committee (BAC) is established to provide guidance to the BLRT Corridor Management Committee (CMC) on community issues during the project development phases of BLRT. 

Community Advisory Committee

The METRO Blue Line Extension (BLRT) Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is established to provide guidance to the BLRT Corridor Management Committee (CMC) on community issues during the project development phases of BLRT.

Bottineau Community Works

The Bottineau Community Works program, a partnership between Hennepin County and cities in the Bottineau corridor (Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Minneapolis, and Robbinsdale) was formed to identify and pursue community and economic development opportunities while making policy and infrastructure improvements that benefit our communities today, in preparation of the light rail, and our community’s future.

Visit Hennepin County’s Bottineau Community Works website >