Southwest LRT: Joint Announcement by the City of Minneapolis and the Metropolitan Council
July 8, 2014 - Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh and Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges announce a tentative agreement regarding the plan to build the Southwest Light Rail Project.
The tentative agreement, which includes two memoranda of understanding,
was reached as a result of discussions mediated by retired federal judge
The Honorable Arthur J. Boylan.
At the City's request, one memorandum of understanding awaiting approval by
both sides calls for the Metropolitan Council to: redesign the Minneapolis portion
of the Southwest Light Rail Corridor to remove the light rail tunnel north of the
water channel connecting Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles; add back the 21st Street Station; and add City-requested pedestrian-access, noise mitigation, landscape restoration and other improvements along the portion of the corridor in Minneapolis. If approved by both sides, the Met Council's revised budget for Southwest light rail will be reduced by $30 million, from $1.683 billion to $1.653 billion, as a result of these changes to the preliminary design of the project.
Separately, the parties tentatively agreed to a second memorandum of understanding that commits the Met Council to work closely with the City and
the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority to ensure that the Kenilworth freight corridor remains in public ownership, which the parties agree will decrease the chances that freight trains will increase in frequency or carry more dangerous cargo through the corridor.
The Metropolitan Council will take the following actions:
Metropolitan Council will convene a meeting of the Southwest Corridor Management Committee July 9, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. (Beth El Synagogue,
5224 W. 26th Street, St. Louis Park) to review and discuss the tentative agreement. The Metropolitan Council will meet on July 9, 2014 at 4:00 p.m.
to consider approving the amended preliminary project scope and budget
and set a joint public hearing with Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority for August 13, 2014 where residents will be invited to testify.
At the same meeting, the Met Council will consider the two memoranda of understanding between the Metropolitan Council and the City regarding ownership
of the Kenilworth freight corridor and the City-requested changes to the preliminary design plan. If approved, the Metropolitan Council will present a new municipal consent package to the City on Thursday, July 10, triggering a new timeline for a
final municipal consent vote from the City. Hennepin County will vote on August 19, 2014 at a special board meeting to approve municipal consent. The City of Minneapolis will take the following actions:The Minneapolis City Council's Transportation & Public Works Committee will
review the basic outline of the tentative agreement at the end of its regular committee meeting today at 9:30 a.m. At tonight's public briefing (*see below), residents will have an opportunity to learn more specific details about the tentative agreement and provide public comment. Minneapolis residents will have another opportunity for input at a public hearing on municipal consent on August 19, 2014. The City Council will vote on municipal consent at its regular meeting on August 29, 2014. The tentative agreement will become final after it has been approved and signed
by both the Met Council and City of Minneapolis.
Both memoranda of understanding are linked here.
Residents will have an opportunity to learn more specific details about the
tentative agreement and provide public comment.This meeting will be an
adjourned meeting of the City Council's Transportation and Public Works
Committee.
Tonight, Tuesday, July 87:00 p.m.Anwatin Middle School (auditorium)
256 Upton Ave S MapPlease attend this meeting to voice your opinion about the project. If any members of the public require any accommodations in order to participate
in the meeting, please contact the City of Minneapolis by calling 311 or the
City Clerk's office at 612-673-2216.
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