City counsel gives green light to Blue Line project
A light rail train at a stop in Saint Paul. Photo by David Pierini
By David Pierini, Editor
The Minneapolis City Council on Wednesday cleared the way for transportation officials to continue developing a proposed light rail plan connecting downtown with the Northwest suburbs.
The Council voted 13-0 to grant consent to the Blue Line Extension Project with the condition that project planners redesign a proposed station on Lowry Avenue that drew objections from North Memorial Hospital and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.
The consent vote was the final in a series of votes by municipalities along the 13.4-mile route. Robbinsdale Crystal and Hennepin County all voted in favor of the project Tuesday. Brooklyn Park, the northernmost stop, granted consent last week.
Despite strong opposition along the corridor, especially in North Minneapolis, 34 of the 39 elected officials cast approval votes.
At least three Minneapolis council members who had signaled their opposition, Michael Rainville, Jeremiah Ellison, and LaTrisha Vetaw, changed their votes after receiving reassurances from the project team that they would make changes to address several concerns, including the displacement of businesses and residents.
“If we’re just talking politics, the easy thing for me would be to vote no on this,” said Ellison, Ward 4. “Plenty of Northsiders fear this. But as someone who grew up in North Minneapolis, I grew up riding the 5 and 19 (buses). They are the most ridden routes in the Metro.
“We haven’t had the best infrastructure. And when I think about the kind of infrastructure Northsiders deserve, the light rail is it.”
Ellison understood how big infrastructure projects often displace people and businesses. He has faith that city and transportation officials will develop robust anti-displacement measures.
It was Vetaw who called for a resolution to request a change to the Lowry Avenue stop. The at-grade crossing could restrict emergency access to the hospital and obstruct park use on the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, which provides recreational access to Theodore Wirth Park and Victory Memorial Park.
“The hospital and park concerns have truly been about livability,” said Vetaw, Ward 4. “I don’t want anything to compromise the livability of my residents.”
Vetaw said she would like to see residents continue to give input to refine the project, adding, “This could be the playbook” for how developers and underserved communities can work together.
Kristel Porter, the executive director of the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition, rebuked the City Council for its vote and not listening to the majority of businesses opposing the light rail plan.
“How is this project going to make people whole during and long after, because there will be displacement,” Porter said.
A northbound train at Target Field Station would travel along North 7th Street, then 10th Avenue, and turn onto Washington Avenue. The train would then crossover I-94 on a new bridge extending to 21st Avenue in North Minneapolis. The train would then merge onto West Broadway Avenue at James.
Nkongo Cigolo, Metro Transit's public involvement manager, said the final environmental impact study will further analyze areas negatively impacted by the route.
“The engagement that happened has definitely produced positive results,” Cigolo said. “We will come up with mitigation measures that will be in collaboration with the communities affected.”