• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Subscribe
Program Guide
Watch Live

CCX Media

Skip NavigationMenu
  • News
    • Close
        • CCX News
          • CCX News Home
          • News Stories
            • CCX Daily Newcast
          • CCX News Special Reports
          • CCX Media Schools
        • Feature Segments

          • Business Matters
          • School Spotlight
          • Standout Student
          • Weekend Showcase
          • Newsmakers
        • News Tip

          Send us a story idea or news tip!
          Facebook Instagram Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
        • Apple News
    • Close
  • Sports
    • Close
        • CCX Sports
          • CCX Sports Home
          • Sports Tips
          • Hall of Fame
          • Upcoming Event Coverage
          • Play of the Week
        • Sports Coverage

          Adapted SportsAdditional SportsBaseballBasketballFootball
          GymnasticsHockeyLacrosseSoccerSoftball
          Swimming & DivingTennisTrack & FieldVolleyballWrestling
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
          Shop/Order
    • Close
  • Cities
    • Close
        • CCX Cities
          • CCX Cities Home
          • The Connection
          • In The Community
          • Our Town’s Story
          • Community Resources
          • CCX Media Schools
          • City Meetings
        • Your City

          Brooklyn Center Local News and Events
          Brooklyn Park MN Local News and Events
          Crystal
          Golden Valley
          Maple Grove
          New Hope
          Osseo
          Plymouth
          Robbinsdale
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Create
    • Close
        • CCX Create
          • CCX Create Home
          • Channels
          • Resources
          • Meet The Create Team
          • CCX Create Virtual Tour
        • Get Creative

          • Make Your Own Show
          • Free Classes
          • Contact Us
          • Polka Spotlight
          • Diversity Minute
        • RueShare

          • Member Login
          • Member Guide
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Subscribe
  • Program guide
  • Watch Live

Light Rail Project Leaders Work to Ease Concerns

10:00 AM | Monday, July 4, 2022

Light Rail Trains Traveling Down County Road 81 Would Require Street, Bridge Reconstruction

Every day, thousands of cars travel up and down County Road 81 (Bottineau Boulevard) in Crystal.

The road has three lanes of traffic going in both directions to accommodate those vehicles. But if the Metro Blue Line Extension is approved, the train would run right down the center of the road, possibly reducing the number of lanes from six to four.

“Our specific, most significant concerns are the traffic impacts of reducing Bottineau Boulevard from six lanes to four,” said John Sutter, Crystal’s community development director. “And I would say, city staff is skeptical but open-minded about that and the council is divided about that.”

Reducing the number of traffic lanes was one of the details discussed on June 29 when officials from Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council led a bus tour of the light rail route.

It’s a route they formally approved last month, which could include building a new interchange in Crystal at Bass Lake Road and County Road 81, reconstructing the inside lanes of the bridge that goes over the Canadian Pacific Railroad tracks, and working with MnDOT to reconstruct the bridge that goes over Highway 100.

light rail concerns

County Road 81 in Crystal could be reduced from six lanes to four to accommodate light rail trains.

Achieving municipal consent

News of the route was met with opposition from leaders in Crystal and Robbinsdale. That’s significant because the project likely needs municipal consent from all the cities along the route to proceed.

“We don’t think about it as, what if we don’t get municipal consent,” said Dan Soler, Hennepin County’s senior program administrator. “We think about it more of, what are the design impacts, the design changes, the design aspects that we have to do to get a city in a place where they are comfortable with municipal consent?”

In Robbinsdale, the number of lanes would stay as-is, but city officials have voiced their displeasure about having the train run down the center of County Road 81 to begin with.

For now, project leaders are now working to determine the location of the Robbinsdale LRT station, and whether to build a park and ride lot next to Elim Lutheran Church so that existing in the city businesses don’t lose parking.

“So how do we incorporate the LRT into that downtown to preserve the vision of what Robbinsdale is today,” Soler said to a crowd during a stop in Robbinsdale. “That’s part of our goal and mission.”

It’s a mission they have a year to figure out before the big vote on municipal consent.


See Also: Blue Line Extension Light Rail Route Officially Approved


Delane Cleveland, reporting

Brooklyn Park | Crystal | Robbinsdale

Related Stories

Edinburgh USA Golf Course Sets Record for Rounds Played:  July was a good month for Edinburgh USA, so… Read More
‘I’m Sorry’: Ex-Robbinsdale City Council Member Sentenced for Wrong-Way DWI, Fleeing Police:  … Read More
Brooklyn Park Police Raise Concerns About Rise of ‘Ghost Guns’:  Brooklyn Park police are… Read More
Brooklyn Park Considers Relaxing Garbage Can Storage Ordinance:  Brooklyn Park is collecting feedback… Read More
Annual IgboFest Celebration will Showcase Diversity in Brooklyn Park.:  Saturday in Brooklyn Park,… Read More
Golden Valley Nonprofit PRISM Seeks School Supplies:  Golden Valley nonprofit PRISM is raising… Read More

Footer

NAVIGATE

  • CCX Media
  • NEWS
  • SPORTS
  • CITIES
  • CREATE
  • Job Opportunities
  • Meet the CCX Media Team
  • ABOUT CCX MEDIA
  • Annual Programming Reports
  • CABLE COMMISSION

SUBSCRIBE

Get email updates for daily story previews. “Week in Review” video links, and programming previews.

Subscribe Today

CONNECT

HAVE A NEWS TIP? CALL OUR TIPLINE AT:  763-533-1710
Send us story ideas and comments!
Get in touch with us
               
 NEWS   SPORTS
 SHOP/ORDER

LOCATION

CCX Media
6900 Winnetka Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

Main Phone:  763-533-8196

CCX Media serves the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, including Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.
Copyright © 2022 CCXMedia | All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement
Web Design and Development by CEL Marketing PR Design and BizzyWeb | Log in