Packed House in Brooklyn Park to Discuss Blue Line Extension

Local cities have been working for years to bring light rail transit to the northwest metro with the Blue Line Extension.

“We have been working on this for well over 20 years,” says Rep. Mike Nelson (DFL-Brooklyn Park).

The Metropolitan Council had a meeting on Tuesday in Brooklyn Park to discuss what’s next for the Blue Line extension. Local officials showed up in full force to talk about light rail. Mainly because there still hasn’t been a lot of movement in the year of 2019.  

“We need to move things forward because things have been at a standstill for too long.” Says Robbinsdale mayor Regan Murphy. 

 That standstill is why local and state representatives showed up in numbers to Tuesday’s Met council meeting in Brooklyn Park. People at the local and state level are doing everything they can to get the Blue Line built. However, there’s been a significant road block when it comes to negotiations with the railroad.

“They have control of their lines, says Nelson.  “The unfortunate piece with this line, is from Highway 55 up through Robbinsdale and into Brooklyn Park it’s going to run concurrent or it’s going to run the rail corridor. They own that line and have higher property right then anyone in the country including the state and the counties.”

Those on the Met council say they are dedicated to negotiating with the railroad, and making sure this project moves forward.

 “All of these projects that involve railroads make for difficult negotiations,” says Mike Opat, Hennepin County Commissioner. “That just means you have to have the staying power to keep at it until you reach an agreement. That’s what we reinforced today is that we are going to have to have that staying power. We need an agreement and we are going to pursue it till we get it.”

At this point in time there is not date on when the project will break ground to begin construction. However, there was one clear take away from this meeting, the local cities have are ready for work to begin on the Blue Line. For more information about the Blue Line extension click here.

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