Planners Aim to Identify New Bottineau Blue Line Route by End of 2021

It’s back to the drawing board for planning a light rail route through the northwest suburbs. Project managers are once again taking a look at a large range of options to push the project forward.

According to Dan Soler, senior program administrator with Hennepin County, those working on the Bottineau Blue Line light-rail project hope to have a new route in place by the end of the year. Soler provided an update at the Blue Line Extension Corridor Management Committee meeting this past week. The committee includes mayors, state and county officials, and other stakeholders.

The Metropolitan Council voted to abandon the previous route last summer after no agreement could be reached with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. to share its freight rail corridor. Of the 13-mile line, about eight miles relied on the railway company’s right-of-way.

The original design included 11 stations connecting Target Field in downtown Minneapolis to the Target campus in northern Brooklyn Park. Golden Valley, Crystal and Robbinsdale were included in the route.

Negotiations got nowhere to use BNSF Railway corridor for light rail

Planners to Seek Public Input

Currently, planners are exploring other options, including building a light rail line on County Road 81, through Robbinsdale and Crystal.

The Blue Line Extension project office expects to submit route ideas to the public for feedback this summer, while engineers evaluate those options.

To watch the Corridor Management Committee meeting, click here.

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