Project overview

This project will make the Blue Line longer. The route will start at Target Field Station. Then it will go to North Minneapolis and up to Brooklyn Park. For more information, visit the Metropolitan Council Project Webpage

The project will:

• Connect people to new opportunities and destinations.
• Provide better transit service by lowering travel times.
• Invest in safer streets for all travel modes.
• Commerce and service areas near the line will now have easier access via transit.
• Provide better access to education and employment opportunities on transit routes.
• Support the City's mode shift goals. See strategy 6 from the Transportation Action Plan

Project partners will also address related issues, including:

• Housing
• Economic development
• Land use planning
• Displacement

The project will include:

• Street reconstruction along the train tracks
• Potential transit mall(s)
• Changes to curbside uses (e.g., on-street parking)
• Improved sidewalks
• New or improved bikeways
• More greening
• Updated lighting and utilities

Project partners

• The Metropolitan Council
• Hennepin County
• Your Blue Line
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
• City of Minneapolis
• City of Robbinsdale
• City of Crystal
• City of Brooklyn Park

Route details

The proposed alignment is found on the Project Office webpage.

At Target Field Station, the Blue Line connects to three lines in Downtown Minneapolis:

• Blue Line on the Hiawatha Corridor to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and Mall of America
• Green Line via the University of Minnesota and Prospect Park to St. Paul
• Northstar Commuter Rail Line to northern suburban communities

City involvement

Metro Transit and Hennepin County staff lead the Blue Line Project Office. The Project Office leads the engagement, engineering, and design. City plans and policies inform the route and design.

City staff informs the Project Office on:

Anti-displacement

• People and businesses have support to live and work near the Blue Line.

Transit oriented development (TOD)

• The Blue Line supports neighborhoods near stations with housing, jobs, and education.

Safe street designs

• Streets near the Blue Line are designed to improve safety for all users.
• Streets near the Blue Line include sidewalks, bike lanes, and vehicles.

Easy access to stations

• Make it easy to get to stations in city neighborhoods

Achieve City’s climate, prosperity, and mode shift goals

• Improve the health of the community and the environment.

Residents serve on the Blue Line Community Advisory Committee (CAC).

Business owners serve on the Business Advisory Committee (BAC). 

The Project Office presented to the City Council on August 22, 2023. Watch the presentation.

Upcoming milestones

In the Spring of 2024, people can give comments on the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS).

In the Summer of 2024, the city council will vote on the Blue Line design. The vote will cover tracks, bridges, stations, roads, and support structures. This municipal consent process allows for public input.

Original plan and route modifications

2012

In 2012, an original plan used the BNSF rail corridor. This corridor traveled through Crystal, Robbinsdale, and Wirth Park in Golden Valley. In Minneapolis, the route followed Olson Memorial Highway.

2020

In 2020, Hennepin County announced that the railroad company did not want the Blue Line on its property. Project partners started looking for a new route for the Blue Line.

2022

Community input

It's important for people who live, work, or use public transportation near the Blue Line to share their opinions. The Project Office will ask for people's comments in different ways. By participating, you’ll have a say in the final decision. This includes things like surveys and meetings. You can attend an open house, virtual meeting, or add comments to the Public Coordinate Map on the project website.

Additional event information is shared on yourblueline.org