2024 will be a big year for the METRO Blue Line Extension project. Staff will be working on more detailed plans for local review and approval, and they’ll be out in the community in more ways. They’ll be working together with residents and businesses to advance this generational transit investment for corridor communities.
Municipal consent
• This summer, cities along the route will start the process known as “municipal consent,” which will include local review and feedback on physical design elements. You will find community meetings and public hearings starting this summer.
Environmental review
• In 2024, project staff, in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration, will publish the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) and will share environmental findings during the summer months. This document will clearly outline potential project impacts and opportunities. There will be a 45-day public comment period to inform the next phase and the Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement, which will identify solutions for impacts, including how to avoid, minimize and mitigate them.
Anti-displacement and community prosperity
• The Anti-Displacement Working Group reconvened in January to guide implementation of strategies to support residents and businesses before, during and after construction.
• Corridor partners are pursuing a coordinated legislative strategy at the Minnesota Capital to secure investment and policy actions that support anti-displacement and community prosperity work.
• Partners are advancing specific strategies in areas like workforce, mitigation of property impacts, community ownership and other areas.
Updated project cost and ridership estimates
• Project staff expect to share updated projected estimates for cost and ridership this spring. These are two of many factors the FTA will consider in evaluating the project for federal funding.
Cultivate Arts
• Cultivate Arts will be back in 2024 with a new program consisting of local artists to creatively engage communities on the project. Be on the lookout for engagement activities this summer. Find out more about Cultivate Arts.
As the project moves into these next phases, community feedback will continue to be crucial to inform decisions and design and ensure the project delivers maximum benefits for the communities it will serve.
Next Community Update Meeting
Project staff are hosting the next community update meeting on Wednesday, February 28. They will provide a quarterly project update and facilitate a Q&A discussion with the community on route and station design, schedule, anti-displacement efforts and upcoming decision-making opportunities.
The next virtual meeting is on Wednesday, February 28 at 5:30 p.m. Visit metrocouncil.org/Transportation/Projects/Light-Rail-Projects/METRO-Blue-Line-Extension/Community-