Work on the Green Line extension from Minneapolis to St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Eden Prairie is nearly complete, according to the Met Council, and the service launch is planned for 2027.
The cost of project, which involves 14.5 miles of double track, is $2.86 billion, according to a 2025 state legislative auditor review. The extension is also known as the Southwest Light Rail Transit.
The next step is extensive testing, according to officials. Testing will cover safety, track alignment, and signal communication, said John Schadl, a spokesperson for the Met Council.
The route is considered to be active and there will be warning devices — flashing lights and bells. Motorists should be aware when crossing Green Line tracks, looking both ways as testing is underway.
“This is a very complex and high-tech system and it’s highly computerized. So, there are many systems that work together in a concert to keep the trains on time, where you know where the trains are, and make sure that everything is operating safely,” Schadl said.
Met Council officials say the extension project has spurred $3.1 billion in development along the corridor in the cities it goes through, including “housing, retail and entertainment projects already built, under construction, or permitted, and another $700 million in new investment being planned by developers.”
The initial Green Line route started in 2014, connecting downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul.
Schadl said the extension is a way to help an growing population in western suburbs connect to other parts of the Twin Cities.
“We’ve got a number of major employees, employers along the line, and it hooks right up to them,” Schadl said.
0 Comments