Fawcett, Blakey to head Central Corridor LRT committee

ST. PAUL (Nov. 8, 2006) – Song Lo Fawcett, a member of the Metropolitan Council, and Jerry Blakey, a former member of the St. Paul City Council, have been appointed co-chairs of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Central Corridor light rail transit project.

The appointments were announced by Peter Bell, chair of the Metropolitan Council, which is taking the lead in the planning, design and construction of the project. The 11-mile line will run along University and Washington Avenues between downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis, connecting there with the existing Hiawatha LRT line.

“We are indeed fortunate to have experienced leaders like Song and Jerry heading this committee,” said Bell. “It will play a critical role in providing public input during the design and construction of the line.”

Bell said the CAC will be a large and diverse body, with representatives from community, business, civic and ethnic groups along the corridor. Letters have been sent to some 70 established groups inviting them to nominate a representative to serve on the CAC. Appointments are expected to be announced by the end of the year.

Fawcett, a St. Paul attorney, has served on the Metropolitan Council since March 2003. Her district includes all of St. Paul west of Interstate 35E. Active in civic affairs, she has served as chair of the St. Paul Human Rights Commission and as a board member of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, the Hmong Chamber of Commerce, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics, and the Council on Crime and Justice.

Blakey, a St. Paul small business owner, represented St. Paul’s First Ward on the City Council from 1994 to 2004. That ward includes University Avenue between the State Capitol and Snelling Avenue. He currently serves on the boards of Public Art St. Paul and the Capitol River Council, the community council for downtown St. Paul.

The Metropolitan Council and its project partners currently are awaiting federal approval to enter into preliminary engineering on the Central Corridor LRT line. As the project proceeds, the CAC will provide public input on such issues as possible changes in alignment, station placement and design, public art, and plans to mitigate adverse impacts during construction.

The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning organization in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. The Council runs the regional bus and light rail system, collects and treats wastewater, coordinates regional water resources, plans regional parks and administers funds that provide housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income families. The Council board is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.

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