Four public meetings set in June-July for Central Corridor LRT Project
Contact:
Laura Baenen
Central Corridor LRT Project
Communications Manager
651-602-1797
Laura.baenen@metc.state.mn.us
St. Paul – June 18, 2007 -- The Metropolitan Council plans four public informational meetings on the Central Corridor LRT Project for late June through mid July in St. Paul.
Meetings to get comment and inform the public are part of the preliminary engineering phase that will help the Met Council determine the scope of the work on the line that will link downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis via University and Washington avenues. The Met Council will lead the design and construction of the line with the state Department of Transportation.
The preliminary engineering phase began this spring and will last through 2008. Construction would begin in 2010 on the 11-mile line. When the line opens in 2014, it would connect with the Hiawatha LRT at the Metrodome station.
The first public open house was held in May at Episcopal Homes in St. Paul, a senior housing complex where one of the 16 proposed LRT stations would be built at Fairview and University avenues. A special open house for the many nonprofit organizations on the route was held nearby at Goodwill/Easter Seals headquarters.
In addition, the Met Council earlier this year created a Business Advisory Council and a Community Advisory Committee, which meet monthly to discuss selected topics about the line. For details about those advisory committees, whose meetings are open to the public, see the Met Council’s website.
Schedule for the public informational meetings:
Wednesday, June 27 - 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Hosted by the District Councils Collaborative at the Central Corridor Resource Center, 1080 University Ave., St. Paul.
Thursday, June 28 - 6 to 8 p.m. - Sponsored by the St. Paul Area Council of Churches at Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church, 585 Fuller Ave. St. Paul.
Sunday, July 8 - 2 to 4 p.m. - Hosted by the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent
at its offices at 995 University Ave., Suite 220, St. Paul.
Tuesday, July 17 - 6 to 8 p.m. - Hosted by the St. Anthony Park Community Council at the South St. Anthony Park Rec. Center, 890 Cromwell Avenue, St. Paul.
Readers' note: For information about upcoming meetings and other details, visit the Central Corridor website.
Central Corridor LRT Project
The Central Corridor Light Rail Transit Project linking downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis via Washington and University avenues would be the third in a planned network of rail and bus "transitways" in the Twin Cities. Construction would begin in 2010 on the planned 11-mile Central Corridor line, with service beginning in 2014. The Metropolitan Council would be the grantee of federal funds, which make up 50 percent of the project’s capital cost before trimming to meet federal cost-effectiveness requirements. The regional government agency is charged with leading the design and building of the line in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The Central Corridor Management Committee, which includes the mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis and commissioners from Ramsey and Hennepin counties, provides advice and oversight.
The Central Corridor LRT Project website is www.centralcorridor.org