Southwest LRT: Get Connected!

Transit for Livable Communities is co-hosting a community meeting about the Southwest LRT on Wednesday, July 25, from 5:30-7:30pm at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. The purpose of the meeting is to provide an update on the status of the project and share tools to make sure citizen’s voices are heard in the ongoing dialogue about the future of this line.

The Southwest Light Rail Line is currently on schedule to begin construction in 2014 and open in 2018, but that could change if the line fails to garner a contribution from the state of 10% of the cost of the line or nearly $125 million.

The state Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is now considering applications from all over the state for the $47.5 million bonding fund authorized by the legislature. The Met Council has asked for $14 million toward the state’s 10% share of the cost of building the line.

Southwest LRT is a crucial investment for the future of this region and state. It will create an estimated 150 design, engineering, and management jobs; 3500 construction jobs, and 175 permanent operations and maintenance jobs. The Chambers of Commerce from Minneapolis, Twin West, and Saint Paul all have made clear that transit also is essential to job growth in the region.

Building wide and vocal support for the line over the coming months will be essential. Please join us. RSVP will help us plan!

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Comments

[Chandra]

Good for jobs, for entertainment & venues in the city, good for the planet. This is a great plan for the Twin Cities - important for the whole region. Let's move forward with Southwest Rail!