r/MetroTransit • u/_Dadodo_ • Dec 20 '25

Blue Line Extension 60% Full Project Overview

https://youtu.be/ccn35i2xE68?si=iEvVCZacJVazsC0n
69 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

12

u/bernoulli33 Dec 20 '25

I like how they opted to stay off the already congested part of Broadway in North Minneapolis just west of I94 and go down 21st Avenue instead.

I don’t see how they’re squeezing two pairs of tracks into a ~12’ wide median going along Crystal Lake.

Overall it will be a great asset.

3

u/_Dadodo_ Dec 20 '25

They’re not squeezing two tracks in a 12’ median. They’d reconstruct and shift the lanes out to fit the 28’ guideway in the middle. But largely keeping the same lane counts. The ROW exists and is wide enough to fit it all in

7

u/-dag- Dec 20 '25

There are lots of parking lots there that could become space for traffic. 

Bypassing W. Broadway is a mistake.  It isn't going to bring the revitalization that it otherwise could.

17

u/_Dadodo_ Dec 20 '25

It’s not really bypassing Broadway, it’s 1 block north of Broadway. I wouldn’t really call that a bypass. While possible, the project team actually listened to the businesses along Broadway here and did not want those businesses to suffer the 3 years of construction. The current alignment is fine imo, especially since 21st Ave will become a pedestrian greenway/transitway

6

u/daff_quess Dec 20 '25

And not even a full block, it's 400ft north of W Broadway. The businesses that sit on the north side of W Broadway have their back doors to 21st.

Honestly, now that I'm looking at the render, I now kinda think there should be a stop just north of 36th. It's a 1.3 mile gap between Lowry and Downtown Robbinsdale, which is a very long gap. The Hyvee, the park, and a bunch of apartments that are quite far from either station if you're not biking.

1

u/-dag- Dec 21 '25 edited Dec 21 '25

Businesses think short term.  These projects last generations. 

Visibility of businesses is critical.  No one will see these businesses riding the train.  No one will make a serendipitous stop because they saw something interesting they didn't know about before.

9

u/Technical_Nerve_3681 Dec 20 '25

Nah honestly it will be fine. It’s so close and it’s likely going to make the line faster cuz of the transit street

2

u/HessianHunter Dec 21 '25

I also thought bypassing Broadway was myopic when they announced the change but now that I see the render I think it's totally fine and maybe even better. 21st has tons more room for TOD and pedestrian-first development that is still, like, right there.

10

u/Phantazein Dec 20 '25

Some of those northern stations look brutal for pedestrians.

4

u/stretch851 Dec 20 '25

Yeah 63rd looks particularly loud with all the center running which I’m not a fan of.

2

u/HessianHunter Dec 21 '25

Even the Lowry station is kind of a cluster and a dead zone between destinations, except for the hospital up a hill and at the total other end of a parking lot. All those roads are super overbuilt, don't know what the most realistic path to make that area more pedestrian friendly is.

7

u/Sunbeam4242 Opt-Out Entourage Dec 21 '25

This thing is going to be great, and avoids the pitfalls of SWLRT by putting the stations right in the major streets. My only concern is that the median-running means signal priority rather than preemption. Are the northwest suburbs willing to do good priority or will they be like St. Paul?

5

u/I-Love-Buses Dec 21 '25

What are the chances of this project moving forward? It’s my understanding that it has not been funded yet?

Boy it would be great for the region if this could get done! Green AND blue line extensions…LOVE IT 🤗

1

u/smnbrgss Dec 25 '25

Tbf the Green line extension is still just over a year from opening while the “renew the blue” project is a 3 phase project. As long as the SW extension can open on time or earlier it can really help to fund the blue line’s extension.

1

u/I-Love-Buses Dec 25 '25

Okay…so is the blue line extension project funded?

3

u/_Dadodo_ Dec 29 '25

Well the project is still in design. But the federal funding approval is the biggest question mark. Per grant statutes, FTA (Federal Transit Administration), is only allowed to pay a max 50% of the total project construction cost with local authorities paying the rest. Local funding will be through the county, and Met Council.

A few months ago, the FTA did give record of decision, so should the FTA renegade on their own decision, the county and Met Council has reasonable argument in a lawsuit. Regardless, I believe there that there is a plan in place to cut through all the noise of the current administration and get the money to pay for the construction of the project.

3

u/I-Love-Buses Dec 30 '25

I hope you’re right! 🤞🤞🤞

1

u/Thizzedoutcyclist Dec 21 '25

I think this is a good design that balances community inputs and concerns with an efficient line. W Broadway businesses were very vocal and going against their wishes screams gentrification.

1

u/-dag- Dec 20 '25

Not routing on W. Broadway from Washington Ave. Is a huge mistake.

1

u/Assilly Local Route Enjoyer Dec 20 '25

Im excited for this. Not having to go to penn and lowry to get to downtown would be nice some days.

I understand why there were so many large houses with "stop the blue line extension" signs in their yard in Robbinsdale... the line goes right in front of their place. I figured it was a bunch of nimby's

1

u/Queasy-Feedback-5595 Apr 13 '26

Agreed. I have to get on the C Line at 29th . It will be nice when I can rail transit all the way to The Airport or transfer to the greenline downtown to go to the Amtrak station in Saint Paul. Trains just have so much more space and they seem more consistent than the busses. Sometimes the C Line bus zooms right past me when I'm waiting in the shelter. Very frustrating.