The Metropolitan Council has new orders from the Minnesota Legislature to study an alternative to the Blue Line Extension — an estimated $3.2 billion project to expand light rail service from Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park.
A 5 INVESTIGATES review of the latest state budget revealed the orders for the study, which specifically direct the Met Council to “evaluate bus rapid transit as an alternative mode of transit service in the corridor.”
The idea is not a new one, but it is now sparking fresh debate about the controversial project, which has been in the planning stage for more than a decade.
Saving vs. Investment
In its latest update to the Federal Transit Administration, the Met Council reported that it has spent more than $224 million on the Blue Line Extension, which has yet to begin construction…