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Community town hall meeting on the Supplemental EA/Amended Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation
March 22, 2018 @ 5:00 pm
Supplemental Environmental Assessment/Amended Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation available
Project Title: Supplemental Environmental Assessment/Amended Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation for the Southwest Light Rail Transit (LRT) (METRO Green Line Extension) Project
Description: The Metropolitan Council (Council) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have issued a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (Supplemental EA)/Amended Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation for the METRO Green Line Extension Project.
This Supplemental EA has been prepared in accordance with 23 CFR 771.130 by the Council and the FTA to address changes in project design from those analyzed in the Southwest Light Rail Transit Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS), Record of Decision (ROD), and Adequacy Determination (2016), which are a result of the Project’s advancement into final engineering. This document analyzes whether there have been significant changes to the proposed action, the affected environment, and the anticipated impacts or the proposed mitigation measures required. Under the Minnesota Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), this Supplemental EA will serve as the state environmental document to evaluate the proposed changes to the Project. The analysis documented in this Supplemental EA/Amended Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation will be used by the Council to reach an informed and appropriate decision whether to issue a Negative Declaration for the revised project (pursuant to Minnesota Rules, part 4410.1700) or that a Supplemental EIS is warranted.
Comments on the accuracy and completeness of the information, potential impacts that may warrant further investigation before the project is commenced, and the need for an EIS on the project are being accepted through Monday, April 9, 2018. Written comments can be addressed to Ms. Kelcie Campbell at the Southwest LRT Project Office address below.
The Council will host a community town hall meeting on the Supplemental EA/Amended Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation on Thursday, March 22, 2018 at Dunwoody College of Technology located at 818 Dunwoody Boulevard, Minneapolis 55403. The town hall meeting will begin at 5:00 p.m. with an open house, followed by a short staff presentation at 6:00 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit written and verbal comments at the town hall. If you require assistance to participate, please contact Dan Pfeiffer at least seven business days for the scheduled meeting.
Following the review period and consideration of the comments received, a Federal and State Notice of Decision will be made which will document the Council’s and FTA’s final decision regarding the environmental phase of the Project changes.
Document Availability: The Supplemental EA/Amended Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation and all appendices are available online at the project’s website: www.swlrt.org.
A printed copy of the Supplemental EA/Amended Draft Section 4(f) Evaluation is also available for review at the Southwest LRT Project Office, located in Suite 500 of the Park Place West Building, 6465 Wayzata Boulevard, St. Louis Park, MN 55426. The Project Office is open Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. A CD will be sent to interested businesses, individuals, and organizations, when requested.
To request translation or ADA accommodations, please contact Dan Pfeiffer, Southwest LRT Assistant Public Involvement Manager, at 612-373-3897 or Daniel.Pfeiffer@metrotransit.
Responsible Government Unit: Metropolitan Council
About the Project:
The planned Southwest Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project (METRO Green Line Extension) will operate from downtown Minneapolis through the communities of St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie, passing in close proximity to the city of Edina. The line will connect major activity centers in the region including downtown Minneapolis, Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, downtown Hopkins and the Opus/Golden Triangle employment area in Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. Ridership in 2040 is forecasted at approximately 34,000 average weekday boardings. The project will interline with the METRO Green Line, which will provide a one-seat ride to destinations such as the University of Minnesota, state Capitol and downtown St. Paul. It will be part of an integrated system of transitways, including connections to the METRO Blue Line, the proposed METRO Blue Line Extension, the Northstar Commuter Rail line, a variety of major bus routes along the alignment, and proposed future transitway and rail lines. The Metropolitan Council will be the grantee of federal funds. The regional government agency is charged with building the line in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The Southwest Corridor Management Committee, which includes commissioners from Hennepin County and the mayors of Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie, provides advice and oversight. Funding is provided by the Federal Transit Administration, Hennepin County, Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB), Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA), state of Minnesota, and other project partners. The Southwest LRT Project website is www.swlrt.org