Regional and county agencies figured out a way to move forward with the Southwest light rail plan without the help of the politically divided state. That could mean the state has time to climb on board by next year's legislative session.
"Metro Transit can move into the final phases of planning for Southwest light rail, the 14.5 mile extension of the Green Line," reports Peter Callaghan.
Thanks to votes Wednesday by the Counties Transit Improvement Board and the Met Council, and another by the Hennepin County Board the day before, the region now has legal commitments to pay half the cost of the $1.858 billion project. That will allow Metro Transit staff to submit an application to the Federal Transit Administration for final agreement on federal funding.
Those moves came in response to the failure of the state Legislature to approve a state funding package, as detailed in an article by Briana Bierschbach in August. Callaghan's article includes more details about the approved funding plan and the political debate that produced its adoption.
FULL STORY: Met Council secures final $145M for Southwest light rail — but the political cost may be much higher
Minnesota's Southwest Light Rail on its Last Legs
Republicans in Minnesota are ready to put the final nail in the coffin of the proposed Southwest light rail project, which would connect downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie.
Powerful Political Forces Aligning Against Southwest Light Rail in Minneapolis
One of the most heavily-contested transit projects in the United States, the Southwest light rail line in the metropolitan Twin Cities area, is encountering increased levels of political opposition.
East Link Light Rail Plans Provoke Controversy in Seattle Suburb
A proposal to link local and regional buses with the East Link light rail expansion in Mercer Island, already under construction, threatens to boil over into the courtroom.
The Top Urban Planning Books of 2021
Planetizen's annual list of the top urban planning books of the year is here—maintaining a tradition that dates back to 2002.
The Roadway Expansion Paradox
Motorists want expensive roadway expansions provided that somebody else foots the bill, but when required to pay directly through tolls, the need for more capacity often disappears. What should planners do?
Urban Exodus: Data Don't Support the Popular Pandemic Narrative
Americans fled cities in waves during the pandemic, right? Not to so fast.
Measuring the Economic Impact of the Great Allegheny Passage
Small communities once dependent on coal, coke, paper, lumber, and manufacturing now have a 150-mile bike and pedestrian path contributing to the local economy.
Houston Could End Homelessness With Less Than 2,000 Housing Units
Houston's homeless response program has yielded strong results in the last few years. Just 1,900 new affordable housing units could 'effectively end' homelessness in the city.
Land Use Regulations on a Collision Course in California
The future of planning in California depends on how lawyers reconcile the Housing Accountability Act with the California Environmental Quality Act.
Nelson\Nygaard
BRAILSFORD & DUNLAVEY
Water Replenishment District (WRD)
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of San Carlos
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Royal Oak, Michigan
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
