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Metro Transit blue line construction: What to expect
Big changes are coming for Metro Transit commuters this week. Crews are updating and repairing stretches of both the Blue and Green Line light rail trains. Both lines will be replaced by buses. The Blue Line work starts Monday. Metro Transit Chief Operating Officer Brian Funk joined FOX 9 News at 5 to talk about how commuters should navigate the construction.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Metro Transit Blue Line light rail trains between Target Field and Mall of America are reopening Thursday after months of construction.
Due to the construction, riders were forced to use the Blue Line buses instead.
Metro Transit Blue Line light rail reopens
The backstory:
The Metro Transit Blue Line light line from Target Field to the Mall of America has been under construction for the past month. It was closed to upgrade signals and equipment that would overall improve the reliability of the trains. Riders were forced to take replacement Blue Line buses.
Community reacts to growing Blue Line extension budget, timeline
Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County officials held the first community meeting in late June since the higher budget for the Blue Line Light Rail Extension project was announced.
Why you should care:
A proposed 13-mile Blue Line extension would connect downtown Minneapolis to communities up to Brooklyn Park.
The council said the 2024 estimate closer to $3.2 billion was based on a design that was only 30% finished, but the new estimate comes with the design now 90% complete.
This possibility has been discussed and debated for years. The Metropolitan Council says roughly $290 million has been spent on planning and design so far.
What we know:
The Metropolitan Council announced the Blue Line extension is now estimated to cost $3.58 billion. The estimate also includes a contingency fund set at 32%.
The Source: This story uses information from a Metro Transit news release, and previous FOX 9 reporting.