Mass transportation is a must in any large city. In the Twin Cities, there are busses, with routes going out in all directions, but, with the exception of one ten-mile line, a railway system is absent. But that’s all about to change.
One light rail line is currently in the final stages of construction. The Northstar Rail will open in late 2009 and will connect Big Lake to Minneapolis, with stops in Fridley, Anoka, Coon Rapids, and Elk River. The Northstar Rail will end in Big Lake, for now. Planners hope to open a line extending to St. Cloud in the future.
The Central Corridor, which links Minneapolis and St. Paul, will also see a new light rail line in the future. The Central Corridor Light Rail is currently in the very beginning of construction and is scheduled to open in 2014. The line will travel through the University of Minnesota campus, down University Ave, and arrive in downtown St. Paul at Union Station.
There is one light rail line already in use within the Twin Cities. The Hiawatha Line was opened in 200? and stretches between downtown Minneapolis’ warehouse district and the Mall of America in Bloomington. This Light Rail line has been rather successful. The line provided ten million rides in 2008, already exceeding the pre-construction estimate for 2020. Now that new lines are being added, supporters hope ridership will increase with the possibility of transferring lines.
With expansion in the eyes of many, the Minnesota legislature and other county commissions are constantly bombarded with proposals for new light rail lines. In the past, there has been talk of a Light Rail line running through Dakota County, but talk never led anywhere. The Southwest Light Rail Transit Line is another proposed light rail line. If passed, it would travel from downtown Minneapolis out to Eden Prairie. Possible routes have been compiled and money has been put forward to help get the line moving. With the city constantly growing, mass transportation will become even more important in the future.