NP EddieThe Blue Line extension from Target Field Statium, Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park, MN has been cancelled due to BNSF opposition. The line would parrell the Monticello sub to a point near I694 and cross Hennepin County Road 81. I don't know all the details of alignment.
It came as a a total surprise to me that Minneapolis even had a light rail transit system. Had I not been researching other stuff on google satellite view yesterday, I still would't know.
Looks like the people of Minnesota are making quite a statement with this system, I'm impressed.
Have they mentioned this system at all in Trains magazine? Usually I'll pick up on at least a blurb or a puff piece , but can't remember seeing any mention of this system.
I as others have had the hunch that the Minnie Rioting was planned and funded by real estate developers who have wanted to "clean up" N Minnie by moving out poor people and buying up distressed real estate at pennies on the doller. The Twin Citys have become desirable for Techs and Trendys seeking to escape failed rust belt towns like Chicago and Detroit. Having one of the best university systems and a decent transit rail system under developent is a plus. However it is still colder then a "witches teat" there and too far away from my great lakes walleye fishing spot to make me wanna move there.
In Memphis the light rail to the airport was gerrymandered through low-income and 'majority black' districts, in part precisely to facilitate access from those areas to airport jobs. As a result it would involve a $4B+ investment to yield a 40-minute winding trip from downtown, on vehicles with little available luggage stowage, and a mandatory transfer to actual airport shuttle buses. Unsurprisingly this proposal remains unconstructed...
On the other hand, you would have to be a moron to prioritize expensive stranded capital development into areas with even the promise of renewed destructive rioting, whether outside-directed or the result of 'privileged exuberance'. Especially if to be built and run with substantial forced contribution of OPM.
The better solution for those neighborhoods is some sort of BRT with as low-cost and indestructible (and minimal) an exposed fixed infrastructure as possible. That's not discrimination, it's common sense now.
Making my case here that the Northstar Commuter Railroad line completly bypassed N Minnie till Fridley which has a large transit dependent low income minority 80 % black inner city population in favor of white collar middle class commuters ( On the other hand MARC trains at least have a stop at West Baltimore)-
My problem with the project has been that the route where transit dependent people live or work and it was built with real estate developers in mind and gerrymandered around the low income black neighborhoods-
The timing of this after the Minni Riots makes it look like "Met Council" is punishing black transit dependent people for their behavoir in much the same way that Gov. Hogan cancelled the Red Line after the Baltimore Riots see-https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/07/18/how-larry-hogan-kept-black-baltimore-segregated-and-poor-367930. here is a picture of the Met Council-
ALL:
The Blue Line extension from Target Field Statium, Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park, MN has been cancelled due to BNSF opposition. The line would parrell the Monticello sub to a point near I694 and cross Hennepin County Road 81. I don't know all the details of alignment.
The Monticello Sub had one local up and back Monday through Friday. The crossing of the former SOO in Crystal, MN would be another consideration.
I Hi-Railed the Monticello Sub in 1988 or so with a Track Inspector and know that the LRT would need its own right of way. I was Roadmaster's Clerk at that time.
Lots of folks on both sides of the argument. Look for it in the Minneapolis or St. Paul newspapers.
Ed Burns
Retired Clerk from Northtown.
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