Which route should a third light-rail line take?

You won't be able to board the Southwest light-rail line until at least 2015, but you can share your thoughts now on where exactly the trains should run.

Last update: October 7, 2008 - 5:24 AM

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poll: Which downtown Minneapolis/Eden Prairie light-rail route seems best to you?

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You won't be able to board the Southwest light-rail line until at least 2015, but you can share your thoughts now on where exactly the trains should run.

THREE ROUTES: Transit planners are sizing up three routes linking Eden Prairie and downtown Minneapolis. A decision must be made on whether to run trains through Uptown and under Nicollet Avenue or along bike trails in the Kenwood area.

COSTS: The costs and travel times of the routes vary -- the Uptown route, for example, is about 3 minutes longer. But plans are on track to meet federal cost-effectiveness guidelines, officials say.

The 14-mile line is expected to cost $865 million to $1.4 billion in 2015 dollars.

OPEN HOUSES: The first of three "scoping" open houses is this afternoon. Public comment will be accepted through Nov. 7.

IF YOU GO:

TODAY: Open house, 2 p.m.; public hearing, 3 p.m. Hennepin County Government Center, 300 S. 6th St., Minneapolis.

OCT. 14: Open house, 5 p.m.; hearing, 6 p.m. St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd.

OCT. 23: Open house, 5 p.m.; hearing, 6 p.m. Eden Prairie City Hall, 8080 Mitchell Road.

IF YOU DON'T GO, YOU CAN:

• Watch the meetings via streaming video online at www.southwesttransitway.org.

• Submit your comments via e-mail to swcorridor@ co.hennepin.mn.us.

• Send your comments to Southwest Corridor, Hennepin County Transit, 417 N. 5th St., Minneapolis, MN 55401.

All comments will receive a response, be shared with elected officials and become part of the public record.

JIM FOTI

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