Thank you for your patience as we have awaited results from the Federal Risk Assessment process. We are providing this update to share information about the completion of an important step in the Blue Line Extension process, and to share information about next steps. With the recent completion of the Federal Risk Assessment process and the project nearing the 90% design milestone, project staff in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration have set an official project budget of $3.58 billion.
Completion of the risk analysis is a required milestone for all federal transit projects and marks a significant step forward for the proposed Blue Line Extension project.
This budget is $336 million higher than the previous project budget of early 2024 when the project was 30% designed. It reflects major changes to the project requested by cities through the Municipal Consent Process in 2024 and genuine engagement with communities.
Changes to the project requested by communities since the 2024 preliminary cost estimate include:
- Adding a station at Washington and West Broadway avenues
- Redesigning the Lowry Avenue Station
- Improving road connectivity in the North Loop to offset loss of traffic on 10th Avenue
- Many other changes and local infrastructure improvements requested by cities and communities
The budget also includes a large contingency fund of 32% to account for ongoing economic volatility and uncertainty.
Project schedule
The federal risk analysis modified the project schedule. According to the analysis, if the Metropolitan Council were to apply for a Full Funding Grant Agreement within the next six months and that grant was then approved in a timely manner by the FTA, early construction could begin later in 2027, with major construction getting underway in 2028 and complete by 2032. Revenue service would begin in 2033 after testing is complete.
Informed by in-depth constructability reviews with MnDOT and existing Metro Transit construction staff, and major construction contractors from across the country, this updated project schedule accommodates construction phasing to maintain residential and commercial access throughout the corridor for the entire duration of construction.
The project team has worked diligently to partner with the community to ensure we are involving a diversity of voices and perspectives in the corridor. We listened, and we made significant changes to the project based on what we heard.
Next steps
With the federal risk analysis complete, the next step is to apply for federal funding. The Met Council is the designated organization to formally submit a project application on behalf of all project partners.
All nonfederal funding must be identified and committed before a Full Funding Grant Agreement application is submitted. At this time, a funding gap remains that must be addressed before the project applies for federal funding. The Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County will work diligently with all project partners to evaluate all available funding sources and project efficiencies in an effort to close the remaining gap. Both agencies recognize the importance of this project to our partners and the community, and we will keep you up to date as we continue to advance through the federal process.