Projects and initiatives
Blue Line Extension investment
As the primary local funder of the Blue Line Extension Light Rail Transit project, Hennepin County is deeply committed to realizing this generational transit investment and the transformational benefits it will bring to corridor residents, communities, the Twin Cities region, and the state of Minnesota.
Project information and planning documents: Metropolitan Council project website
Updates
On August 4 2026, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioner voted to increase the county’s financial commitment for the Blue Line Extension to $2.254 billion.
As of September 2026, Hennepin County and the Met Council are working to solve a $224 million funding gap. All local funding must be committed before the project applies for $752 million in federal funding.
Overview
The Blue Line Extension is a 13.4 mile planned light rail line with 13 proposed stations. It will extend the existing Blue Line northwest, connecting the communities of Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Robbinsdale, and North Minneapolis to the regional light rail network.
This is the missing northern leg of the regional light rail system. Of the 10,000 projected daily riders, 50% are expected to come from households that do not have access to a car and rely on transit to meet their daily needs.
With a current budget of $3.58 billion, the Blue Line Extension is the most affordable light rail project of its kind per mile currently planned in the country. The project is eligible and competitive for federal funding.
As a generational investment in communities that have experienced a history of disinvestment, project parters are focusing on strategies to build community prosperity through anti-displacement strategies before, during and after construction.
With 33 of 38 elected officials voting to approve preliminary design plans, the Blue Line extension has the strongest level of local support of any Twin Cities light rail project to date.
Benefits
Serving people
- 43,000 residents within a half-mile of planned stations
- 33% under 25
- 60% people of color
- 37% have low-income
Access
The Blue Line Extension will provide corridor residents with access to:
- 200,000+ jobs within a 15-minute walk of planned stations and existing stations downtown
- 5 hospital and healthcare facilities
- 6 fortune 500 businesses
- 462 retail businesses
- 55 schools
Jobs
The Blue Line Extension is expected to create 6,000 construction jobs to build and will support 40,000 jobs long-term through economic growth.
- 1/3 of all jobs in the region will be accessible to Blue Line Extension riders with just one transfer to another high-frequency route
- 54,000 jobs within a half-mile of planned BLE stations, another 145,000 jobs downtown
- 73 of 87 Minnesota counties have someone bringing home a Green Line Extension paycheck, which is expected to open in 2027
Economic development
Light rail attracts development of new housing and businesses.
Light Rail Transit investments in the Twin Cities to date have seen $14 billion in economic development near existing and planned stations.
- 25% of all regional development has been in an LRT station area on just 1% of the land area
- 4 times more economic development occurs per mile along LRT than high-frequency bus
- The existing Green Line has seen a 10:1 return on investment through new development
Tax impacts
Development along light rail transit increases the tax base due to new development while decreasing resident tax burden, offsetting the need for future tax increases.
Land near light rail generates 27 times more property tax revenue per acre due to new development.
Increase in annual tax revenue per jurisdiction for every $100 million in anticipated development along the Blue Line Extension:
- Hennepin County - $2.05 million
- Minneapolis - $932,000
- Robbinsdale - $814,000
- Crystal - $862,000
- Brooklyn Park - $647,000
Climate
Transportation is the largest contributor to Green House gases in Minnesota. Achieving emissions reduction goals is only possible by reducing vehicle miles traveled. Light rail Transit is the only proven method of electric mass transportation in colder climates.
Building the Blue Line Extension will lead to 29,556 fewer vehicle miles traveled per day.
Materials
An investment in Minnesota’s enduring prosperity (PDF, 8MB)
September 1, 2026 HC Blue Line update and discussion materials
Blue Line Extension project update presentation (PDF, 7MB)
Memo: Options for Blue Line Extension funding gap (PDF, 2MB)