Green Line Extension - Southwest LRT

[Mdcastle]

Aren't pedestrians and motorists already getting hit by light rail trains even where they're not running next to freight.

Maybe put in one of these? The letters and skull and crossbones would flash alternating red and blue neon and instead of bells there was a tornado siren.

[VacantLuxuries]

Most of the vehicle collisions were the result of illegal left hand turns. Short of the (still distant) future where automation takes the wheel away from people who feel like traffic laws are just a suggestion, it's not a problem you can engineer a solve for.

[DanPatchToget]

Aren't the left-turn collisions mostly in the downtowns and along University though? Along the Blue Line in South Minneapolis there's been a certain number of collisions too: bikers and pedestrians trying to beat the train, cars stopped on the tracks, at least one instance where a biker waited for one train, then proceeded across the tracks, and got hit by a second approaching train, and I believe there was one very unfortunate case where a person in a wheelchair was stuck on the grade crossing because of ice and snow and was hit. Also more than a decade ago there was a lot of news about a Metro Transit bus being under the crossing gate when a train was coming. I'm not sure if the bus was partially on one of the tracks, but it wasn't hit.

[niaxilin]

Regarding the pedestrian that waited for one train to pass, then got hit by another going the opposite direction: Here in Munich the trams ring their bells for a half second while passing each other. I used to think it was just a friendly "hello" to the other driver, but then I was fortunate enough to avoid getting hit thanks to hearing the bell. This is more useful when tracks are right next to each other without any buffer space between.

[Bakken2016]

Went on a tour of the Golden Triangle area of SWLRT on Saturday. It was pretty astonishing to see how much was done and how they have built over the wetlands. Found out a developer has purchased most of the land/wetlands near the station to develop into mixed-use development!

[Bakken2016]

More photos!

[Bakken2016]

And a few more photos!

[Anondson]

Nice photos!

I went to the Excelsior bridge tour. Didn’t get taken to see much. But we had a very good and long QA standing close to the pier at the NE corner of Excelsior and Jackson.

[seanrichardryan]

Thought the wetlands were all city owned and protected. Alas...one parcel is not. How does someone drain a develop a wetland in the year 2021?

[HuskyGrad]

Thought the wetlands were all city owned and protected. Alas...one parcel is not. How does someone drain a develop a wetland in the year 2021?

Developers can purchase credits in wetland banks.

https://bwsr.state.mn.us/wetland-bank-credits-and-fees

[Mdcastle]

Also, you generally have to buy credits in multiples of what you're filling. You get your building and society gets a net increase in wetlands.

The environmental issues and need to buy credits for any building are probably why 7.33 acres of prime real estate is only assessed at $14,000.

[DanPatchToget]

Mixed-use development is nice. Building it on a wetland... not so much, especially when there's others parcels that could be developed/redeveloped (especially the massive amount of surface lots). Yes I realize that's not how it works, but I still stand by my point.

However, if it's the site on the southwest corner of Flying Cloud Drive & 70th Street then I'm in favor.

[Bakken2016]

@Danpatch, if you are referring to this corner, yes this was purchased by the developer as well.

[thespeedmccool]

It's an expensive project (some might say too expensive) but we're getting a real nice product for our money. Great photos!

[DanPatchToget]

Yesterday I explored parts of the route between Golden Triangle and Louisiana Avenue on my bike. It appears the City West Station platform is taking shape, but it was too far to tell from where I was. Going through the Opus area I was reminded of how hellish it is getting through there on foot and bike (even with a car it sucks). Along the Claremont Apartments complex they're building a sound-wall, which obviously isn't the most aesthetically pleasing but with the shade of wood they're using it's not terrible. Rails, ties, and ballast are in place between 11th Avenue and the western end of the viaduct crossing over Excelsior Blvd. Between 5th Avenue and the Hopkins Depot Coffee House the Minnesota River Bluffs Trail is paved. Not sure if that segment is officially reopen but people have been using it (I don't blame them considering the detour route). The trail is also paved east of Wooddale Avenue, but there's concrete barriers blocking the bridge across Highway 100. The new freight rail connection has made some progress, but still a lot more to be done.

[seanrichardryan]

Fun fact: that single-family home in there on Valley View is owned by infamous developer Basim Sabri

[Korh]

I think those sections of trails were paved so crews could have an easier access to the sites, I don't think there will be officially open any time soon. I have snuck on both sections a bit on bike and they both seem nice which is a relief because I was worried years ago the trails would be neglected and be kind of like some sections of the hiawatha trail (not saying the trail is bad per say, its just a slight downgrade compared to the old cedar lake trail)

[DanPatchToget]

Here's a video from 2013 of the planned alignment for Southwest LRT. A few big changes and several small changes from the current alignment can be seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGrZZeuRiS4

[DanPatchToget]

The crash-wall alongside BNSF's Wayzata Subdivision is taking shape. Aesthetically I don't think it's terrible, but it would be nice if we could hire local artists to paint it so it isn't bland concrete and/or graffiti all over it.

[alexschief]

Met Council put out a video to mark passing the halfway point of construction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AF2LToA568

I also recently read on their weekly updates that work on the secant wall for the Kenilworth tunnel is about to begin, so hopefully things will go according to plan from here on out. I am hopeful that they will be able to complete some partial testing on other parts of the line before work on the tunnel is completed.