urbanMSP

The railroad bridge (specifically the ex-Milwaukee Road bridge) over Louisiana Avenue in St. Louis Park was being torn down today. I know this was discussed before, but did we ever reach a conclusion as to why they couldn't use that bridge for light rail trains? It was double-track and not extremely old (built in the late 1970s).

https://twitter.com/SouthwestLRT/status ... 83113?s=20

New Series 3 out on the lines!

bench seats! holy crap i had no idea. very nice.

I biked to the Golden Triangle, City West, and Opus stations to see how construction is coming along and saw a stockpile of rails and ties near the Opus Station. Also I highly recommend not trying to bike in the Opus area on a weekday. It was difficult enough with all the trail closures and detours, so I can't imagine trying to do it with regular traffic.

The new parking ramp at SouthWest Station is starting to look like, well, a parking ramp. Still wish it was an apartment or mixed-use building going up instead of another place completely dedicated to car storage.

Also while walking around the Town Center Station site I realized it'll only be accessible from the south. Granted there's not a lot on the north side of the station, but if someone working at Emerson or Costco wants to use the light rail then it'll be a three-quarter mile walk around Lake Idlewild instead of less than a quarter mile and straightforward.

https://twitter.com/SouthwestLRT/status ... 83113?s=20

New Series 3 out on the lines!

Wow beautiful.. although now that they switched to plastic seats it makes me question how grotesque having fabric really was over the years! public spaces shouldn’t have materials that absorb people’s body liquids (sweat,blood,and pee) even dandruff and other dust mites and such ... yikes what were they thinking?

Granted they clean them but when I briefly worked for metro transit I got the distinct impression they weren’t being steamed cleaned as frequently as the should if at all...

Heck even designing a inside space that limits cracks and crevices to prevent accumulation of dirt.. I can’t believe we never really discussed this before. If we can design a better design that cuts down on cleaning requirements it can be cleaner longer and we can better use those funds elsewhere

Here's a long drone video of SWLRT construction, which takes you from the Minneapolis border almost all the way to downtown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqew3ihqtLU

I think it makes one thing clear, which is that there is a lot more work to do.

Here's a long drone video of SWLRT construction, which takes you from the Minneapolis border almost all the way to downtown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqew3ihqtLU

I think it makes one thing clear, which is that there is a lot more work to do.

Agree, but they skipped over all the royalston/farmer market area and that’s made a lot of progress!


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That is shocking how little has been done on that stretch!

Most of the work through this stretch is flatwork that should go really quickly. But it is surprising how little progress they've made on the tunnel!

Last half really emphasizes the complaints many of us had about the alignment.

Two things I want to know:

1) Are they really keeping the name 21st Street Station? I'm pretty sure I said this already but I think it deserves repeating since it would be a lost opportunity with the name Kenwood Station. Fun fact: The original owner of the railroad ROW, the Minneapolis & St. Louis, had a depot pretty much right where the light rail stop is being built.

2) What will the area between Bryn Mawr Station and just east of Basset Creek Valley Station look like when Southwest LRT is completed? Are they going to move out all the gravel/dirt piles and the other stuff that makes it look like an industrial wasteland? I know they're banking on development, but I'm sure it won't all happen by the time Southwest begins operation.

Two things I want to know:

1) Are they really keeping the name 21st Street Station? I'm pretty sure I said this already but I think it deserves repeating since it would be a lost opportunity with the name Kenwood Station. Fun fact: The original owner of the railroad ROW, the Minneapolis & St. Louis, had a depot pretty much right where the light rail stop is being built.

2) What will the area between Bryn Mawr Station and just east of Basset Creek Valley Station look like when Southwest LRT is completed? Are they going to move out all the gravel/dirt piles and the other stuff that makes it look like an industrial wasteland? I know they're banking on development, but I'm sure it won't all happen by the time Southwest begins operation.

1) Yep, that will be the name. Unless someone proposes to the Met Council to change it.

2)There is a PowerPoint on the SWLRT website that shows a bunch of plants and trees being planted to green up the area.


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"Hidden Beach Station" would be an amusing name.

or......not sure what goes on there beach station

That rail yard house just west of Loring and east of the baseball fields would be an awesome station for people going to the park or a baseball game on those fields. I know not the purpose of transit but a nice greenway linking them into one combination park/green space along with a metro station sure would be a neat addition. ...maybe only reduced service but would be pretty cool.

That rail yard house just west of Loring and east of the baseball fields would be an awesome station for people going to the park or a baseball game on those fields. I know not the purpose of transit but a nice greenway linking them into one combination park/green space along with a metro station sure would be a neat addition. ...maybe only reduced service but would be pretty cool.

There is a planned station right there called the Bassett Creek Valley Station.

Are they doing anything with what I presume is a historic station along the Cedar Lake Trail just before I think 394 and where the trail splits? It's coated in graffiti now.

Is that a station? I always thought it was a junction house.

Are they doing anything with what I presume is a historic station along the Cedar Lake Trail just before I think 394 and where the trail splits? It's coated in graffiti now.

Are you thinking of this?
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.9701871 ... 240!8i3392

AFAIK, there's no plans to do anything with that building. There is a substation to be built west of it, however.