III.2. Green Line Extension Project Update; ElverumAlexander
CITY OF HOPKINS
Memorandum
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
Mike Mornson, City Manager
From: Kersten Elverum, Director of Planning & Development
Date: August 19, 2025
Subject: Green Line Extension Project Update
_____________________________________________________________________
PURPOSE
To hear a presentation on the Green Line Extension Project.
INFORMATION
The METRO Green Line Extension (also known as the Southwest light rail project, or
SWLRT) is a generational investment in our region’s transit system that adds 14.5 miles
to the existing METRO Green Line, which connects downtown Minneapolis, downtown
Saint Paul, and places in between. The new segment adds more stations in
Minneapolis, plus St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie. 16 new
stations are under construction, with three in Hopkins (Blake, Downtown, and Shady
Oak). Construction began in 2019 and is nearly complete. Testing of the system is
scheduled to occur in 2026. The light rail is scheduled to open in 2027, connecting one
city to the next, creating jobs for people from across Minnesota, building homegrown
economies, and providing reliable transportation for thousands of residents.
Jim Alexander, Project Director for the Green Line LRT Extension at MetroTransit, will
share an update on the project.
FUTURE ACTION
N/A
Planning & Economic
Development