SLP Parents Rally Against Freight Train Rerouting Option

St. Louis Park parents gathered Saturday to protest the possible rerouting of freight rail lines to accommodate the Southwest Light Rail Transit project.

According to MyFoxTwinCities.com, 150 parents rallied Saturday to beg the Metropolitan Council not to reroute freight lines through city neighborhoods, citing concerns about the destruction of a neighborhood playground, increased pollution and noise.

The transit line extends 15.8 miles from Minneapolis to Eden Prairie. As it's currently proposed, the light rail line is scheduled to be built in the corridor housing St. Louis Park's freight rail line and the Kennilworth Bike Trail. The Met Council proposed eight different alternatives to "reroute" the freight lines or "co-locate" them with light rail lines. 

In recent weeks, St. Louis Park's city council, school board and multiple local legislators have also come out against rerouting freight rail lines through St. Louis Park.

According to KSTP.com, the "Brunswick Central," which parents protested Saturday, is the one of three finalists to handle the cargo line. The other options call for building either a shallow or deep bore tunnel.

The Kennilworth shallow LRT tunnel is one of the more expensive co-location options, expected to cost $150 million to $160 million (on top of $85 million to $90 million in improvements common to all options), but is still cheaper than both of the council's relocation options.

A decision on the final LRT route was scheduled for the end of August, however, its been delayed until September.

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Related articles:

• Met Council's Vote on Southwest LRT Route Could Be Delayed
• Neighbors Protest Southwest LRT Freight Rail Plan
• Worries Remain Despite Recent LRT Progress
• Feds Put Southwest LRT on the Fast Track
• LRT Tea Leaves: Met Council Chair Calls Co-Location Option 'Promising'
• Freight Rail Reroute on the Agenda This Week
• Worries Remain Despite Recent LRT Progress