History of the Southwest Corridor

The Canadian Pacific Rail Company originally owned the Southwest Corridor and it was used to haul freight.  In the early 1990’s Canadian Pacific Rail Company abandoned the northern portion, but retained ownership of the southern portion of the line between Minneapolis and Eden Prairie.

Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA) then acquired the abandoned portion of the railroad.  The  HCRRA was established in 1980 as a political subdivision and part of the local government  of Minnesota..  The HCRRA is responsible for rail transit planning in the county and they support transit planning in the region.  The board is made up of the 7 members of the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners.

HCRRA entered into an agreement with suburban Hennepin Parks to allow them to construct a pedestrian / bike trail in the SW corridor.  The trail is 10 feet wide and its two-way surface is covered with crushed limestone that makes it perfect for recreational activity including walking, biking and running.

The HCRRA specified that permits may be granted to public agencies for park or trail use on HCRRA property on an interim use basis.

In 2000 a study began called the “Twin Cities Exclusive Busway Study” which concluded that a limited stop busway in the 29^th Street and SW corridors was “technically feasible” and should be included with other transit alternatives including light rail or electric trolley transit in any future studies of these corridors.

The Metropolitan Council decided to investigate the possibility of converting the SW corridor into a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that would extend from Chaska, Chanhassan, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka , the Midtown corridor and in to Kenilworth .  This study was stopped in 2001 when the state legislature prohibited the Metropolitan Council from expending funds to study, plan design and construct a busway through this corridor.

Late in 2001, a portion of the old Canadian Pacific railroad line in St. Louis  Park was sold to the HCRRA.  This sale filled in the gap for the bike trail and completed the link for a possible light rail transit line.

In 2002, as a result of the state legislation and completion of transportation studies, the Metropolitan Council updated its 2025 Transitways map, which includes the SW/ Midtown Greenway / Kenilworth Corridors shown as “technology unspecified”.

HCRRA hired URS at a cost of $400,000+ to begin an investigation called The Southwest Corridor Rail Transit Study.  The investigation is to include the following steps to implementation: rail transit feasibility, alternative analysis, preliminary engineering, draft environmental impact statement, final environmental impact statement, record of decision, final design and concluding with construction.  URS, which also is currently constructing the Hiawatha line, will complete the study in January, 2003. URS will also be able to bid on the construction of the project if their study concludes that light rail transit is feasible.

If the study concludes that light rail transit is feasible on the Southwest Corridor, the above steps would lead to a completion of the project in the year 2015.