About

In December of 2020, elected leaders and project stakeholders adopted a set of principles to guide project work moving forward.

Alignment principles

1) Meet Federal Transit Administration New Starts criteria

• Maintain BLRT Purpose and Need
• Maintain mode
• Minimize travel time
• Maximize ridership
• Maximize community and economic development
• Maximize project rating
• When appropriate, pursue opportunities to serve even more people and destinations, especially areas with lower rates of car ownership/vehicular access and those with mobility challenges

2) Maintain existing alignment as much as possible

• Maintain existing termini: Target Field Station in Minneapolis and Oak Grove Station in Brooklyn Park
• Serve the existing corridor cities of Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Robbinsdale, Golden Valley, Minneapolis, and their major destinations

3) Mitigate negative impacts

• Complement existing and planned METRO transitways
• Minimize residential, commercial and environmental impacts
• Support safety and connections prioritizing people walking, biking, and rolling
• Maximize carbon pollution reduction

Engagement principles

4) Meaningfully engage stakeholders

• Honor and build on previous robust community engagement
• Tailor engagement practices to meet the needs of the individual communities in the corridor

5) Engage, inform, and consult diverse communities to co-create project solutions that reduce disparities

• Ensure corridor communities of all races, ethnicities, incomes and abilities are engaged so all communities and corridor cities share in growth opportunities, with an emphasis on low-income and cultural communities
• Use community goals, priorities, and criteria for growth to inform decision-making
• Adjust strategies and approach as needed to ensure corridor communities are fully represented in engagement efforts