Light-rail line connecting Minneapolis, St. Paul to open in June

Metro Transit’s light-rail line under construction between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul will begin service on June 14, the Metropolitan Council announced yesterday.

The Metro Green Line opening is nearly six months earlier than required by the Federal Transit Administration, which is funding half the $957 million project. The project is on budget, council officials said in a press release.

The 11-mile corridor between the two downtowns links Union Depot in St. Paul’s Lowertown to the State Capitol complex, Midway, University of Minnesota and Target Field. As the region’s second light-rail line, the Metro Green Line will connect to the Blue Line (Hiawatha) at Downtown East Station.

The mid-June opening will allow the line to serve baseball fans attending Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game at Target Field in July, council officials said.

“Starting service 60 years to the month after the last streetcar left the Twin Cities is fitting,” said Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh. “Seeing two vibrant downtowns, numerous job, education and medical centers, and, tens of thousands of people connected by this project is the most exciting part.”