Politics & Government

Golden Valley to Decide on Bottineau at Tuesday Council Meeting

Tonight, councilmembers will review a resolution of support for the Bottineau Transitway locally preferred alternative, a pathway that would send a light rail through Golden Valley.

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Or dreading.

During their meeting tonight, Dec. 18, the Golden Valley City Council will vote on a resolution that would allow more studies to be done on the Bottineau Transitway’s locally preferred alternative--a light rail path that would bring the train through Golden Valley.

If the council adopts the resolution of support, the Metropolitan Council will vote to incorporate the Golden Valley alignment into the 2030 Twin Cities Regional Transportation Policy Plan. This would make the project eligible for federal funding, according to council documents.

While an environmental study that evaluates alternate routes for the Bottineau Transitway is underway, if the resolution is approved, the preliminary engineering phase for the locally preferred alternative would begin. A phase that Hennepin County’s Engineering and Transit Planning Manager Joseph Gladke says could cost $90 million.

If the council rejects the resolution, Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council will go back to the drawing board.

Golden Valley residents have not been shy in voicing their opinions on the issue. More than 100 residents attended the Bottineau Transitway public hearing in November and urged councilmembers to vote against the resolution. At the same time, a cluster of residents support the resolution and want to see more studies done on the Golden Valley route.

Adopting the resolution of support doesn’t mean that Golden Valley fully supports the light rail path.

Before the federal government can approve the project, the Metropolitan Council will have to collect another round of approvals - called municipal consent - from every city on the line, including Golden Valley.

Check back with Golden Valley Patch for updates on the Council's decision.


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