WATCH: Golden Valley Residents Tour the Light Rail

On a beautiful summer morning July 27, some Golden Valley residents went on a two-hour tour of the light rail transit downtown to see for themselves what it would be like to have it next to or near their homes.

"It's very good to go out and see it in the flesh, see the housing and stores going up and that it's quite safe," said Golden Valley resident Peter Lefferts. "The tour is good because you actually get to experience it rather than read about it. I think that some think it's like freight trains barreling through your neighborhood, but it's not."

A proposed light rail transitway called the Bottineau Transitway has been a hot topic of discussion for some time in Golden Valley as plans continue to percolate over how things will be. In the meantime, many residents have weighed in on pros, cons, with questions and concerns, about the changes it would create in Golden Valley.

Earlier this year, the Metropolitan Council amended the metro region’s Transportation Plan to include the Bottineau LRT. The Bottineau LRT (also known as the continuation of the “Blue Line”), will be an extension of the current Blue Line (Hiawatha LRT) into the northwest suburbs. The line will travel out of downtown Minneapolis, through Golden Valley along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Corridor, then into Robbinsdale, Crystal, and Brooklyn Park, where it will end north of Hwy 610.

Several times residents have voiced concerns about the noise pollution, the environmental and health impacts of light rail, increased amounts of people in areas of the city, safety and question the real economic impact and if the city can really support light rail infrastructure.

During the July 27 tour, representatives from Hennepin County, the city of Golden Valley and others were on hand to answer questions about noise, environmental and economic impact and how the light rail works.

In fact, the noise of the light rail was something surprising for a few of the residents who took advantage of the free tour Saturday morning.

"There's a little bit of noise, just that slight bell noise," said Golden Valley resident Karen Sloey. "It's not as noisy as a bus. When the school buses stop outside my house that's noise."

The tour went on part of the blue line or Hiawatha line. Participants walked through a neighborhood with new and old residential properties and businesses being able to hear the light rail and see how it interacted with the area.

"One of the most common arguments against the light rail is that it never breaks even and that's true for infrastructure, but during the tour they were reading the tax rolls and how the property around the rail has went up five or six fold and all the business it brings," Lefferts said. "Frankly I think light rail is more accepted by a wider swath of the population than buses in terms of the comfort."

Sloey said she never felt unsafe on the platforms or uncomfortable with others who were using it.

"I think people should definitely try it because I didn't ever have a feeling of being unsafe or encountering strange people on it," she said.    

Others on the tour agreed.

"It's important from the very beginning and the design of the facilities to give an overwhelming sense of light, visibility and safety," Lefferts said. 

The tour left many participants encouraged and even excited to use the light rail in the future.

"We'll be living near it," said Jane Lefferts. "Just to get to the airport, do you know how much money that will save? I might even actually go the Mall of America."

Perhaps a tour isn't what you're looking for, but more of a say on how things will be for the proposed Bottineau light rail station? The city is putting together a Bottineau Light Rail Transit (LRT) Planning Advisory Committee to guide the city’s participation in Hennepin County’s Station Area Planning Process. (The deadline for applications was July 26.) But you can still weigh in on health impact concerns by providing online feedback for the draft Bottineau Transitway Health Impact Assessment (HIA) anytime from now until Sept. 15. 

Looking for more information on the light rail? Patch continues to bring news and information on the topic and welcomes comments and suggestions for furthe coverage. 

The next Community Advisory Committee meeting for the Bottineau LRT is 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, location is still being determined.

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