Metropolitan Council officials report community listening as Northstar evaluation continues

Metropolitan Council officials on April 9 said they are continuing community outreach and evaluation work around the Northstar commuter rail corridor and described recent conversations with communities in Anoka and Sherburne counties as "productive and positive."

Regional Administrator Ryan told the council staff and members took part in listening sessions in communities along the corridor and emphasized that, despite lower-than-expected ridership, transit-oriented development and pedestrian improvements built around Northstar remain community assets.

Why it matters: The Northstar evaluation may inform service changes, investments or alternative uses of the corridor; council members said they want to preserve benefits such as adjacent development and pedestrian access while aligning service with current travel demand.

What council members heard Ryan said the conversations focused on community concerns and opportunities and that officials are preparing additional community engagement sessions in the affected areas. "It was a listening chance for us as much as sharing anything about what our community is most concerned about," Ryan said.

Council Member Diego Morales and others described the meetings as opportunities to surface local priorities. Officials emphasized that improving or changing service could build on existing transit-oriented development rather than reduce community value.

"These assets where the value comes in does not necessarily degrade if you think about increasing service in new and improved ways that match today's travel demands, it actually offers opportunities to further build on what has been built," Ryan said.

Next steps Council staff said they will continue community outreach around the Northstar corridor and report back to the council as additional evaluation findings and public input are gathered. No formal decisions or votes on service changes were recorded at the April 9 meeting.