Group gets grant to study Central Corridor's health impact

A group of Twin Cities community organizations has received a national grant to study the health impacts of development spurred by the future Central Corridor light-rail line.

Doran Schrantz, executive director of the interfaith group ISAIAH, says the study could help shape St. Paul's plans for biking and walking paths and affordable housing.

Schrantz says the city already appears to be moving in the right direction on its land-use plans.

"But I think bringing even more empirical data into the picture, and particularly with this lens of how it would impact low-income communities of color, I think there can be some interesting findings. And we will definitely be pushing and challenging decision makers to take the recommendations into account," Schrantz said.

ISAIAH is also working with the national research institute PolicyLink and the organizing group TakeAction Minnesota.

An early draft of the study is expected to be released in January.