Testing begins on Green Line Extension connecting Minneapolis to Eden Prairie
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After years of construction delays and cost overruns, trains are now moving on the tracks of the METRO Green Line Extension – a major light rail project that will connect downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie.
The Metropolitan Council announced that testing has begun on the 14.5-mile extension, which is now about 95 percent complete. The new route will run through St. Louis Park, Hopkins and Minnetonka before ending at SouthWest Station in Eden Prairie. Passenger service is expected to begin in early 2027.
Officials say the project is expected to cost nearly $3 billion. Hennepin County and Metropolitan Council officials say every dollar has been closely reviewed after years of scrutiny over the project’s rising price tag.
“Every dollar that has been spent has been well scrutinized,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Marion Greene. “I feel confident in how this project has been executed.”
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Despite the high cost, officials say the investment is already driving growth. The Met Council estimates more than $3.1 billion in new housing and commercial development has been built or planned along the line, with another $700 million in the pipeline.
Once complete, the extension will include 16 stations and connect key job centers, schools and neighborhoods across the southwest metro to the existing Green Line, which currently links downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul.
“There's over 4,000 tests that have to occur to show that it's safe, it’s working the way it's supposed to, meets all the standards, and that's why it takes a full year to actually get all the testing done,” said Interim Met Council Chair Deb Barber.
Greene called the project a “generational investment,” saying it will provide affordable, environmentally friendly transportation while reducing the financial burden of car ownership for many residents.
Officials say testing will continue through 2026 to ensure the system meets federal safety and performance standards before opening to the public.
