History: The original scope of the METRO Green Line Extension Light Rail Transit Project (Southwest Light Rail Transit Project) included a station at Eden Prairie Town Center (EPTC Station).  As part of the cost cutting measures undertaken in the summer of 2015, numerous project elements were removed including the EPTC Station.  Prior to establishment of the final Full Funding Grant Agreement scope in the fall of 2018 the City of Eden Prairie (City) was successful in obtaining federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant funds for the construction of the EPTC Station. This allowed the station construction to be added back into the base project.

The City is party to Subrecipient Agreement 010488260 (Subrecipient Agreement) with the Metropolitan Council (Council) whereby the Council allocated to the City the $6,141,560 in federal CMAQ grant funds.  As part of the Subrecipient Agreement, the City agreed to pay the Council $1,535,390 for the required 20 percent local match (Local Match) for the CMAQ grant. 

Per the Subrecipient Agreement, the Council and the City agreed to use the CMAQ funds and the Local Match for construction of the EPTC Station to be constructed by the Council as part of the METRO Green Line Light Rail Transit Extension project.

As described in the Subrecipient Agreement, the EPTC Station will serve the area's most transit-dependent population including senior citizens and low-income residents.  Several assisted living facilities are located near the EPTC Station. Furthermore, approximately 1,057 housing units are located within a half-mile of the station of which 44 percent are occupied by low-income households earning 60 percent below the area median income. The close proximity of the EPTC Station to employment and commercial centers will serve as an important node along the METRO Green Line Extension Project alignment. The EPTC Station is appropriately sited in a dense area consisting of retail, restaurants, multi-family housing and office uses. The EPTC Station will be located on Eden Road adjacent to the Emerson Process Management building which employs over 1,000 people. Additionally, approximately 15,793 employees are located within 1/2 mile of the EPTC Station. Ridership at the EPTC Station is anticipated at approximately 550 daily weekday boardings.

Based on the regional significance of the project and the benefits to the county from the construction of the station, the City has requested that the county participate in funding the Local Match in the amount of $1,191,449.  Under the proposed agreement, the county would reimburse the City in the amount of $1,191,449 after the City pays the Council the full $1,535,390 Local Match. Staff has identified the County’s one-half cent transportation and transit sales tax as the source of the County funds.

This use is consistent with the adopted Hennepin County Sales and Use Transportation Tax Implementation Plan, which identifies the SWLRT project as one of the uses of the revenues from the tax.