Event celebrates reopening of improved trails along METRO Green Line Extension

Bike Month got rolling today as local leaders and cyclists gathered to celebrate improved and reopened bike trails connecting Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and Hopkins along the METRO Green Line Extension corridor.

"The Kenilworth and Cedar Lake trails mean everything to the people who rely on and enjoy them every day, and we're grateful for the immense patience our communities showed during their reconstruction," said Metropolitan Council Chair Robin Hutcheson. "After much anticipation, we are thrilled to formally reopen and restore this well-loved connection for our communities. With direct access to the future Green Line Extension, we couldn't help but title this weekend's event Open Trails to Rails."

As part of the Green Line Extension construction project, teams repaved sections of trail and:

• Added trail underpasses at Blake Road, Wooddale Avenue, and near the Louisiana Avenue Station, connecting the station to the regional trail.
• Built a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists over Beltline Boulevard in St. Louis Park.
• Realigned a trail crossing to provide a safer approach to a rail crossing near the Bryn Mawr Station.

Trail improvements were funded through the Green Line Extension project and with additional funding from Hennepin County, Three Rivers Park District and the cities of St. Louis Park and Hopkins.

The trails are useful for recreational cyclists and pedestrians as well as those who combine transit and biking. To facilitate bike-train connections, all light rail stations have bike racks and all light rail vehicles have upright racks for bikes to be stored. Learn more at metrotransit.org/bike.

"It is hard not to notice what is different"

Met Council leadership, local partners, and cyclists gathered Saturday, May 9, at the Green Line Extension's West Lake Street Station in Minneapolis to celebrate the improvements with community rides and other activities.

The Kenilworth and Cedar Lake trails, closed during construction, fully re-opened in late 2025. A short trail segment just east of the intersection of the Kenilworth Trail and the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis is open in a temporary condition and will be restored to its final condition later this summer.

Among the cyclists excited about the improvements is Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota's Erik Noonan, who grew up in the west metro.

"These trails have been a part of my life since childhood and seeing them transformed is deeply gratifying," Noonan said. "When I ride from my home in Minneapolis to visit family in Hopkins, it is hard not to notice what is different: Families on cargo bikes, kids learning to ride, commuters running errands, older neighbors staying active. Their being on the trails is the truest sign of the improvements working."

Green Line Extension service to begin in 2027

The Green Line Extension is a generational investment in our region's transit system that adds 14.5 miles to the existing METRO Green Line. The new segment adds more stations in Minneapolis and?extends service to St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie.

Testing is currently underway. Trail users are reminded to stay aware and stay safe, and to pay attention to all railroad crossing gate arms and warning lights. Trains can come from either direction at any time.

The Green Line Extension will open in 2027; an opening date will be announced later this year.

Contact: Laura Baenen, 612-269-4365