Hiawatha Line

:For the Amtrak (and historically Milwaukee Road) interstate train route of the same name, see Hiawatha (passenger train).

Related Topics:
Amtrak - Milwaukee Road - Hiawatha (passenger train)

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The Hiawatha Line is a 12 mile (19 kilometer) light rail corridor in Minneapolis, Minnesota that extends to the southern suburb of Bloomington, in Hennepin County connecting downtown Minneapolis to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America, among other destinations. Groundbreaking for the line took place on January 17, 2001. Regular service began on a first phase of the line on June 26, 2004, with the second phase opening later that year on December 4. Each opening was accompanied with two days of free rides on the train and area buses. The line was tested for months before opening, with regular service simulated for about a month before each phase went online. It is operated by the Metro Transit division of the Metropolitan Council, which is also the largest operator of buses in the area.

Related Topics:
Mile - Kilometer - Light rail - Minneapolis, Minnesota - Bloomington - Hennepin County - Downtown - Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport - Mall of America - Groundbreaking - January 17 - 2001 - June 26 - 2004 - December 4 - Bus - Tested - Metro Transit - Metropolitan Council

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The Minneapolis-St. Paul area once had an extensive network of streetcars (operated for many years by Twin City Rapid Transit, a precursor of Metro Transit), but the tracks were removed and services were eliminated in the 1950s. The Hiawatha Line opened 50 years and one week after the last regular-service streetcars ran in the city.

Related Topics:
Minneapolis-St. Paul - Streetcar - Twin City Rapid Transit - 1950s

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