Metropolitan Council, the regional policy-making and planning agency for the Twin Cities region, achieved a milestone in the long planning process for the proposed $1.77-billion Southwest Light Rail Transit Line project. The Federal Transit Administration published the final environmental document on the project, acknowledging advances in the design-bid-build project design that will minimize environmental impacts during construction and ongoing operation of the 17-station rail line that will run 14.5 miles from downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie through the communities of St. Louis Park, Hopkins and Minnetonka. The design team consists of architect Kimley-Horn, engineer AECOM and landscape architect Perkins+Will. Construction is slated to begin in 2017. Metropolitan Council, Auburn Dees, 390 Robert St. N., Saint Paul, 55101-1805. DR#11-00630021.