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Mudslide halts morning service on Metro Transit Green Line

Light rail trains stopped carrying passengers between the Eastbank and Westbank Stations after someone reported a mudslide.

MINNEAPOLIS — Heavy rainfall is likely the cause of a mudslide along the east bank of the Mississippi River, near the University of Minnesota, Wednesday morning. 

University staff reported the mudslide to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board around 9:30 a.m.

The portion of East River Parkway from Delaware Street to Arlington Street, which is above the bluff where the mudslide happened, will be closed through the weekend as a precaution. A trail along the parkway will also be closed.

Park Board officials are concerned how the bluff and nearby land will hold up with more rain on the way. 

"Really, from a safety standpoint, we don’t want people close to that failed area," said Cliff Swenson, Director of Design and Project Management for the Park Board, "But then also, we’re not sure what could happen to the parkway and the trail. There’s additional rain that’s forecast [for Wednesday night]. So, we’re going to err on the side of safety and caution."

The mudslide temporarily halted service on the Metro Transit Green Line Wednesday morning. 

Metro Transit announced the stoppage on its Twitter feed just after 11:30 a.m., saying trains were not carrying passengers between the Eastbank and Westbank Stations after someone reported a mudslide. Engineers were dispatched to assess the situation and buses were pressed into service between Stadium Village and the West Bank Station. 

Credit: KARE
Engineers were called in to check out equipment and make sure it was safe to resume service.

At 12:30 p.m., an hour after the mudslide was reported, the engineering team determined it was safe to start running the light rail trains again.  Metro Transit expects things to get back on schedule shortly. 

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