As Green Line Extension test trains start rolling more frequently, Eden Prairie officials are zeroing in on one particular trouble spot: the at-grade rail crossing at Technology Drive near Flying Cloud Drive. With full passenger service slated for 2027, the city and Metro Transit are ramping up signage, enforcement planning, and school outreach at what they say is the most worrisome intersection in town.
Testing Ramps Up As Project Nears The Finish Line
Civil construction on the 14.5-mile Green Line Extension is largely wrapped up, and the project has moved into an extended systems testing phase that will run through 2026. This fall, the first light-rail vehicles were moved into the corridor as crews shifted from heavy construction to making sure everything actually works as designed.
Those milestones and the overall project timeline are laid out by the project office and in a project bulletin, according to the Metropolitan Council.
Why Technology Drive Has Everyone’s Attention
Technology Drive is one of the extension’s 14 at-grade crossings and the busiest of Eden Prairie’s four such crossings, which has pushed it to the top of the safety planning list.
State traffic records reviewed by local reporters show roughly 11,640 vehicles per day on Technology Drive in 2024 and a higher-than-expected number of crashes at or near the Flying Cloud Drive approach between 2021 and 2025, as reported by Eden Prairie Local News.
Officials Push For Outreach, Patrols, And A Visible Presence
Local leaders told the project committee they are not interested in waiting until opening day to get serious about safety at Technology Drive.
"Technology Drive makes me the most nervous," retiring Minnetonka Mayor Brad Wiersum told the oversight committee, describing the crossing as a top concern as trains become a regular presence.
Hennepin County Commissioner Heather Edelson pressed for more school-focused outreach so teenagers, in particular, understand the risks of cutting around gates or ignoring alarms. Outreach staff told the committee they are contacting school districts and sending mailings to nearby residents as testing ramps up, according to Eden Prairie Local News.
Cameras, Enforcement, And The Real-Time Information Center
Metro Transit officials say their Transit Police operate a Real-Time Information Center that watches live camera feeds from trains and stations and helps route responses to incidents across the system. The idea is that monitoring can support faster dispatch when something happens, and also help with forensic review after the fact.
That camera coverage is concentrated at stations rather than at every at-grade crossing, which means old-fashioned on-the-ground enforcement and driver awareness are still crucial at places like Technology Drive. For background on how Metro Transit monitors video and supports incident response, see Metro Transit. CBS Minnesota has reported on how those feeds are used to shape patrols.
What Drivers And Riders Should Brace For Next
Motorists and pedestrians around Technology Drive should expect gates, bells, and flashing lights to be activated repeatedly as crews run trains and test systems day and night. Project staff and operators say they still have hundreds of device checks and many train runs to complete before regular service begins.
The Metropolitan Council continues to stress point-to-point testing of signals, switches, powe,r and crossing equipment before passengers ever board a train. In the meantime, officials are asking drivers to take the practice runs seriously and obey all active warning systems while testing continues. For the project timeline and key testing milestones, see the update from the Metropolitan Council.
