Hennepin County commits funds to revised Southwest LRT plan

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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Mike Doyle

Hennepin County Minnesota leaders approved a formal funding commitment to the Southwest Light Rail Transit plan with a reduced scope and overall cost.

 

The Hennepin County Board approved $5 million from the Environmental Response Fund to address areas of contamination associated with Southwest LRT. The board says this is consistent with the funding plan approved last week by the Corridor Management Committee.

The Corridor Management Committee, which advises the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council on all issues related to the design and construction of the Southwest Light Rail project, recommended ending the line at Southwest Station, deferring construction of Town Center Station and eliminating Mitchell Road Station to save nearly $250 million. The new project estimate would be $1.744 billion.

Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, who chairs Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority, said the approval is the “first down payment on a shared investment by the county and the cities along the corridor,” and that this sort of collaboration and joint problem solving is why this region is highly regarded by the federal government and why we succeed in obtaining federal funding.

The Twin Cities’ Metropolitan Council is expected to vote on the plan later this week. Eden Prairie is expected to donate city-owned land worth $3 million; Minnetonka, St. Louis Park and Hopkins also have indicated a willingness to make a financial investment to allow the project to go forward.

“The success that we have achieved through this collaborative process shows our commitment to improved access to quality transportation for residents and visitors in Hennepin County,” said Board Chair Jan Callison. “I would like to thank the many partners who came together to focus on the well-being and development of the region.”

Commitments to the plan will keep the project’s ranking by the federal government unaffected and are expected to maintain the project’s forward momentum toward a Full Funding Grant Agreement in late 2016. The line is currently scheduled to open in 2020.

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