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Light rail plans continue despite funding challenges
Published 12:00pm Thursday, May 24, 2007Despite funding challenges, Otter Tail County residents still can plan on light rail starting in 2009 from Big Lake to Minneapolis.
The new rail station will be located about halfway between the Twin Cities and St. Cloud. Light rail currently runs from downtown Minneapolis, near the Target Center, to the Mall of America.
The rail stretch from Big Lake to Minneapolis is known as the Northstar line. The cost has increased from $310 million to $320 million.
A bill that was pending in the State Legislature was designed to release an additional $60 million in state funds for the Northstar line.
“The rail funding was in the bonding bill, but nothing happened,” State Rep. Bud Nornes (R-Fergus Falls) said. “The first bonding bill was vetoed and the second bill never materialized in the State House.”
Nonetheless, there’s enough funding available to get the rail project started.
Project officials have about $51 million in county funds and about $98 million in previously approved state funds to start construction in June.
The federal government will contribute an additional $10 million for the line between Big Lake and Minneapolis.
Work will begin first on extending the Hiawatha light rail line four blocks along Fifth Street in downtown Minneapolis to a connection with the Northstar line at the site of the new Twins baseball stadium near Target Center.
Another immediate cost is the purchase of four locomotives, to be delivered next year, at a cost of $2.7 million each.
