MINNEAPOLIS — Editor's note: The video above originally aired in January 2022.
The Minnesota State Senate voted unanimously Monday to allow an audit of the multi-billion dollar Southwest Light Rail project.
Critics of the project within the Republican-led body argue the new rail service — an extension of the Metro Green Line connecting downtown Minneapolis to its southwest suburbs — is years behind schedule, experiencing a lack of oversight and transparency, and is amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars over budget.
In addition to passing the House version of the bill, the Senate also passed an amendment requiring the Metropolitan Council, which is managing the project, to notify the state legislature when they believe the project could face further delays of six months or more, or the price tag could increases by 5% or more.
The version of the bill passed by the Democratic-led House was approved by a vote of 129-1 earlier this month, and will now go under review to decide whether to agree with the new amendment, or be referred to a conference committee to resolve any discrepancies.
In January, the Met Council Board voted unanimously to put an extra $210 million toward the project, which is now slated to be completed by 2025 and to begin service in 2027.
The original estimate for the light rail's construction was $1.8 billion, but has already breached $2 billion. The Met Council now says the total could top $2.7 billion when all is said and done. Even at $1.8 billion, the light rail — mostly paid for by Hennepin County, Hennepin County Rail, and transit grants from the federal Department of Transportation — is the largest public works construction project in state history.
Both Republicans and Democrats in the state legislature have expressed opposition to the project over the years for several reasons, among them, the price tag and route.
Some proponents of the new 14.5-mile track argue the project is creating jobs and improving development along the passage connecting Minneapolis with Eden Prairie, and running through hubs like St. Louis Park, Minnetonka and Hopkins.
The audit bill was authored by members of both parties in the legislature.
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