Representatives from the Met Council say the Blue Line extension remains on track, despite a delayed vote to accept $75 million from Hennepin County for the project and to authorize a contractor to create more detailed engineering drawings for the project.
“Work on the Metro Blue Line extension has not paused and there is no delay to the project or plans,” said John Schadl, a Met Council spokesperson, in response to the article “Blue Line extension plan delayed” published in the Aug. 31–Sept 6, 2023 edition of MSR.
On August 23, several Met Council members voted to postpone accepting Hennepin County money for the project, as well as to allow a contractor to refine design plans, citing concerns about the lack of transparency over how the agency makes decisions.
Their concerns are focused on a funding agreement reached between staff at the Met Council and Hennepin County to patch a $272 million deficit for the Southwest Light Rail project, which is being built to connect Target Field Station with the suburbs of St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. Met Council members, some of whom say they had no role in crafting the agreement, were frustrated about the inability to understand what they are voting on in a short amount of time.
The item they were to vote on involved bringing in funding for the Blue Line extension and did not include a provision to approve the funding agreement for the Southwest Light Rail project. Staff and some council members expressed concern at the August 23 meeting about being able to pay workers and contractors associated with the project should funding lapse. Staff at that meeting said they can continue paying in-house staff using the agency’s operating funds.
Meanwhile, Hennepin County says they have assumed all anti-displacement work in-house for the time being. “Currently, it’s all being led by internal Hennepin County [staff] and in partnership with Met Council staff,” said Hennepin County spokesperson Kyle Mianulli.
Amid the confusion, Met Council staff plan to explain the items in detail at the Committee of the Whole meeting on September 6. Met Council members would then vote on the items at their regular meeting on September 13.
The Hennepin County Board voted unanimously on August 22 to give Metro Transit $75 million to continue planning the Blue Line extension.
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