Bill would transfer Southwest light-rail project from Met Council to MnDOT

A bill to transfer responsibility of the troubled Southwest light-rail project from the Metropolitan Council to the Minnesota Department of Transportation will be introduced Thursday at the State Capitol.

Sponsored by Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, the measure calls for MnDOT to assume responsibility by March 1 for "all aspects" of the Southwest project, including "planning, construction and oversight."

In January, the Met Council announced that the Southwest project will cost $450 million to $550 million more than expected and take four more years to complete. The line now could cost up to $2.75 billion and begin passenger service in 2027; at this time last year, the line's budget was $2 billion, with service beginning in 2023.

The regional planning body said complications related to tunnel construction in the Kenilworth corridor of Minneapolis, a $93 million crash-protection wall separating freight and light-rail trains west of Target Field, and the addition of a station in Eden Prairie caused the budget to balloon.

"The Met Council has shown us it's not capable of the same level of competency [as MnDOT] working on large infrastructure projects," said Dibble, the ranking minority member of the Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee.

Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis, confirmed Wednesday that he will introduce a companion bill in the House. Hornstein chairs the House Transportation committee.

Terri Dresen, spokeswoman for the Met Council, said in an e-mail: "As the federal grantee, it's unusual to transfer projects, but we are always open to discussing ways to improve outcomes for Minnesotans." Southwest has received a $929 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration.

MnDOT representatives were not available for comment Wednesday.

The 14.5-mile Southwest project would link downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie, with stops in St. Louis Park, Hopkins and Minnetonka along the way.

Dibble and Hornstein also are pushing for the Legislative Auditor's Office to conduct an audit of the project, a proposal that has the support of DFL Gov. Tim Walz and several Republican lawmakers as well.

Last month, residents of the Calhoun Isles condominium complex, located within feet of the light-rail route, alerted the Met Council that cracks were found in hallways and common areas of the condo towers. The council is investigating.