St. Paul light-rail hub plan bumps into a fiscal reality

It's time to cut costs for the Central Corridor light-rail line, and Met Council Chairman Peter Bell asked Ramsey County rail officials Tuesday whether they would be willing to end further study of one option for a terminus at the Union Depot's rear concourse in downtown St. Paul.

The Rail Authority board, composed of the county commissioners, said more time and discussion were needed before deciding that.

Four routes are being looked at for the end of the line. One ends in front of the Union Depot and cuts a diagonal through the block at 4th and Cedar streets. The other three would end at the concourse using either Wacouta, Broadway or the 2nd Street viaduct.

Bell said early studies show the viaduct would need to be rebuilt at a cost of $57.8 million. It's not worth it, he said. The two other options would still be studied.

The county sees the concourse in Lowertown as an integral piece of mass transit operations. The depot lobby, or headhouse, is privately owned.

It is the county's preferred choice for the terminus of the Central Corridor line, which is set to get rolling in 2014. It could also open up the depot to Amtrak, high-speed rail from Chicago, commuter bus lines and bicycles.

The Rail Authority recently signed a purchase agreement with the U.S. Postal Service to buy the concourse. The depot is scheduled to reopen as a transit hub in 2012.

"I'm fully aware of and support Ramsey County's vision of having a transit hub," Bell said. "It's a question of timing and resources."

The 11-mile line has an estimated $1 billion cost right now that needs to be trimmed to $840 million, Bell said. Spending $3 million to $4 million studying an option with poor prospects would be unnecessary, he said.

Chris Havens • 651-298-1542