Trump brings uncertainty to controversial Blue Line extension
Relentless opposition by neighborhood groups has failed so far to derail the Met Council’s plan to proceed with the controversial Blue Line light rail extension to Brooklyn Center. The community group SLR81 acknowledged that reality in a post on its website.
It is with great regret that we need to inform you that both the city councils of Robbinsdale and Crystal have voted to approve the Blue Line Line extension as currently proposed.
While many of the councilpersons claim to have worked with the Met Council to address concerns that would have checked the Municipal Consent vote, it is uncertain how/if the Met Council will be held accountable for these.
Nothing has succeeded in slowing down the momentum of the estimated $3.2 billion project, which would surpass the behind-schedule, over-budget, scandal-plagued Southwest Light Rail Transit Line (SWLRT) as the most expensive public works project in state history. Nothing, until Donald Trump became president-elect, striking fear over the project’s future into Met Council big-wigs, according to the Star Tribune.
The fate of more than $1 billion in federal funding needed to build the Blue Line light-rail extension from Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park remains unclear as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office next month.
In November, Trump nominated former Fox News host, MTV reality star and U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, a Republican from Wisconsin, to lead the U.S. Department of Transportation, the federal behemoth that distributes critical grants for big transit projects like the Blue Line extension.
The Capital Investment Program that would provide funding for the Blue Line came under fire during Trump’s first tenure in office. Still, the Met Council sought to put the best face on the development, pledging to move forward regardless of the changes ahead in Washington.
“Rather than speculating about actions Congress or the executive branch may take, we are continuing to advance this project with our regional partners and look forward to the shared work ahead,” the statement added. “A transit project that meets the needs of those it is built to serve will ultimately have the elements necessary to win approval.”
In fact, SWLRT received nearly $1 billion in critical funding during Trump’s first time in office. But some insiders warn that could turn out to be wishful thinking under the next Trump administration.
Given the chaos of last week’s budget showdown in Congress, it’s “impossible to predict how the new administration views federal funding of public transportation,” said Yonah Freemark, of the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank. “It’s all over the place with the Trump administration. The reality is that we’re running into the unknown at the moment.”
But if Trump’s first term is any guide, transportation funding will prioritize road projects over expanding passenger rail, public transit and bike and pedestrian projects, hallmarks of the Biden administration, Freemark said.
Hennepin County Board, already on the hook for $188 million, just authorized the expenditure of an additional $174 million over the next 18 months to keep the line alive. But what happens should the feds refuse funding remains anyone’s guess.
It’s unclear whether Hennepin County taxpayers would be on the hook to pony up approximately $1.5 billion if federal funds fail to materialize. If past financial scenarios are any guide, it’s unlikely the state will play a meaningful role in contributing toward a new light rail line.
When asked how Hennepin County might react to a possible lapse in federal funding, spokesperson Carolyn Marinan said officials are “hopeful that there will be continued ongoing support to fund this critical and transformational transit project.”