MnLRT...Moving Minnesoootans Into the Next Century

Published Thursday, January 29, 1998
Star-Tribune, All Rights Reserved ©
Laurie Blake

Aruguments open in light rail transit debate
"The opening pitch for $100 million in state funding to help build the first line of light-rail transit in the Twin Cities area was made to the state Legislature Wednesday.

County commissioners representing the seven core counties in the metro area, plus representatives of business interests from downtown Minneapolis, St. Paul and the Mall of America, came together in support of a Hiawatha Avenue light-rail line running from downtown Minneapolis to the airport and the Mall of America.

Those speaking to the House Transportation and Transit Committee argued that:

• We're facing gridlock.
• We're falling behind other cities our size in addressing the mobility needs of our residents.
• We're not getting our fair share of federal transportation funding.

They said a $100 million commitment from Minnesota is necessary to win $200 million from the federal government.

And they asked for an additional $6 million to start developing transit along five other routes fanning out from Minneapolis and St. Paul.

To prime the pump, they dropped the names of U.S. Sens. Paul Wellstone and Rod Grams, who are supporting the efforts of U.S. Reps. Martin Sabo, Jim Oberstar, Bruce Vento, Bill Luther and Jim Ramstad in a bipartisan request for $200 million in federal funding for lightrail on Hiawatha.

They even presented committee members with a letter from Rep. Bud Shuster, R-Pa., chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, saying Shuster looks forward to working with Oberstar to ensure that the Twin Cities area gets money for a rail project in an upcoming federal transportation spending bill.

Rep. Alice Hausman, a St. Paul DFLer on the state House Transportation Committee, announced that she would sponsor a bill to move forward with lightrail and to study the other corridors. "We're hoping that our state commitment can show Washington we are serious about this," she said.

With none of the legislators taking shots at the project, the session was a surprisingly upbeat opening to what is sure to be a battle for the funding.

Standing at the back of the room was Lyle Wray, director of the anti-rail Citizens League. He dismissed Wednesday's presentation as a "love fest" and said there will be another side."

Star-Tribune, All Rights Reserved ©

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