urbanMSP

Yeah, they're making pretty good progress on the Glenwood bridges now, I can't comprehend why it would take two more years for that portion of the Cedar Lake trail to reopen.

South Cedar Lake (Hopkins to France): 2024

I also don't get why it is going to take so many years to complete the 1/2 mile tunnel. Are they digging with spoons? Seriously, London is finally opening their Corss Rail/ Elizabeth Line this year after several years of delay. However, that extensive tunneling went through one of the densest and oldest cities in Europe. Is the water table thing that complicated?

There were some sloppy/slanted lines from KSTP in the story, but I wouldn't rank that as one of them. At least one Hennepin County Commissioner (Chair Marion Greene IIRC) has explicitly stated that they don't think Hennepin County taxpayers should foot the entire bill for the latest overages, and that the state should also contribute. A FFGA is already signed and committed, so there is no guarantee of additional money from the feds above and beyond what was already agreed to. The County hasn't yet made an explicit request to the state for funding either, so I'll agree it's a bit of a tossup as to whether it's an entirely accurate account by KSTP. KSTP is likely extrapolating that because the Met Council is a body of the state, so it is assumed that state funding is paying for light rail, when that isn't actually true. State funds appropriated by the legislature do pay for ongoing LRT operations (subsidies), but not for initial construction. Even on the central corridor green line project, the state only provided 10% of the capital costs. They haven't even done that for Southwest. The last money appropriated by the legislature for Southwest probably came nearly a decade ago for initial planning/engineering (MNGOP has held either the house or senate since 1/1/2015).

The current/default funding situation is that Hennepin County will have to pay up to cover this latest massive cost increase. Perhaps the FTA will find a way to cough up $100M or so, but I'd expect the Hennepin County Board will ultimately approve the additional expenditures as they come due, because the alternative is construction coming to a halt. Whether they do that by borrowing (bonding) against future transit sales tax proceeds or actually tap property taxpayers directly over the next couple of years remains to be seen. With the cost of borrowing going up and uncertain sales tax proceeds (flat?, growing more slowly than pre-pandemic?), I'd guess it'll have to be a bit of both to make up that $500 mil.

There are existing sidewalks that connect to the apartments and retail surrounding the station area, but yeah it probably will be a lot of Park and Riders from that station or people having to connect to SW Prime to finish their trip.

My wife now works in offices just north of 212/Shady Oak and is hoping there will be pedestrian access to the City West station from the south.