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Southwest Light Rail Cuts Mean Sacrifices For Communities

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The cutting is about to begin to parts of the Southwest Light Rail project between downtown Minneapolis and Eden Prairie.

Last month, the Metropolitan Council said cost estimates had ballooned to about $2 billion – an increase of about 25 percent from earlier estimates.

Some of the easier cuts would involve reducing artwork, landscaping, new trails and even park-and-ride lots. But those reductions alone wouldn't come close to the $341 million in cuts that are needed.

The chair of the Metropolitan Council, Adam Duinick, said every community along the line will likely have to sacrifice.

"It's going to be hard to see how we get to the 341 number without everybody looking at an option," he said.

The challenge is making big cuts that won't in turn cause a big drop in ridership or jeopardize safety.

Earlier plans called for 17 stations along the 16-mile route. If the line is shortened, Eden Prairie -- at the end of the line -- could lose as many as three of its five stations.

Eden Prairie Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens said her city could deal with the loss of the final station at Mitchell Street, but not two others.

"The loss of Southwest station is problematic," she said. "The loss of Town Center station would be devastating."

In Minneapolis, leaders initially signed on with the promise that three stations would skirt the edges of north Minneapolis, creating job opportunities.

Two of those three north Minneapolis stations are now being considered for elimination – the Royalston and Penn stations.

The mayor's policy director, Peter Wagenius, said there aren't enough busing options to the one station that would be left for residents on the north side.

"What we saw today will fail to serve the people this line was intended to serve," he said. "How far are we going to make them walk? How much are we going to inconvenience them? How are they going to get there?"

No decisions were made today, but in the coming weeks, leaders of the project will start to narrow their choices of potential cuts.

A final vote is expected on July 8.

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