Lawmakers were unable to pass a bonding or transportation bill to fund construction of the Southwest Light Rail Transit project as the legislative session ended May 22, according to the Star Tribune.

The end of the legislative session leaves Southwest Light Rail Transit (SWLRT) without necessary funding.

Construction on the $1.79 billion project is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2017, according to Metropolitan Council spokesman John Welbes. Half the funds are set to come from the federal government, according to the Metropolitan Council.

Democrats are disappointed with the lack of a transportation bill and the legislature’s inability to handle the $900 million budget surplus, according to MPR News.

SWLRT will operate out of downtown Minneapolis and run through St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Eden Prairie, according to the Metropolitan Council.

There will be three stations in St. Louis Park: Louisiana Avenue, Wooddale Avenue and Beltline Boulevard.

However, according to a Finance and Commerce report, if the state doesn’t provide the $135 million by July 1, the project may lose its federal funding.
St. Louis Park mayor Jake Spano said he felt disappointed in the legislature for not providing funding for SWLRT.

“It was incredibly disappointing that after months and years of work and years worth of support from everyone, from the transit-oriented folks to the environmental folks to the business community, that the funds weren’t secured,” Spano said.

The Metropolitan Council said it plans for funding to come from a combination of federal, state and local money.

Especially since SWLRT has had difficulty gaining support in Greater Minnesota, Spano said he supports a transit tax to pay for SWLRT where counties who would benefit from SWLRT.

“The feds don’t care necessarily if the state ponies up this 135 million bucks. They want to know if someone locally will pay,” Spano said.

Spano said SWLRT had widespread support from all impacted cities.

“Support was deep and wide and yet it still didn’t get across the finish line. This is far from over,” Spano said.

Spano said Senator Ron Latz insisted he wouldn’t pass a transportation bill that didn’t include SWLRT.

“Senator Ron Latz had been saying for months there would be no bonding or transit bill that didn’t include Southwest,” Spano said. “So when the bill came over from the House Sunday night at the last minute, I think everyone was surprised it didn’t include Southwest.”

In the following statement, the Metropolitan Council expressed its frustration that the legislature did not fund light rail transit:
“It is immensely disappointing that state lawmakers were unable to find a real, long-term solution for our transportation and transit needs. Despite broad support for transit funding, the Republican-led House and Speaker (Kurt) Daudt refused to include a SWLRT solution in the bonding bill.”

Spano said it is important for the state to provide the funding.

Set to open in 2020, expansion of Metro Transit light rail into St. Louis Park jumped a hurdle May 13, when the Federal Transit Administration published the final environmental document, according to the Metropolitan Council.

According to Welbes, the 17,000 page document answers citizens’ questions regarding noise impacts, change in wetlands and plans for mitigation of environmental impacts.

“At this point the state needs to step forward and make a commitment to transportation and transit. Without that money the project doesn’t go forward,” Spano said.

Gov. Mark Dayton has not yet officially called a special session, although some legislators are expecting one.