Met Council reaches agreement with TC&W to advance Southwest light-rail line

The Metropolitan Council and the Twin Cities & Western Railroad (TC&W) have reached a tentative agreement that will help clear the way for construction of the Southwest light-rail project.

The pact resolves "remaining issues resulting from the colocation of freight rail and light rail in the Kenilworth Corridor and Bass Lake Spur," said Met Council Chair Alene Tchourumoff and TC&W President Mark Wegner in a joint statement.

The Bass Lake Spur runs through St. Louis Park, Hopkins and Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Later this week, the agreements will be considered by the Hennepin County Board, the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority and the Met Council.

After the governing bodies approve and finalize the arrangement with TC&W, the Surface Transportation Board is expected to issue a "favorable ruling" on the agreement, Met Council officials said.

Bids for the project are currently set to expire on Aug. 1, but Tchourumoff has asked bidders to extend their bid validity another 60 days. Bidders are given 10 business days to respond to the Met Council's request.

In addition, Tchourumoff asked the Federal Transit Administration to cease consideration of the council's existing application for a Letter of No Prejudice. That letter would allow construction to start before a Full Funding Grant Agreement is obtained.

The council aims to resubmit an application after the TC&W agreement is finalized.

An extension of Metro Transit's Green Line, the 14.5-mile Southwest project would run from Minneapolis to Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The cost of the line has recently grown to more than $2 billion.