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Northstar Corridor Development Authority (NCDA) officials have spent several years trying to get a commuter-rail project under way between Minneapolis and Big Lake, Minn. Their efforts have paid off. The $286.4 billion Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), approved by Congress on July 29, includes $80 million for the 40-mile line.

The appropriation is part of $132.5 million the authority expects to receive from the federal government for the $265 million project. Local governments already have committed a total of $44.2 million; the state has approved $37.5 million of the $88.3 million it is expected to contribute.

"Gaining this level of federal support is a major victory for the Northstar project and a significant step toward securing the remaining federal funds needed to get Northstar commuter rail up and running," said NCDA Chair Duane Grandy in a prepared statement.