It's a bright spot in what has become a metro wide headache. Much to the delight of paddlers and kayakers, the Kenilworth Channel between Cedar Lake and Lake of the Isles has reopened.
The connecting waterway has been closed for nearly two years as three bridges were built over the channel as part of the Southwest Light Rail Transit Project. One of those bridges will serve the Metro Transit Green Line, which will eventually connect Eden Prairie to downtown Minneapolis.
The now $2.7 billion line is severely overbudget and it's completion has been delayed several times. It's now expected to wrap around 2027.
The Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County are expected to pick up the cost-overruns which at this point are double the original cost.
There was a $272 million funding gap revealed and the final agreement calls for each side covering an equal share in capital and startup costs. Hennepin County, which has already contributed more than $1 billion to the project, would pay 55% of the amount through an existing transportation sales tax. The rest of the cost will be paid for with federal money which the Met Council has on-hand.
At least a few Met Council members have expressed concern about spending more money they say is needed for other projects, including adding more electric buses to Metro Transit's fleet.
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