The oft-critiqued, over-budget, and long overdue Southwest Light Rail project is again in the crosshairs of lawmakers, including a group of bipartisan State Senators who are blasting the Met Council's oversight after a new Legislative Auditor report.
"Senator, I take your comments ad hoc, I want you to know, and those of the committee, that we're here to fairly represent the condition of both the project and how we are actually admitting, acknowledging, the faults and the areas that need to be addressed," said Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle on Monday after a brutal state auditor review of the project.
The Office of the Legislative Auditor's report found "instances of noncompliance and weaknesses in internal controls" in cost discrepancies, along with work with certain subcontractors, contaminated soils and security, leaving a lot to be addressed.
The report is alarming, considering the excessive costs that have risen for the project which extends the Metro Transit Green Line from Minneapolis southwest to Eden Prairie.
State Senator Mark Koran (R- North Branch) is an opponent of continuing the project and told the WCCO Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar that he isn't surprised by the investigation's findings. Democratic Senator Scott Dibble (Minneapolis) is the Chair of the Transportation Committee and also has been critical of the project and lack of oversight of the Met Council.
"None of it is shocking because government chooses never to transform itself and to be responsive and respective of the dollars, and be experts at what they do, when we engage in these projects," says Sen. Koran. "And so, whether it be the Southwest Light Rail or our technology problems, it always comes back to the fundamental basics. Do we know our job well enough? And do we respect the citizens and the dollars we spend to ensure we get the greatest value we can for for the services and the projects we choose to engage in? But this one is, it's a continuation of shocking mismanagement and oversight and costing us almost doubled the project costs from its anticipated forecast when this thing started."
Koran goes on to say he is frustrated by a "self-congratulatory attitude of the Met Council and Chair Zelle."
In a statement provided to WCCO Radio from Zelle, he says they're prepared to work on being more transparent but adds the overall goal remains the same.
"The Met Council supports the Office of the Legislative Auditor's recommendations and is committed to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement," the statement reads. "We are implementing enhanced measures for cost estimation, DBE monitoring, payment verification, environmental oversight, and security to ensure exceptional project delivery. We remain dedicated to building a transit system that will serve our communities for generations to come."
So far, the project has cost around $2.8 billion, far more than the original price tag of $1.3 billion in 2013.
"Most importantly, as I mentioned before, there were no overpayments and we have protected, we believe, taxpayers' interests in delivering this project," Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle said at Monday's hearing. "Southwest Light Rail, or we refer to as the Green Line Extension, is a generational investment in a transformative network of transit throughout this metro area."
Koran says the change orders that have come since the project began are indefensible, adding around $700 million to the overall cost.
"What did they not know in studying this a decade prior to 2013," asks Koran. "It just shows they haven't done the basics and oversight. They didn't know the job well enough to define the project criteria or make comprehensive decisions that would have been able to put this project on the original plan."
Senator John Jasinski (R-Faribault), lead Republican on the Senate Transportation Committee, called the project an "utter failure" and said Senate Republicans will propose halting the next $30 million light rail expansion.
There is also a proposed extension of the Metro Transit Blue Line north out of downtown and into North Minneapolis - if it gets completed.
WCCO political analyst Blois Olson notes that if the state may owe the federal government money that was granted for the construction of the SW Light Rail.
"They didn't meet federal guidelines," say Olson. "There's a chance, you talk about federal cuts, there's a chance Minnesota's gonna owe the federal government money back on Southwest Light Rail after it's been delayed and cost billions of dollars more. Just think about that. Think about the frustration on voter's minds if that's the case."
Will that actually happen though? Koran isn't sure.
"It depends," he says. "So, for them not meeting the goals, I don't know. That piece hasn't come up yet, what we would be on the hook for. But these are billions now. I think there's a minimum of a billion dollars subsidy on this one from the federal government. And now we've brought it, in addition to that, another, $2 billion. And maybe it will be up in 2027, when the forecast will be up. The challenge is, 20-plus years have passed since this was started."
There's also a question of ridership. Since this project was conceived, implemented and costs have gone up significantly, ridership on both Metro Transit trains and buses has dropped, whether due to work-at-home changes, crime or perceived crime increases on transit, or a combination of issues.
"Does it even come close to what the original forecast or the revised forecast, or reality of what the desire is or the utilization will be today? Those are just more challenges that we just have no faith in the work they've done, no forecast that they put out," says Koran.
Lawmakers, including Koran, are calling for more reforms to the unelected Metropolitan Council. That body is appointed by the Governor. So far, there's been no comment on the latest findings from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.