U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters stared Tuesday into a construction pit, future home of the downtown Northstar commuter rail station. She was ready to walk the line in her high heels, but not ready to jump on board.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty expressed confidence that the Northstar line would receive $156.8 million in government funding, which would cover half the project's expenses. But Peters could only promise a decision would be made by the U.S. Department of Transportation this fall.

Bob McFarlin, assistant to Minnesota's transportation commissioner, noted that Minnesota received federal permission in May to begin construction and that the Northstar project had received an invitation to apply for federal funding -- "and no project that's ever gone this far has failed to win [federal] approval." He said he expects word of federal funding for the 40-mile line from downtown Minneapolis to Big Lake in Sherburne County to arrive in September.

But Federal Transit Administrator James Simpson -- standing with Peters, Pawlenty and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak atop a barricaded 5th Street bridge overlooking the deep gravel hole where the station will be built -- could offer no concrete assurances other than that the proposal is one of a dozen that will be reviewed.

But some officials were more certain that federal funding will likely come through.

"Well, of course, we're confident that the Northstar project will receive federal funding this fall," said Anoka County Commissioner Dan Erhart. "Why else would the secretary of transportation come all the way from Washington for a press conference at a construction site?"

Looking toward the site of the proposed Twins ballpark, Rybak made another pitch to Peters: He'd like to convert some of the area's large freeway bridges into city streets, where new condominiums would seem more welcome.

Dreaming of an All-Star Game five years from now at the new ballpark, Rybak told Peters that spectators could come from Anoka County via the Northstar line, from St. Paul or Bloomington on the Hiawatha line, from Rochester on the Jefferson bus line and from Minnetonka on the bike trail.

"Prince, who will sing the national anthem, could take the carpool lane, since he always has an entourage," Rybak said with a laugh.

Peters, Rybak and other officials talked as a moving train sounded its horn on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line in the background. A group that included commissioners from Anoka and Sherburne counties, Minnesota Department of Transportation brass, Northstar project officials and the news media all wore hard hats and lime green and orange worker's vests at the construction site. But Peters, Pawlenty, Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau and Rybak eschewed hard hats and vests.

Peters walked from atop the bridge, down narrow concrete steps, alongside the parking lot that serves as the proposed Twins ballpark site and through dirt to get a closer view of the Northstar station construction area.

She said extending the Northstar line to St. Cloud, an idea that has been under study, will be considered. She commended the local counties -- Hennepin, Anoka and Sherburne -- that sent the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad a check for $24 million in late May to seal the deal to operate commuter trains on the company's freight tracks. "I think you should be confident," she told the Minnesota officials.

Paul Levy • 612-673-4419 • plevy@startribune.com