This is the year for everyone to get on board with the Central Corridor light-rail project, according to many involved with the nearly $1 billion plan to connect the downtowns of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Important deadlines lie ahead this year, and if squabbles can be squashed, the federal government just might cut a check to pay for half of the project.
But if peace can't be reached, construction gets pushed back and costs rise by millions of dollars. Right now, trains are expected to roll in 2014.
"We are shaving this exceedingly close," said Metropolitan Council Chairman Peter Bell. His agency is leading the project, which is being monitored by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
Approval to enter into final design is expected to happen in late February. That's when the last details get worked out, bid packages are prepared and construction plans are finalized. Work has already begun in downtown St. Paul to move utilities underneath the streets.
Perhaps most important is the expected announcement of funding slated for the end of June. The so-called Full Funding Grant Agreement is a contract between the FTA and Central Corridor planners that defines the schedule, scope and cost of the project. It also lays out the maximum amount of money the federal government is to pay,
Bill Harper, chief of staff for Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said the project is very much a priority of the federal government.
However, local disagreements -- which are expected in large projects such as the Central Corridor -- must be fixed before any final approval is given.