For supporters of the Southwest Corridor light-rail project, events this summer in Washington state offer a cautionary tale.
A light-rail transit project runs into criticism over its cost and value. Despite millions of dollars spent and endorsement by the federal government, the project collapses in the face of political opposition.
The specific problems that plagued the bridge and transit project in the Pacific Northwest differ from those now confronting planners of the LRT line between downtown Minneapolis and the southwest suburbs. But the experience demonstrates how a transit project can run off the rails after years of detailed planning and preparation.
Some veterans of planning for the Southwest Corridor project worry that it, too, will stall in the face of controversy over costs and execution.
"I'm deeply discouraged at this stage," said Hennepin County Commissioner Gail Dorfman, who has spent years working on Southwest.
The Southwest LRT is hung up by Minneapolis residents who don't want it running above ground through their parkland and by St. Louis Park residents who don't want to see freight trains rerouted through their neighborhoods to make room for the light-rail line.
The Metropolitan Council, the regional agency overseeing the project, has offered to bury the LRT in tunnels in Minneapolis or to design a freight reroute that would spare a high school football stadium in St. Louis Park.
While some local officials want to take more time to consider alternatives, Met Council Chair Susan Haigh said last week that her agency is on track to choose an option on Aug. 28.