Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) today voted in favor of legislation that would audit the beleaguered Southwest Light Rail project, which is years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget with no end in sight. The project is also under investigation for causing damage to nearby buildings. The bill passed the Senate unanimously.

“Unfortunately, Southwest Light Rail has become a poster child for the frustrations that people have with government,” Nelson said. “It is far behind schedule and significantly over budget, and it’s hard to guess what the final total will be. This audit will help us get the project under control, give taxpayers some measure of transparency, and help us assess if the project should even continue forward.”

A Senate amendment to the bill increases reporting and accountability, requiring the Metropolitan Council to notify the Legislature whenever the project is expected to be delayed by 6 months or more, or total costs are expected to increase by 5%.  

The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 129-1 on March 3. With the Amendment, the House can either concur with the change or move the bill to a Conference Committee to work out the differences.