Mayor Says Feds Commit To Light Rail

ST. PAUL (AP) - St. Paul's mayor says the Federal Transit Administration will sign an agreement next week committing $460 million in aid for the Twin Cities light rail transit project.

Some have criticized the Metropolitan Council for proceeding with the $957 million project without an official federal aid commitment. During his State of the City address Monday night, Mayor Chris Coleman said the FTA will sign the agreement Tuesday at the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

Coleman says that will cap 30 years of discussions about connecting the Twin Cities by train.

The 11-mile Central Corridor route between downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis is about 12 percent complete.

Trains are expected to run beginning in 2014.