The Hennepin County Board this week approved more than $2.25 billion to pay for the Blue Line light-rail extension through the northwest suburbs, but that is not enough to allow the county to apply for federal funds.

County Board Chair Irene Fernando and others say the county needs another $225 million from the Met Council to fulfill local funding requirements before it can apply for a federal grant, making the gap the latest snag for the controversial initiative that would become the most expensive public transportation project in state history.

Fernando and Commissioner Jeff Lunde said the county can’t put any more money into the project and needs the Met Council to make up the difference to unlock federal funding.

“We are maxed out on our part,” Lunde said, calling the Met Council to step up.

Hennepin County has taken the lead on the Blue Line, which would run 13.4 miles from downtown Minneapolis to Brooklyn Park, with stops in Robbinsdale and Crystal along the way.

The county plans to use money collected through .50% sales tax dedicated for transit projects to cover most of its costs. Lunde said the Blue Line — estimated to cost $3.58 billion — also includes a 32% contingency to cover unexpected costs.

The Met Council has a surplus from the transit tax that can be used, he said.

“We have the money,” Lunde said. “The money is sitting there. We are done waiting. We’re ready to move this thing forward. We are so close.”

Paul Andrighetti, director of Communities Advancing Prosperity for Immigrants (CAPI), which serves immigrant communities in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, echoed Lunde’s thoughts.

“We demand the Met Council follow the lead of Hennepin County and close the funding gap for this project to unlock federal dollars crucial to the funding of the Blue Line,” he said during a rally Thursday. “It’s high time your wallets meet your mouth. It’s high time the Met Council buys in to light-rail and commits to fund this project.”

The county is seeking $752 million from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), a number that has stayed unchanged over the years even as the costs ballooned.

Originally, the $752 million represented about half of the $1.8 billion price tag. That amount now represents 21% of the total cost, leaving a larger burden on Hennepin County and the Met Council.

The Hennepin County Board in its 5-2 vote Tuesday said asking for more federal dollars would not be a viable option.

Without federal dollars, the Blue Line would likely be stuck, again. But, for now, the most pressing order of business is submitting an application, Fernando said.

“This is the step we are on and we must focus on the step we are on,” she said.

Even if the Met Council were to allocate the needed money, there is no guarantee the FTA would send money to Minnesota. The FTA has not approved any transit funding requests during President Trump’s second term.

But it’s worth the try, Lunde said.

“You can’t ask the question if you don’t submit an application,” Lunde said. “We have to take this step then we have that next fight. I would like to have that fight. If we can’t get to the FTA it does not matter.”

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