Light Rail News, 27 Jul 2004

Krinkie: State hid LRT traffic data (Minneapolis StarTribune) - State officials knew years ago that the Hiawatha light-rail line would tie up traffic on nearby streets in Minneapolis, but they hid the information to keep the $715 million project on track, a state legislator alleged Tuesday.

Hennepin County wants its name on light-rail cars (Minneapolis StarTribune) - After contributing millions of dollars toward the Hiawatha light-rail line -- and watching it open to widespread praise -- Hennepin County wants its name on the trains. The County Board has voted to ask the Metropolitan Council, which operates the rail line, to list Hennepin County prominently on the rail cars and on all marketing material.

Light Rail Is Kept Off Ballot Again (Los Angeles Times) - Rather than let voters have a say in the controversial CenterLine project, Orange County transportation leaders on Monday said they would try to build political support for the $1-billion light-rail system among local cities. For the second time in a month, the Orange County Transportation Authority's Board of Directors killed a proposal to place an advisory measure on the November ballot as a possible way to persuade Congress to help fund the project.