ANOKA, Minn. – The Northern Lights Express is still in the study phase, but the Anoka County Board voted this week to withdraw their support and financial commitment to the project. Acting as the county’s Regional Rail Authority, the commissioners voted 4-3 to leave the project’s alliance.
The rail line has already received $8 million dollars for preliminary engineering, which should start this fall, and last about a year and a half. With this new money, $21 million dollars has already been invested in the project, from a combination of city, county, state and federal dollars. Anoka was one of six counties supporting the project, along with Minneapolis and Duluth. It is too early to say how Anoka County’s decision will impact the project.
