▁the ▁extension ▁to ▁W oden , ▁however ▁it ▁fav oured ▁a ▁different ▁path ▁around ▁Capital ▁Hill , ▁arg uing ▁for ▁a ▁route ▁along ▁the ▁State ▁Circle . ▁A ▁delay ▁in ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁response ▁meant ▁planning ▁work ▁for ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁post pon ed , ▁though ▁choosing ▁to ▁not ▁purs ue ▁the ▁Bart on ▁route ▁could ▁mean ▁a ▁simpler ▁regul atory ▁process . ▁The ▁A CT ▁Government ▁is ▁now ▁investig ating ▁the ▁State ▁Circle ▁route , ▁which ▁involves ▁some ▁technical ▁challeng es ▁due ▁to ▁ste ep ▁grad ients ▁for ▁light ▁rail . ▁ ▁When ▁construction ▁of ▁stage ▁ 1 ▁began , ▁construction ▁of ▁stage ▁ 2 ▁was ▁planned ▁to ▁begin ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁stage . ▁The ▁Federal ▁Government ▁will ▁be ▁invited ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁contribution ▁to ▁the ▁project ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁government ' s ▁City ▁De als ▁program . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁the ▁new ▁A CT ▁Transport ▁minister ▁Chris ▁Ste ele ▁announced ▁that ▁stage ▁ 2 ▁would ▁be ▁divided ▁into ▁ 2 ▁parts , ▁ 2 A ▁to ▁stop ▁before ▁Lake ▁Bur ley ▁Griff in ▁at ▁Commonwealth ▁Park ▁and ▁ 2 B ▁to ▁continue ▁across ▁the ▁lake ▁to ▁W oden . ▁ ▁In ▁mid ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁the ▁A CT ▁Government ▁submitted ▁a ▁refer ral ▁to ▁the ▁Australian ▁Department ▁of ▁Environment ▁and ▁Energy ▁for ▁stage ▁ 2 A , ▁covering ▁the ▁extension ▁from ▁C iv ic ▁to ▁Commonwealth ▁Park ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁an ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁dep ot ▁in ▁Mitchell