State picks 10 highway projects to share $300 million
Gov. Mark Dayton and Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle announced 10 highway construction projects today that will fall under a $300 million funding measure that lawmakers passed earlier this year.
The "Corridors of Commerce" program list includes improvements to I-94 near Rogers, two sections of Highway 14 in southern Minnesota, Highway 34 between Detroit Lakes and Nevis and a new freeway connection for Highway 610 in the north metro area.
During a news conference, Dayton said he views the list as only a first step toward addressing the state’s transportation needs. He plans to ask lawmakers to provide additional resources during the 2014 session. Dayton said the initial projects will give people an idea of what’s possible.
“We’ve got $300 million that we can spend that we wouldn’t have been able to otherwise,” Dayton said. “That’s going to benefit tens of thousands of Minnesotans. If you look at these particular projects, they’re going to save lives. It’s going to make commutes shorter and less stressful.”
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
Dayton said gas tax revenue alone is not enough to meet the need, and he’s still trying to determine the other pieces of a potential funding package.
Zelle said the selected projects will add capacity to bottlenecks in several regional corridors. He said the bonding authority for the program begins in July.
“Our intention is to get started right away.” Zelle said. “There will be projects that will commence as early as next summer.”
Here’s the full list of projects: