Dayton urges Bachmann to get Stillwater Bridge bill passed
Gov. Dayton sent a letter to Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann today urging her to get the House to pass the bill authorizing a replacement for the Stillwater Bridge. He warned that failing to get the measure passed would mean the state would have to use the money currently set aside for the bridge for other projects.
"Everyone must understand, however, that if the March 15th deadline cannot be met and the federal and state monies are reallocated to other Minnesota transportation projects, there will no longer be sufficient funding available to undertake the St. Croix Crossing Project in the foreseeable future," the letter reads.
Dayton's letter may be meant to put some political pressure on Bachmann. Dayton, a Democrat, praised DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar for getting the bill passed in the U.S. Senate.
Klobuchar, Bachmann and Dayton are all pushing for a new bridge. Their plan would exempt the state from Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and some critics argue the proposed new bridge is too big and too expensive.
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.
Not all of the members of Congress are backing the legislation. Democrats Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison are opposed to the plan.
Here's Dayton's letter: