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Local leaders push for transportation funding

"Over the last 60 years, there’s been 150 deaths on Highway 14, most recently, two of them, were just in the month of January."

ST PAUL, Minn. — It’s a bonding – not a budget – year at the State Capitol.

But that didn’t stop some local leaders from heading to St. Paul to plead for what they consider critical transportation projects.

“Over the last 60 years, there’s been 150 deaths on Highway 14, most recently, two of them, were just in the month of January – 26 hours apart – on this last 12 miles of highway. Had that highway been divided like it was from Nicollet to Mankato four years ago, those accidents wouldn’t have occurred,” said Nicollet Mayor and Highway 14 Partnership member, Fred Froelich.

On Monday, Froelich was among a handful of Greater Minnesota representatives pushing for about $380 million bonding dollars to build bridges, improve roads and bolster bus service throughout the state. The group – led by the Minnesota Transportation Alliance – said they realize they face an uphill battle in this bonding year, but they wanted to raise the red flag, for safety sake.

“MNDOT [Minnesota Department of Transportation] is spending more and more of the funds that they do have just to maintain the pavement that’s out there and the bridges,” said Margaret Donahoe, executive director of the alliance.

At this point, Gov. Walz’s bonding bill does not include funding for these specific projects; the governor has noted his support for a longer-term transportation funding solution. Republicans are also expected to propose a much smaller bonding bill that the governor’s $2.5 billion proposal.

But Donahoe and others all said they wanted to make their requests heard, in hopes that the conversation will continue this year and down the road.

The request from the Minnesota Transportation Alliance breaks down according to the following:

Transportation Requests for GO Bonds

Local Bridge Program $112,000,000

Local Road Improvement Program $100,000,000

Transitways - Metro $75,000,000

Transit Capital – Greater Minnesota $15,000,000

Local Road Wetland Mitigation $26,400,000

Ports and Waterways $14,000,000

Railroad grade crossings $10,000,000

Passenger Rail $30,000,000

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