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At the news conference held at the Maryland Avenue truck station on April 6, Sue Mulvihill, Metro District maintenance engineer, reviewed summer maintenance activities and urged drivers to use caution in work zones. In the background are Gov. Pawlenty and Lt. Gov. Molnau, who also spoke at the event. Photo by David Gonzalez |
More than 200 construction projects valued at about $1.7 billion will begin or be continued this construction season, Mn/DOT officials announced today at news conferences held in St. Paul, Rochester and Alexandria.
Lt. Gov. Molnau, along with district officials and construction and maintenance staff, described the program, which ranges from adding a third lane to Interstate 494 west of Minneapolis to continuing the massive Hwy 52 reconstruction through Rochester to rebuilding Third Avenue in Alexandria.
Construction on the state’s 12,000-mile trunk highway system includes:
Northern Minnesota highlights
- Hwy 11 reconstruction in Roseau from Hwy 89 to the east city limits
- Hwy 53/Hwy 169 interchange construction north of Virginia
- Hwy 53 southbound reconstruction from Cotton to Independence
- Hwy 10/Hwy 32 interchange construction near Hawley
- Hwy 47 improvements in Isanti, Kanabec and Mille Lacs
Twin Cities Metro area highlights
- Hwy 212, new highway construction in Carver and Hennepin counties
- Hwy 169/Anderson Lakes Parkway interchange in Eden Prairie
- I-694/I-35E “Unweave the Weave” reconstruction north of St. Paul
- I-94 third lane addition from Hwy 120 to McKnight Rd in Maplewood
- I-494/Hwy 61 reconstruction and Wakota Bridge replacement in South St. Paul
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District 6 Transportation Engineer Nelrae Succio presented construction plans for the southern Minnesota districts at a news conference held in Rochester. A third news event was held in Alexandria, where District 4 Transportation Engineer Lee Berget presented construction plans for the northern districts. Photo by Kristine Hernandez |
Southern Minnesota highlights
- Hwy 23 reconstruction through Spicer from Hwy 71 to Kandiyohi Cty 31
- Hwy 14 reconstruction in New Ulm and improvements from Janesville to Waseca
- Hwy 3 improvements from the Cannon River Bridge to Northfield
- Hwy 63 interchange construction in Olmsted County
- I-35 improvements from the Iowa border to north junction of I-90
Molnau noted that while the 2005 construction season is among the largest in state history, a drop in transportation investment looms on the horizon.
“In addition to keeping current projects on schedule and within budget, our challenge is to secure a transportation funding package that will maintain this level of investment in the summers to come,” said Molnau.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who attended the kickoff in St. Paul, renewed his call for passage of a substantial, long-term transportation financing package during the 2005 legislative session. The Pawlenty/Molnau administration has proposed a plan that would provide more than $7 billion in additional state transportation funding through 2017, without raising taxes.
“Improving Minnesota’s transportation system is one of the most important investments state government can make,” said Pawlenty. “The work we’ve done so far, and plan to do, will add value to our economy and quality of life.”
He cited Mn/DOT’s recent addition of a third lane on I-694/I-94 through Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park and Maple Grove, which has led to significant decreases in congestion, while traffic has actually increased.
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Work began April 4 on the Hwy 169/Anderson Lakes Parkway interchange in Eden Prairie. This project was accelerated by four years because of funding Mn/DOT received as part of the 2003 Bond Accelerated Program. The project is expected to be completed this season. Photo by David Gonzalez
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“Investing in our transportation system pays off. We are more than 15 years behind in financing and building critical road, bridge and transit projects across the state. This is the year to make a significant step forward in addressing these needs,” Pawlenty said.
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In related events, this week is National Work Zone Safety Week. Sponsored by the American Traffic Safety Services Association, the week is designated at this time each year to remind drivers to proceed with caution in and around road construction and maintenance work. For more information, visit www.dot.state.mn.us/workzone/.
By Jeanne Aamodt
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