Congresswoman Angie Craig Submits Request for the City of Cottage Grove to Receive $7.8 Million for 80th Street Transportation and Infrastructure Project

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig announced her submission for the City of Cottage Grove to receive $7,800,000 to invest in the 80th Street Transportation and Infrastructure project in 2023. Craig submitted her request for Community Project Funding (CPF) for the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations process, through which Members of Congress are able to request funding for up to 15 specific projects in their districts which would serve the public good.

"I'm proud to announce my submission for the City of Cottage Grove to receive federal support for this important project," said Representative Craig. "We know that investing in our infrastructure improves the safety of our communities – and this project is a perfect example of that. These funds will provide some long-overdue upgrades and improve safety for thousands of pedestrians across Cottage Grove."

"The 80th Street corridor is the gateway for residents and visitors into the City of Cottage Grove. Reconstruction of this vital transportation, commercial and residential hub is critical as our city continues to grow at a historic rate," said Cottage Grove Mayor Myron Bailey. "There is a sense of urgency to begin this project but funding shortfalls make it impossible to take care of the aging infrastructure, growing traffic issues and necessary ADA improvements. We are thankful for Rep. Craig's partnership as we work to move this project forward and ensure the continued vitality of the area."

This project funding would be utilized to upgrade the traffic signals at major intersections including along Hardwood Avenue, East Point Douglas Road, Hinton Avenue and Hyde Avenue. 80th Street is the gateway into the City of Cottage Grove and is home to the largest and busiest commercial and retail district, seeing 24,000 vehicles per day. The portion of 80th Street needing these investments adjacent to Highway 61 was constructed in 1980 and the eastern portion was reconstructed in 1998. With a rapidly growing city such as Cottage Grove, it is critical to invest in increased safety measures. Additionally, this project would allow for the replacement of failing infrastructure and would make improvements along the corridor in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The House Appropriations Committee intends to fund community projects on a limited basis in the FY23 Appropriations bills. Therefore, CPF requests that address the most significant needs of local communities or provide a significant public good are more likely to be included. The CPF program is being implemented with accountability measures to ensure a responsible and transparent process.

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