Representative Angie Craig Urges Minnesota Leaders to Prioritize Local Projects in the Second District with Federal Funding from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Angie Craig urged Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation Margaret Anderson Kelliher to direct federal funding authorized by Congress as part of the bipartisan infrastructure package toward local projects in the Second District. Craig, who worked closely with local leaders to identify the projects that would have the most immediate positive impact on communities throughout the Second District, argued that the funding of these projects would create good-paying local jobs, improve the region's infrastructure and satisfy local demands.

In November, Craig helped secure $6.8 billion in funding for infrastructure projects in Minnesota by helping to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

"The projects I selected meet many of my communities' most urgent transportation needs, from Apple Valley to Wabasha. Completion of these projects will make our state safer, stronger, greener and more accessible," wrote Representative Craig. "Local leaders have gone above and beyond to demonstrate deep and wide-ranging community support for these projects, and to ensure they are technically sound and integrated with long-term state and regional planning."

"My hope is that we can work together to include these projects on an amended State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) or through other means and direct the IIJA's generational federal investment to these projects in a timely fashion," Craig continued.

Earlier this year, Craig submitted requests for millions of dollars in federal funding in surface transportation reauthorization legislation for projects in Minnesota's Second Congressional District. Craig selected those proposals after working closely with local leaders to identify infrastructure projects like the realignment of Levee Road in Red Wing and the Dakota County Veterans Memorial Greenway Project which would have immediate, beneficial impacts on local communities throughout the Second District. This summer, Craig secured the inclusion of those eight local Member Designated Projects in the INVEST in America Act, a transformative five-year, $547 billion surface transportation reauthorization bill which passed the House, but was not advanced in the Senate. Alternatively, those projects are eligible to be funded through federal dollars made available to the state through the recently signed-into-law Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which directed $6.8 billion to Minnesota.

You can find the full text of the letter

Dear Governor Walz and Commissioner Anderson Kelliher,

Thank you for joining with me to discuss the benefits of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law at recent events back in Minnesota. Your support for this historic legislative achievement is truly appreciated, and I look forward to working with both of you to implement this vitally important law.

With the significant federal funding increases expected over the next five years for our roads, bridges, transit and trails I am writing to you today to ensure a group of projects I identified – along with my local stakeholders – earlier this year during the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Member Designated Project (MDP) process are prioritized for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding in Minnesota.

The projects I selected meet many of my communities' most urgent transportation needs, from Apple Valley to Wabasha. Completion of these projects will make our state safer, stronger, greener and more accessible. Local leaders have gone above and beyond to demonstrate deep and wide-ranging community support for these projects, and to ensure they are technically sound and integrated with long-term state and regional planning. All eight of these MDPs secured the backing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the full House of Representatives, which voted to approve them on July 1, 2021. 

My hope is that we can work together to include these projects on an amended State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) or through other means and direct the IIJA's generational federal investment to these projects in a timely fashion. I have provided a brief description and funding amount for each of the eight projects within my Congressional District. Please let me know if your Administration needs any additional federal resources or authorities to help advance these projects:

Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) Apple Valley Station Modernization Project - $800,000. Funding would be used to complete the modernization of the Apple Valley Transit Station (AVTS), including updated security and customer information technology and amenities at AVTS. Funds would also be used to develop a designated operator training lot that would also provide great benefit to Dakota County Technical College, which was recently highlighted by President Joe Biden. Through this second and final phase of the AVTS Modernization, MVTA seeks to improve upon the current state of safety and security features, customer amenities and create an effective space for new hire and refresher operator training.

MVTA Burnsville Bus Garage Modernization Project - $2.4 million. Funding would be used tosupport the garage's north apron expansion and add-on state-of-good repair and expansion options that available funding has not been able to support to date. The success of MVTA transit service and its ability to serve its riders well is dependent upon the functionality of its bus garages where storage, maintenance, fueling, employee accommodations are provided. Securing funding for the final phase of the BBG Modernization would create benefits that reach the rapidly-growing communities in my Congressional District MVTA serves and beyond.

Dakota County Veterans Memorial Greenway Project - $5 million. The funding would be used to help the County construct a 5-mile paved route through exceptionally scenic Dakota County landscapes, including river views, woodlands, farmlands, parks and natural areas. It will be Minnesota's longest greenway dedicated to veterans, offering a safe and accessible outdoor space for veterans and other visitors to reflect in nature, celebrate the county's strong tradition of military service and unite in honor of all veterans. This will be Dakota County's first countywide veterans memorial and is expected to feature five to seven memorials along the greenway, including a large area for community gathering. The memorials will be designed and built in partnership with veterans' organizations. The greenway's accessibility features will welcome the county's more than 6,600 disabled veterans and other users with disabilities.

A current route used by pedestrians and bicyclists between the county's most popular park and greenway poses at-grade conflicts with nearly 20,000 trucks and other vehicles daily on State Highway 3 and County Roads 71 and 73, and an additional 34,000 vehicles on State Highway 52. There also are conflicts with trains traveling on two active rail lines through Dakota County. The Veterans Memorial Greenway also will allow bicyclists to ride from St. Paul to Lebanon Hills on a safer route separate from a growing volume of road traffic. A well-designed greenway that thoughtfully commemorates our veterans will give people of all abilities opportunity to improve the quality of their lives and will enhance safety for pedestrian and bicyclists along the corridor.

Goodhue County CSAH 2 Bridge 25501 Replacement Project - $640,000. The funding would be used to help the County replace Bridge 25501, which is located on a 'Major Collector' highway. The bridge was built in 1966 and has an average of 400 vehicles crossing it a day. The bridge's deck is a series of concrete open girders with a third of the deck's underside having exposed rebar. The bridge has steel columns holding up the middle of the bridge that are severely deteriorated resulting in a load posting that restricts the weight of vehicles crossing it. This bridge's condition is poor enough to meet Federal bridge funding requirements. A failure of the bridge would be a significant problem for the County and the family farmers and other users of the bridge in this rural area that are dependent on reliable infrastructure to get their products to market.

City of Lakeville/Dakota County I-35/CSAH 50 Interchange Project - $700,000. The funding would be used for preliminary engineering to determine the scope of corridor mobility and safety improvement needs. This will be used to guide final design for reconstruction of the interchange at I-35 and CSAH 50 in Lakeville, MN. It will also be used to complete corridor safety and mobility improvements in coordination with the pavement replacement project included in the Minnesota Department of Transportation 10-Year Capital Highway Improvement Program. The existing interchange is an interim configuration that does not have sufficient capacity, sight distance, or turn lanes resulting in delays and safety issues. This existing situation will continue to deteriorate as the City of Lakeville and the surrounding communities continue to grow at a rapid rate. Proceeding with this project at this time presents a unique opportunity to coordinate with a pavement preservation project that the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has programmed at this location.

City of Red Wing Levee Road Realignment Project - $3.124 million. The funding would be used torealign Levee Road, a Federal-aid eligible Minor Collector located along the bank of the Mississippi River to add new efficiency, staging and fleeting capabilities for drivers delivering locally grown grain commodities to nearby Red Wing Grain, LLC for international export. The funding would also help establish a riverfront railroad quiet zone. Additionally, as a result of this realignment, a portion of the existing Mississippi River Trail (MRT) utilizing the Levee Road corridor will require relocation. The MRT is Minnesota's only state bicycle route designated by state statute and is designated U.S. Bicycle Route 45. The City has already received funding under the Title 23 Transportation Alternatives Program (TA) for a segment of adjacent MRT. Stormwater management infrastructure is also envisioned near the trail and would be similarly eligible for funding under 23 U.S.C § 133

Scott County US 169/TH 282/CH 9 Interchange Project - $2.3 million. As you are aware, the project was recently awarded an $8 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE Discretionary Grant. I had secured $2.3 million for the project to assist with right-of-way, engineering and environmental documentation. The project includes an interchange that will provide improved pedestrian and bike access to the residents of Jordan, a grade separation of the Union Pacific mainline rail crossing on CH 9 and improve mobility for freight and regional traffic on US 169 with reliable and safe access to US 169, for residents of Jordan and the surrounding area.

City of Wabasha MN Highway 60 Project - $3.975 million. Funding would be used to help the City with construction and realignment of MN Highway 60, which is a regional significant Minor Arterial and crosses the Mississippi River in the City of Wabasha. The other nearest bridge crossings are 32 miles in either direction. The current Highway 60 connection between the bridge and US Hwy 61 requires navigating 3 intersections with stop signs, travel through a residential neighborhood, and is seasonally restricted with high water, and has a vehicle height restriction.

Thank you again for your leadership for the State of Minnesota and for all of our constituents who rely on safe transportation in their daily lives.

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