Governor Dayton's Transportation Proposal Would Fund Key Safety, Mobility Improvements in Lyon, Surrounding Counties

Press Release

Last month, Governor Mark Dayton proposed an honest, straightforward plan to fix Minnesota's aging and under-funded transportation system. If passed by the Legislature, Governor Dayton's transportation proposal would provide up to $86 million over the next ten years for key state road and bridge improvements in Lyon, Lincoln, Murray, Redwood, and Yellow Medicine counties. The Governor's proposal also would provide area cities, counties, and townships a total $6.17 million in additional funding every year to use on their own priority local road and bridge improvement projects.

Today, Lt. Governor Tina Smith held a roundtable discussion in Marshall to discuss needed road and bridge improvements in the Marshall area, and to outline how Governor Dayton's proposal would help alleviate the area's road and bridge needs. Overall, the Governor's proposal would repair or replace eight bridges and approximately 80 miles of roadways in the five-county area. A separate proposal, introduced by Governor Dayton last month, would provide additional resources for safety and mobility improvements local railroad crossings.

"Minnesota's roads, bridges, and transit networks form the backbone of our economy. After decades of decline, we must invest in these systems to protect Minnesota's long-term economic vitality," said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. "The plan that Governor Dayton and I are proposing would provide the resources necessary to build a modern transportation system -- driving continued business and job growth, and enhancing the quality of life enjoyed by all Minnesotans."

Area State Road and Bridge Projects

The Governor's proposal would invest up to $86 million in these 16 state road and bridge improvement projects in Lyon, Lincoln, Murray, Redwood, and Yellow Medicine counties over the next ten years:

More Funding for Area Cities, Counties, and Townships

Local road improvement projects, funded with help from the state, but chosen by local governments, would also receive funding from Governor Dayton's proposal. Over 40 percent of the new revenues raised in the Governor's proposal ($2.356 billion) would be directed to cities, counties, and townships; giving local leaders the resources and flexibility to repair and replace roads and bridges statewide. These new investments would add hundreds of additional road and bridge improvements in communities across Minnesota. The Governor's proposal would invest an additional $6.17 million per year in these area cities and counties.

Building on Recent Investments in Highway 23

The Governor's proposed investments outlined today would supplement recent Corridors of Commerce investments made in Highway 23 over the last two years. During the 2013 and 2014 legislative sessions, Governor Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature invested $331 million in the state's Corridors of Commerce initiative, which funds projects that strengthen the state's transportation system by adding capacity, reducing congestion, and improving the movement of freight and commerce across Minnesota.

Overall, MnDOT has already awarded up to $21.3 million in Corridors of Commerce funding to targeted improvements along Highway 23. Those projects, which are already getting underway, have included the construction of passing lanes from Willmar through Marshall and Pipestone to Interstate 90.

Funding for Rail Safety Improvement Projects

In addition to his transportation proposal, Governor Dayton has proposed modernizing Minnesota's railroad tax system to reflect improvements to property, such as the rolling stock, rail cars, trestles and rail bridges. This new funding would then be used to help improve safety and alleviate traffic disruptions in communities with significant train traffic. In the Marshall area, the Governor's proposal would provide funding to improve the Legion Field Road crossing, which currently lacks modern safety features such as divided medians and banked rail curves.

About Governor Dayton's Transportation Proposal

Governor Dayton has proposed a straightforward, honest solution to fix Minnesota's aging transportation systems. The Governor's plan would invest $6 billion over the next ten years to address the state's highway funding deficit, invest $2.356 billion in local government transportation projects, and provide $2.92 billion for Metro and Greater Minnesota transit systems.

Without these new investments, road and bridge conditions across Minnesota will only continue to get worse. If the state does nothing, over the next ten years: the number of road miles in poor condition will increase by 75 percent; an estimated 640 bridges (1 in 5 bridges statewide) will deteriorate into poor condition; and nearly 40 percent of all state roadways will surpass their useful life.

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