For Immediate Release
May 21, 2015
Contact: Carolyn Jackson
612-735-2627
ccjackson@flaherty-hood.com
Legislature’s failure to pass comprehensive transportation bill a setback for U.S. Highway 14 project
ST. PAUL—Despite being one of the key issues of the 2015 legislative session, lawmakers were unable to
pass a comprehensive transportation funding package. As a result, the Corridors of Commerce program
— a top transportation priority for southern Minnesota — is among the many transportation projects
left unfunded this year.
“We are disappointed that even though legislators on both sides of the aisle agreed that funding
Corridors of Commerce is important for Minnesota’s economic growth, they failed to pass any funding
for the program this session,” said U.S. Highway Partnership President and New Ulm Mayor Robert
Beussman. “How long will we have to wait to finish expanding Highway 14 from Rochester to New
Ulm?”
The Corridors of Commerce program is a funding mechanism to expand economically significant
highways in Minnesota. The money in the program is split between projects in Greater Minnesota and
the metro area, and Highway 14 is among several transportation projects this program funds. So, to
finish the Highway 14 project, which is anticipated to cost $230 million to $400 million, transportation
advocates estimate that the Corridors of Commerce program will need approximately $1.6 billion in
funding over the next 10 years.
U.S. Highway 14 Partnership Vice President and Dodge County Commissioner Steven Gray expressed
frustration that the Legislature was unable to reach a compromise large-scale transportation bill this
year, and said “It is critical that the Legislature adopt a bipartisan transportation plan that provides
sustainable and predictable funding from a variety of sources, including general funds and a sensible
increase in user fees like the gas tax, so that we can finally finish Highway 14, New Ulm to Rochester.”