Minnesota Department of Transportation
News Release
Date: May 18, 2015
Contact:  Rebecca Arndt
507-304-6106

Highway 14 task force makes official recommendation to MnDOT

Endorses two-lane bridges with interchange at Hwy 14/15/CR 21

MANKATO, Minn. – The special task force charged to consider future improvements on Highway 14 in the New Ulm area has made an official recommendation that includes rebuilding two-lane bridges over Front Street and the Minnesota River and building a new, grade-separated interchange at Highway the 14/15/CR 21 (“Y”) intersection.

The recommendation also identifies improving the truck turning at Highway 14 and Broadway.

Important points that are part of the recommendation include designing the two-lane bridges for future expansion to four-lanes, constructing the projects together in an expedited fashion to impact New Ulm only once and coordinating with the city and adjacent counties.

The local task force has been meeting with MnDOT officials for the past few months to examine Highway 14 and how it can serve New Ulm into the future.  Safety, projected traffic and population, and economic growth have been key factors for the task force that recently hosted a public open house for approximately 100 people to review and comment on various options.

Currently the two bridges over Front Street and the Minnesota River are funded for replacement in 2018.  MnDOT has also received $700,000 in Corridors of Commerce funding to design a new intersection at Highway 14/15 that will align with the new bridges.  The challenge for the task force was to look at the entire system and determine how best to invest approximately $43 million in available funding for the future of New Ulm.

MnDOT will review the task force’s recommendation over the next several weeks to determine the scope of the project in 2018.

To review the plans visit /www.dot.state.mn.us/d7/projects/14newulmtonmankato/ and click on concepts.

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