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.”