Last week, Gov. Dayton signed into law the bonding bill which included $160 million in Corridors of Commerce funding for the expansion of Highway 14 to four lanes between Owatonna and Dodge Center. Now that this funding has been approved, we are working with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to sort out details about the project. Here is what we currently know:

• MnDOT is working quickly to mobilize its staff to complete planning and preparation work for the project. Earlier work by completed by MnDOT District 6 will allow this project to hit the ground running quickly, but more hard work is still ahead.
• MnDOT is targeting spring of 2019 to award the contract for the expansion project, with the goal to begin construction in summer 2019 in what is expected to be a multi-year project.
• This is a big project and there is still a lot of work to be done, so there is not yet a definite timeline for the project’s completion.
• As additional details become available they will be posted at https://www.dot.state.mn.us/d6/projects/hwy14/index.html, where you can also sign up for project alerts.

If you have any questions about the Highway 14 expansion project or the Highway 14 Partnership’s advocacy efforts, please contact Shane Zahrt at sazahrt@flaherty-hood.com.