For Immediate Release
Sept. 2, 2020
Contact: Shane Zahrt
ST. PAUL—Owatonna City Councilor Kevin Raney was elected to serve as president of the U.S. Highway 14 Partnership at the organization’s annual meeting Aug. 26, which was held virtually over Zoom. As president, Raney will direct the Partnership’s efforts to advocate for funding to complete the expansion of U.S. Highway 14 to four lanes between Rochester and New Ulm as well as additional safety measures on dangerous portions of the highway.
Raney was elected to lead the Partnership by fellow city, county and business leaders who live or work along U.S. Highway 14. Members of the Partnership also elected Fred Froehlich, mayor of Nicollet, to serve as vice president.
Raney previously served as Vice President of the organization, and replaces outgoing president Mankato City Councilor Karen Foreman, who led the organization for three years. Foreman will continue to serve on the Partnership’s Board of Directors as past president.
“Kevin will be a fantastic leader for our organization,” Foreman said. “He has been actively involved in the Partnership for several years and his efforts as Vice President have been instrumental to many of our recent accomplishments. I’m confident that he is the right person to help ensure that our existing projects remain on track and new safety concerns get the attention they deserve.”
The U.S. Highway 14 Partnership has achieved incredible success in recent years. The group successfully advocated for state funding to complete the expansion of Highway 14 from two to four lanes between Owatonna and Dodge Center, a project which is currently under construction and expected to be completed next year. It also worked closely with lawmakers and the Minnesota Department of Transportation to pass legislation to enable a funding plan that will combine state and federal resources to finally fund the completion of Highway 14 between New Ulm and Nicollet.
Raney is looking forward to leading the Partnership through the 2021 legislative session. In addition to ensuring that existing construction projects are funded and completed, the organization is also focused on emerging safety issues along the corridor such as improving dangerous intersections near Byron and Eagle Lake.
“We have never been closer to achieving our goal of traveling on a four-lane highway all the way from Rochester to New Ulm,” Raney said. “I’m excited by our recent progress, but the job’s not done yet. We need to keep fighting to make sure Highway 14 is safe for all of the businesses and families who depend on it every day.”
The Highway 14 Partnership is an advocacy organization supporting the four-lane expansion of Highway 14. Formed in 1998, the Highway 14 Partnership includes local governments, private businesses and other organizations across Southern Minnesota.
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