MnDOT commissioner visits New Ulm

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March 18, 2015

By Clay Schuldt – Staff Writer , The Journal

NEW ULM – Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle and several local business leaders and citizens met Tuesday at Shelter Products.

Zelle’s visit came on the heels of Gov. Mark Dayton’s recent transportation proposal that would provide funding for comprehensive road and bridge projects. Dayton’s list of 600 projects includes improvements to Highway 14 between New Ulm and Mankato.

The proposal calls for $6 billion over the next 10 years – $4 billion to maintain the current system and $1.6 billion for Corridors of Commerce to add capacity. Highway 14 is viewed as a prime candidate for improvement.

Article Photos

Staff photo by Clay Schuldt
Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle met with New Ulm business people at Shelter Products on Tuesday.

Zelle said that business leaders have a big stake in the funding ultimately approved by Legislature, and he wanted to give local employers a chance to have their voices heard at the Capitol.

“St. Paul and the Chamber need voices from greater Minnesota to say ‘this is not a luxury item,'” said Zelle. “This is something that sustains us.”

Several business owners said that expansion of Highway 14 would allow them to provide better service in speed and safety.

Tim Rahe of M.R. Paving said “I know it would open up the market going into Mankato. Right now with two-lanes we can get there, but we are less competitive.”

Shelter Products owner, Aaron Lambrecht, said savings could be made by running on four-lanes rather than two lanes. The cost of shipping is higher for a two-lane highway than on a four-lane due to penalties, he said.

“I don’t have any problem investing in the infrastructure of the State of Minnesota as long as I know my money is truly going for infrastructure,” said Lambrecht. He added that past taxes and revenue have not gone back to places that needed it.

City Councilor Les Schultz said that Highway 14 is important to a lot of the businesses in New Ulm. He also pointed out that other businesses have chosen not to locate here because there is no four-lane roadway.

Brown County Commissioner Richard Seeboth encouraged everyone to start lobbying for road improvements. Seeboth had concerns that Minnesota’s House of Representatives did not have a strong commitment for an extended project, but he felt a longterm project was the only reasonable option.

“I think this is the best opportunity we’ve had in years because people do have transportation on their minds.” Writing letters, making phone calls and sending emails are necessary, grass-roots lobbying efforts, he said.

Zelle informed the group that the planning and engineering for these projects had already begun. He felt the lag between project approval and project start would be minimal.

Zelle met with the New Ulm City Council later in the day. His trip to New Ulm is the first of many visits he intends to make to the community. Zelle thanked everyone for their support.

“Collective voices do make a difference, and I know voices that have dollar-and-cents practical experience from employers have special resonance,” he said.