Posted 3/15/01
City of North Branch continues to seek I-35 bridge reconstruction funds
By Jason Sileo
Though both the North Branch I-35 bridge reconstruction project and plans for a new fire station in the city are in the infant stages, city personnel are working tirelessly to ensure both projects receive their due attention.
North Branch City Administrator John Moosey said the projects, two of the biggest facing the city today, are picking up steam at the moment.
ìThe bridge is really our top priority,î Moosey said in a Monday morning interview.
Financing is the number one issue impeding the cityís plans to bring in a new Hwy. 95 bridge over Interstate 35, Moosey said.
The city competes with communities and construction projects inside the seven-county Metro area, and competition for funding sources is decidedly fierce.
ìWe just recently submitted another application for state funding and we ranked pretty highly,î Moosey said. ìBut we did not get selected for funding.î
ìOur problem is that we are within the seven Metro counties,î he said. ìItís a big project but our numbers donít compete. You take the traffic on our bridge and you put it down in the Cities, and, ëbig deal.í But for our community, this bridge connects two parts of our town . . . itís extremely important for us to do this.î
ìPlus,î Moosey said, ìtheyíre very good at keeping their money down in the Cities. The Met Council has a lot of influence in those counties. Itís a, ëWe can grow, nobody else caní type of an attitude. I donít think itís overt, but it certainly influences . . . money will not leave there very easily.î
ìOur frustration is that this a major project: a state bridge over an Interstate highway,î he said. ìYet the city of North Branch is the one who has to be driving this.î
On a brighter note, Moosey said, Congressman Jim Oberstar is on board with the city and is a strong ally for the community.
ìCongressman Oberstar is the key,î Moosey said.
Oberstar has pledged to assist the city with the bridge project however possible, and Moosey said the city has basically ìhitched our wagon to Congressman Oberstar.î
The congressman said last summer that he felt he could secure the necessary funding for the project in anywhere from six to nine months.
So city staff presently are getting every possible aspect of a construction project proposal in order so that the wheels can begin turning immediately once a funding source is realized.
ìWeíre doing everything we can,î Moosey said. ìWeíre about nine months into really running hard with this. When the funding comes, weíre going to be ready to go; ready to run with it.î
Moosey said the bridge itself is structurally sound ñ there is no cause for concern as to its integrity at the moment. The structure, which Moosey said is about 32 years old, was upgraded roughly 20 years ago and continues to hold firm. The issue, Moosey said, is public safety.
ìThere is nothing structurally wrong with the bridge,î he said. ìWhatís wrong with the bridge is its size ñ itís not big enough to accommodate all the traffic,î and anyone trying to cross the thing other than by car or truck clearly has their work cut out for them.
Pedestrian, bicycle and off-road motor vehicle action along the bridge, thus, is a legitimate concern for all.
ìI see moms with baby strollers trying to cross... kids trying to get across to the movie theater... and thereís no a decent railing; thereís nowhere to walk,î Moosey said. ìSo we have to do something.î
And the city intends to. Moosey said the city staff and engineers are developing a strong relationship with the state Department of Transpor-tation as well as Congressman Oberstar, and the city will persevere.
ìAny opportunity for funding, weíre trying to compete for it,î the city administrator said. ìWeíre putting forth our best effort. Every time you have a chance to get up to the plate, you swing the bat. Sooner or later youíre going to get that hit.î
The cat and mouse game of fund chasing, Moosey said, ìis frustrating. But our resolve is much greater than our frustration.î