By MaryHelen Swanson

North Branch Mayor Gloria Karsky is very excited this week. At 9 p.m. last Friday night while she was attending a football game, she got a call on her cell phone from Congressman Jim Oberstar he had good news for North Branch.

A provision that clarifies that funds previously allocated to North Branch in SAFETEA-LU for the Hwy. 95 bridge can be used for the design, engineering, right-of-way land acquisition and construction of the Hwy. 95 bridge, had been passed by the House of Representatives last week.

ìIn SAFETEA-LU, Congress provided $7.1 million for a much-needed expansion to the bridge in North Branch,î Oberstar said in a press release to the Post Review.

ìUnfortunately, the law was being interpreted in an excessively narrow manner that did not accurately reflect the lawís intent,î he said.

Before the correction legislation was passed last week, federal officials interpreted the North Branch earmark in SAFETEA-LU in a way that made significant parts of the bridge project, including right-of-way land acquisition, engineering and construction, ineligible for funding.

But Oberstar said Congress did not earmark $7.1 million just to study the bridge.

ìThis clarification to the lawís wording makes it possible for the project to move forward. This is a great day for the North Branch community,î Oberstar said.

Mayor Karsky noted that Oberstar told her the legislation provision was due to be signed by the President this week.

ìIím very happy to know we can go forward with our design work,î the mayor said.

Comment from Elaine Ginal, 10/5/06

Hmmmmm, Mayor Karsky gets a phone call from Jim Oberstsar at 9pm on a Friday night....... You then state " the design, engineering, right-of-way land acquisition and construction of the Hwy. 95 bridge, had been passed by the House of Representatives last week"

How much time lapsed between the two?. What a joke. Something that important to this community she should have been on top of and known the instant it passed. What about Email? Cell phone? etc,etc. What is even more pathetic is the way it is reported. Are we all supposed to be excited? Hardly not. I do not hold much hope until I actually see ground being broke