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Future of NB bridge in the President’s pen
From the office of Congressman Jim Oberstar
Over $11 million in unused transportation funds have been redirected to four projects in Northeast Minnesota. Congressman Jim Oberstar secured the funding for these projects in the transportation technical corrections bill, which the House of Representatives approved Wednesday afternoon. The legislation makes over 400 changes to the five-year surface transportation law that was enacted in 2005.
“The 2005 transportation law was a $286 billion piece of legislation that authorized thousands of transportation projects across the nation; it was bound to need a few adjustments,” said Oberstar. “In some cases, the money could not be used by the programs that were authorized to receive it, so I was able to redirect some of those funds to other worthy Minnesota projects.”
Below is the list of projects for Minnesota’s 8th District included in the technical corrections bill:
• $7,120,745 for the design and construction of a new bridge on Highway 95 in North Branch. The current bridge, which spans I-35, is too small for the current volume of traffic.
• $2,272,000 to continue upgrades on Elizabeth Avenue in Coleraine in Itasca County.
• $1,040,000 for improvements to U.S. Route 10 in Wadena and Ottertail Counties.
• $800,000 to design and construct the Clair Nelson Intermodal Center in Finland, Minn.
The bipartisan legislation passed the House by a veto proof margin of 358 to 51. Since the Senate has already passed an identical version of the bill, the measure now goes to President Bush to be signed into law. President Bush has expressed some concerns about the bill, but has not made an explicit veto threat.
What does this mean for North Branch?
City Engineer Julie Dresel said, the first thing, of course, is to have the President sign the bill.
If signed, it will allow the city to begin the design process, but because it is federal money there will be a specific process to go through.
If the ducks get in a row, the i’s get dotted and the t’s crossed, the design work could begin this summer and construction could begin by late 2009 or early 2010.
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