The economic stimulus

Met Council proposes road projects for stimulus funding

by Dan Olson, Minnesota Public Radio

Seven Twin Cities road projects are being put forward for federal stimulus funding. The Metropolitan Council late Wednesday approved advancing projects with a total cost of just over $17 million.

St. Paul, Minn. — State officials will announce soon the full list of Twin Cities road and bridge projects seeking federal stimulus funding.

The seven projects advanced by the Met Council are:

$3.2 million for TH 5 reconstruction in Oakdale, Lake Elmo, Baytown Township and Oak Park Heights.

$1.7 million to rebuild the lighting system on TH 100 from I-494 to Vernon Ave. in Edina.

$481,500 to rebuild the lighting system on I-35W from Cliff Rd. in Burnsville to 106th St. in Bloomington.

$80,300 to create a living snow fence at the Fish Lake interchange in Maple Grove.

$3.2 million to rebuild the cable median barrier from the Fish Lake interchange in Maple Grove to the Hennepin County line with Wright County.

$8.2 million for I-35 north of the 35E and 35W junction to north of trunk highway 8, with bituminous mill and overlay and auxiliary lane.

$856,000 for trunk highway 100 upgrade and lighting replacement from 50th St. in Edina to Excelsior Blvd. in St. Louis Park.

Gov. Pawlenty announced 60 road and bridge projects funded in whole or in part with stimulus dollars for outstate Minnesota this week. MnDOT split the $360 million in federal money available for transportation infrastructure evenly between the two regions, according to the governor. Overall, the federal government will send the state government $4.1 billion in stimulus money.

Federal and state officials say the stimulus funded road and bridge projects in Minnesota could save or create more than 12,000 jobs.