First 11 stimulus road projects announced in Minn.

Construction zone
Minnesota transportation officials today directed $40 million in federal stimulus money at 11 outstate road and bridge projects.
MPR Photo/Dan Gunderson

Minnesota transportation officials today directed $40 million in federal stimulus money at 11 outstate road and bridge projects. The 11 projects are part of 60 state highway projects in Greater Minnesota totaling $180 million announced in February.

Yesterday, MnDOT announced an additional 53 city and county road and bridge projects in Greater Minnesota totaling $75 million. State and local projects in the Twin Cities Metro area will be announced later this month.

The 11 bids let today include seven concrete and bituminous resurfacing projects, such as a $5 million project on Highway 75 in Ortonville and a $16 million project on Interstate 90 from Alden to Albert Lea. Safety projects include a $1.4 million project to install cable median barriers along Interstate 94 east of Sauk Centre.

MnDOT spokesman Kevin Gutknecht said all of the projects were waiting to be completed.

"Most of these projects, probably all of these projects are ones that were advanced from our planning process," Gutknecht said. "So instead of doing them in 2011 or 2012 we're able to move them up to the current year."

Gutknecht said state officials estimate nearly 28 people are employed for every million in transportation stimulus dollars spent.

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