ST. PAUL – State Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent, said a $7.27 billion transportation package the Legislature approved this week will provide significant funding for local governments to conduct work on roads and bridges in District 16A.
The funding includes $12 million for townships and $18 million in aid for cities with fewer than 5,000 residents. Estimates for combined funding small cities in District 16A are set to receive:
- Lac qui Parle: $139,702
- Lyon: $208,814
- Redwood: $223,572
- Yellow Medicine: $144,691
The bill also provides $25 million to expand a section of U.S. Highway 212 in Carver County from two to four lanes, a project Swedzinski said will improve safety for people from southwestern Minnesota traveling to and from the metro area.
Swedzinski noted the final version of the transportation package also removed all $1.6 billion in tax hikes passed by House Democrats in their transportation bill during the 2021 regular session.
“It is good to see the finished product for this bill allows us to uphold roads and bridges as the priorities they are without raising taxes on Minnesotans at a time the state has a multi-billion-dollar surplus,” Swedzinski said. “This bill is much improved over the one House Democrats brought to the floor in April that failed to reach enactment.”
The full package (SSHFF 10) includes $220.4 million in net General Fund spending over base during the 2022-23 biennium, an increase of around 22 percent. The total appropriations by agency include $6.49 billion for the Department of Transportation, $516.3 million for the Department of Public Safety and $235.7 million for the Metropolitan Council.
The bill also features $213 million in trunk highway bonding authorized in fiscal year 2022 and an additional $100 million in each year of the 2024-25 biennium for the Corridors of Commerce program.
Action on the transportation bill took place during a special legislative session which began June 14 to complete state budget work that went unfinished during the regular 2021 session. The bill was approved with broad support in both bodies and has been sent to the governor for enactment.
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