Lawmakers, Community Leaders Discuss Minnesota Transportation Bill

DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota lawmakers and community members were at the Duluth Depot Monday talking all things transportation.

The $7.8 billion transportation bill that has passed means multiple big projects for northeastern Minnesota. Projects include road repairs, the Blatnik Bridge replacement, and the passenger rail Northern Lights Express between the Twin Ports and Minneapolis.

All projects will benefit the area creating easier ways to get to jobs, connecting communities as well as create more jobs. Lawmakers say the bill is historical and will help in setting the state up for the future.

“Living in Duluth and representing Duluth, gives us such a unique perspective to be at this internationally important transportation hub with our shipping, our rail, all of the major highways coming through, bridges connecting states and entire regions, our airport facility and all of the exciting things happening there. There is just so much happening here in our region to be proud of and this transportation bill meets that moment. It meets our needs, and it sets us up with a vision for the future, really exciting,” said State Senator Jen McEwen, DFL-Duluth.

State senators says the bill was difficult to pass as there was a record-breaking surplus. If the bill did not pass, there may have been a $30 billion transportation shortfall over the next 20 years.

“I think what ultimately happened was we had a motivated cohort of colleagues and people who had been a part of this conversation and this work for decades and that’s what helped us get over the top,” said Minneapolis State Senator Scott Dibble, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.

The full transportation bill is here.