The Governor signed into law the Minnesota Legislature’s $825 million “brick and mortar” infrastructure bill that included full funding for the critical four-lane expansion of Highway 14 in Southern Minnesota. Senator Scott Newman [R-Hutchinson], Chairman of the Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee, issued the following statement:

“I’m tremendously pleased the Governor signed into law the legislature’s infrastructure bill, which included critically needed funding for Highway 14’s four-lane expansion. Not only does this project improve the safety of one Minnesota’s most dangerous highways, but it strengthens a vital artery of commerce for our state and Southern Minnesota.

I applaud Senator John Jasinski [R-Faribault] for relentlessly pursuing the completion of this project. When Governor Dayton’s Department of Transportation failed to fund this project through their initial round of Corridors of Commerce funding, I included language in our supplemental transportation budget bill that would require funds to be spend equally between rural and urban areas.

However, when the Governor vetoed the supplemental transportation bill, Senator Jasinski worked with Senator David Senjem [R-Rochester] in finding a way to include this project in the legislature’s bonding bill. Without their leadership, this vital project would not have been completed. Ultimately, this will be a much safer highway in the future.”

Senator Scott Newman is in his third term representing Senate District 18, which includes communities in McLeod, Meeker, Sibley, and Wright counties. He serves as chair of the Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee.