Saint Paul – A project to widen Highway 34 through Park Rapids and another to reconstruct Highway 10 through Detroit Lakes were the last projects to be completed with more than $900 million Transportation Finance Package funds proposed and authorized by Governor Pawlenty in 2003. Through this funding, the Minnesota Department of Transportation accelerated 19 major highway capital improvement, safety and preservation projects statewide over 65 years ahead of schedule.

“Our administration has invested more in transportation in Minnesota than any other administration in the state’s history,” said Governor Tim Pawlenty. “Projects selected for advancement have already improved safety, provided congestion relief and added highway capacity.”

The 2003 Transportation Finance bill authorized the sale of $400 million in highway bonds. Revenue from the bonds allowed the state to access $425 million in advance federal funds for 2004-2007.

In addition to bond accelerated funds, the package also included:

• Up to $100 million over four years to advance rehabilitation projects that improve safety and help preserve existing roadways.

• $36 million for statewide transit capital improvements including park and ride lots, bus ramps and buses.

• $5 million in federal funds for public transit systems in Greater Minnesota.

Accelerating projects saved approximately $140 million in construction inflation costs and generated an additional $200-$300 million in user benefits.

Large-scale projects advanced included:

• Highway 53 in Duluth – $14.3 million project completed in 2007 to reconstruct the Trinity Road portion of the roadway from two to four lanes and add center turn lanes. This improved mobility and increased safety for travelers, residents and truckers on the important connection between the Twin Ports, Duluth Airport and northern Minnesota.

• Highway 34 through Park Rapids – the $12.9 million project to widen Highway 34 to five lanes was the last 2003 funded project to be completed in late October. It is expected to increase capacity and alleviate congestion. Improving access, adding a continuous two-way left turn lane and realigning intersections will improve mobility and safety.

• Highway 371 north of Little Falls – this $20.5 million four-lane reconstruction project, completed in 2005, improved mobility on one of the fastest growing highways in the state.

• Highway 101 near Elk River – the $62.3 million project completed this summer to upgrade signalized intersections on Highway 101 at Wright County Highways 36, 37, 39 and 42 to full interchanges and reconstruct highway to freeway standards has improved safety and increased traffic flow on this busy connection between I-94 and Highway 10.

• Highway 10 in Detroit Lakes - this $54.6 million project completed in late October to realign and widen three miles of Highway 10 through Detroit Lakes is improving mobility and safety by reducing access points from 70 to seven. Separating local and through traffic has eliminated two at-grade railroad crossings and added an underpass that has helped unify the downtown area.

• Highway 52 in Oronoco – a $40.4 million project to replace two dangerous, at-grade intersections with grade-separated facilities and a frontage road system on this Towards Zero Deaths corridor has dramatically reduced the crash potential and improved mobility and access to the local road system. The project was completed in 2007.

• Highway 14 in Janesville/Waseca – this $47 million project to add 12 additional miles of four-lane roadway has dramatically improved safety and mobility on this “at risk” interregional corridor. Without 2003 funds, the project, completed in 2006, would not have been completed until 2009.

• Highway 212 in Chaska/Carver/Chanhassen/Eden Prairie/Dahlgren - $246.4 million construction of Highway 212 on a new alignment is easing the commute for southwest commuters and has created a vital link to Western Minnesota and South Dakota. Completed in summer 2008, design/build helped advance this project by eight years.

• Interstates 694 and 35E in Vadnais Heights/Little Canada – the $128.3 million “Unweave the Weave” project to reconstruct this heavily congested commons area that moves 100,000 vehicles per day to six lanes in each direction was completed in October.

• Highway 169 in Eden Prairie/Bloomington – this $23 million project to construct new interchanges at Pioneer Trail and Anderson Lakes Parkway completed in 2005 improved interchange operations and reduced travel times in this high-priority, interregional corridor.

• Interstate 494 in Minnetonka/Eden Prairie/Plymouth – since completion in 2006 this $145.7 million reconstruction from four to six lanes has increased capacity 50 percent, reduced congestion, saved travel time and maintenance costs.

The design build process was used on three of the original Pawlenty-Molnau Finance Package projects. With design build, stages of the project were built while others were still being designed. Design build has helped cap inflation on the $238 million construction cost for the Highway 212 project that could have doubled if construction had started ten years later.