State Representative Al Juhnke
281 State Office Building
100 Constitution Ave., St. Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-6206
For more information contact: Tom Smalec (651-296-5524)
8/1/2003
NEWS RELEASE
Juhnke: Rural Minnesota Left Behind in 'Accelerated' Highway Plan
The Pawlenty Administration has once again shortchanged Rural Minnesota in its new plan to advance construction on 19 highway projects, investing more than $640 million in the Twin Cities area while rural roads continue to decay, Rep. Al Juhnke said today.
'When the Legislature approved the bond issue that made it possible to advance these projects from 2010 or later to 2004 or 2005, rural legislators were assured again and again that the funding would be distributed evenly throughout the state,' Juhnke said. 'That has now been revealed as a lie.'
Of $824 million in road work announced by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Lt. Gov./Transportation Commissioner Carol Molnau, $643 million is to be spent in the Twin Cities. Furthermore, of the $181 million of jobs in rural areas, another $50 million is for projects designed mainly to link the Twin Cities to popular resort areas like the Brainerd Lakes. That means only $130 million - 15% of the total - is going to roads that are primarily used by people and businesses in Rural Minnesota.
'There's not a dime in there for Hwy. 12 in West-Central Minnesota, Highway 60 in southwestern Minnesota, or any of the other major rural highway projects that have been delayed and deferred for many years,' he said. 'The few genuinely rural projects on the list are basically fig leaves covering a naked money grab by the suburbs.'
Juhnke said the Pawlenty Administration published deceptive figures about where the funds are going. They listed two projects as 'rural' that are actually in the metro suburban area - a $225 million reconstruction of Hwy. 212 in the southwestern suburbs and a $53.6 million interchange and bridge project on Hwy. 101 in the northwestern suburbs.
'Why would they engage in a deception that can be seen through by anyone who picks up a map?' Juhnke asked. 'The only reason is to hide the fact that Rural Minnesota is getting shortchanged.'
ADVANCED SCHEDULE OF CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS
Rural projects in boldface
Project 
Type Orig. Date New Date Cost
Hwy. 10 - in Detroit Lakes Reconstruction 2010 2007 $40.7M
Hwy. 10 - at Hwy. 32 in Clay Co. Construct Interchange 2008 2006 $6.5M
Hwy. 14 - Janesville to Waseca New 4-Lane Expressway 2010 2004 $64.9M
Hwy. 34 - in Park Rapids Reconstruction 2008 2006 $9.4M
Hwy. 52 - at Oronoco Reconstruction 2009 2005 $26.0M
Hwy. 53 - in Duluth Reconstruction 2012 2007 $14.6M
Hwy. 65 - in Blaine Construct Interchange 2013 2007 $12.0M
Hwy. 101 - in Otsego Interchanges & Bridges 2013 2006 $53.6M
Hwy. 169 - in Bloomington Interchanges & Bridges 2009 2006 $105.3M
Hwy. 212 - Eden Prairie to Dahlgren
New 4-Lane Expressway 2013 2005$225.4M
Hwy. 212 - west of Glencoe Overlay 2007 2006 $9.2M
Hwy. 371 - N of Little Falls New 4-Lane Expressway 2006 2005 $30.1M
I-35 - At Hwy. 19 in Scott Co.
Overlay and Bridge Replacement 2005 2004 $8.0M
I-35 - Iowa Border to I-90 Overlay 2006 2005 $16.0M
I-94 - at Monticello Bridges And Realignment 2007 2006 $20.0M
I-94 - in Maplewood Add Third Lane 2011 2005 $11.0M
I-94 - in northwest suburbs Median Safety Barrier NA 2004 $1.0M
I-494 - in Eden Prairie/Minnetonka Reconstruction 2011 2004 $80.3M
I-694-I-35E Junction, Vadnais Hts. Reconstruct 2008 2005 $118.6M
Metro-wide Transit Advantages NA 2006 $36.0M
