Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz met Monday with U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn (R-MN) to discuss their support of the U.S. Highway 14 Four-Lane Expansion Project near New Ulm, Minn.
Walz and Hagedorn said the highway must be finished to improve safety and create economic opportunity.
The 12-mile stretch between Nicollet and New Ulm is expected to begin construction within three years. This is the final stage of the project. Expansion from North Mankato to Nicollet was completed in 2016.
“Gov. Walz and I are committed to working in bipartisan fashion to fight for the project funding streams needed to complete the Highway 14 Corridor project and improve the lives of our constituents,” Hagedorn said. “I appreciate the Governor’s work, during his tenure as our First District Congressman, to promote Highway 14 projects, and I will do my best to emulate his service.”
Hagedorn wrote U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao last week urging the agency to approve Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant funding of up to $25 million for the Highway 14 Corridor project.
In its application, the Minnesota Department of Transportation pledged to fund $60 million of the $85 million project.
If the state is not awarded a grant, the stretch will remain two lanes.