Minnesota House of Representatives

Accessibility menu

Menu

Minnesota House of Representatives

State Representative Joe Atkins

583 State Office BuildingState Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4192

For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406

Posted: 2007-10-04 00:00:00
Share on: 



Press/News Releases

HOUSE COMMITTEE QUESTIONS MOLNAU, MNDOT OFFICIALS ON WAKOTA BRIDGE

ST. PAUL – MnDOT officials were anything but forthcoming when Chair of the House Commerce and Labor Committee, Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL – Inver Grove Heights & South St. Paul), requested documents from the Minnesota Department of Transportation in June of this year relating to the delayed construction of the Wakota Bridge. Over three months have passed and MnDOT still hasn't fully delivered on Rep. Atkins' repeated requests to obtain information about the nature of construction contract disputes, cost implications of the project delay, and ultimately why the Wakota Bridge project remains unfinished.

"It is simply unacceptable that the Minnesota Department of Transportation has not faithfully performed its legally inherent responsibility to provide this important information to the public," said Rep. Atkins. "Minnesota commuters own the right to know why this project remains unfinished and what MnDOT is doing to complete Wakota Bridge construction in a timely and efficient manner."

The Wakota Bridge was scheduled for completion this year, before contract disputes with the Department of Transportation over project costs led to an apparently indefinite delay in the progress of construction. MnDOT officials now expect the project to take 3-5 more years, or longer, to complete. This news comes on top of Commissioner Molnau's recent admission to the legislature that MnDOT doesn't have enough money to rebuild the I35W span and continue work on crucial transportation projects statewide – like the Wakota Bridge.

"I've been working with community leaders and state officials for most of my adult life to see that this bridge is completed," said Atkins. "But a lack of funding in the Department of Transportation, along with it's consistent mishandling of the project, has continued to delay progress on the Wakota Bridge for over a decade. I'd like to see the bridge finished before I die – and that's not going to happen if MnDOT continues to be uncooperative."

While MnDOT released some information to Rep. Atkins this summer, it became clear in a hearing of the House Commerce and Labor Committee this morning that MnDOT officials have deliberately withheld information from the legislature. Questioning Commissioner Molnau and her staff on the issue, Rep. Atkins and the Committee were told that there were "a couple of boxes" of documents discovered this week at the Department of Transportation that were requested by Rep. Atkins over three months ago.

Additionally, MnDOT officials admitted the existence of half-a-dozen documents that were not revealed when Atkins made his initial requests for information. Officials testified plainly to the committee that these documents were withheld on purpose. Later in the day, Commissioner Molnau would admit to legislators in another hearing discussing the fate of the I35W bridge reconstruction that in her opinion, she ultimately decides what information is released to the public and when.

"This is not a matter of choice," said Atkins. "It is a matter of law, a matter of accountability, and ultimately a matter of responsibility to the Minnesota commuters who travel over a half-finished bridge every day. The legislature and the have a the right to know why this bridge isn't finished, and I'm going to see to it that the Department of Transportation delivers on its obligations to the people of Minnesota."

When Rep. Atkins inquired of Molnau whether she would be willing to accept a subpoena to retrieve the all of the documents he requested 105 days ago, she nodded in agreement. A legislative subpoena of a state agency has rarely been attempted in the last several decades. Atkins has given MnDOT officials until November 5th to deliver all documentation available regarding the delay of progress on the Wakota Bridge including contract disputes and cost implications of the project's delay. If MnDOT does not comply with his requests, Atkins' committee will vote to issue the subpoena so that the legislature can fully review what has caused this inexplicable delay in progress.

Atkins was surprised to discover in today's hearing that there have only been six bridges of similar design to the Wakota Bridge built in the country. Half of those bridges were found to have structural defects and cracking. Rep. Atkins and his committee plan to further investigate that issue, and other issues related to the Wakota Bridge throughout the coming days as previously held MnDOT documents are released.

"We're going to do whatever is necessary to get to the bottom of this," finished Atkins. "This has gone on long enough."

News Items

Audio & Video

Galleries

No image galleries found

Minnesota House of Representatives  ·   100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Saint Paul, MN   55155   ·   Webmaster@house.mn