Isaacson Praises Plan to Expand I-694 Between Lexington and Rice

ST. PAUL, MN – Today, Governor Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) announced ten highway construction projects slated to receive funding through the state’s new $300 million Corridors of Commerce program.

State Representative Jason Isaacson (DFL – Shoreview) was a vocal advocate for the program as it was developed during the 2013 Legislative Session. In addition to testifying in support of transportation improvements during House Transportation Finance Committee hearings, Isaacson was the chief author of legislation to enhance infrastructure in his District (42B).

A major project located in District 42B was selected out of over 400 proposals from throughout the state for the Corridors of Commerce program. It will provide up to $42 million for the construction of dynamic shoulder lanes on I-694 between Lexington Avenue and Rice Street. The segment of interstate is adjacent to over 25 major businesses that employ about 37,000 Minnesotans. I-694 carries 100,000 vehicles per day and serves as the designated truck bypass of I-94 through the core metro area.

“It’s a wonderful first step towards meeting our local transportation needs,” said Isaacson of the project. “I applaud MnDOT and Governor Dayton for making this a priority. It’s meaningful progress, no doubt, but I plan to continue advocating for even more improvements. For example, I sponsored a bill last Session to replace the Rice Street bridge over I-694. That kind of project is a perfect complement to the one we’re going to fund. It’s going to remain a top priority for me.”

Enacted during the 2013 legislative session, the Corridors of Commerce program authorizes trunk highway bonding to be used for projects that are not already in the state’s four-year State Transportation Improvement Program. The legislation established two major goals for the program: to increase highway capacity on segments where bottlenecks occur and to improve the movement of freight and reduce barriers to commerce.

MnDOT staff evaluated eligible projects on selection criteria that included project readiness and deliverability, community support, projected return on investment, and safety impacts.

The total ten selected projects for the program are:
 

More information about the Corridors of Commerce program can be found at www.mndot.gov/corridorsofcommerce. 

Rep. Isaacson encourages his constituents to contact him with any questions or feedback about the Corridors of Commerce program. He can be reached by phone at (651) 296-7153, by email at rep.jason.isaacson@house.mn, or by postal mail at 545 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.