ST. PAUL – In order to dedicate more road improvement funding for Highway 212 between Chaska and Montevideo, State Representative Tim Miller (R-Prinsburg) is authoring legislation that would place the roadway in Minnesota’s Corridors of Commerce program.
“Corridors of Commerce is a way to recognize that there are trunk highways that are not meeting the sufficient criteria of MnDOT in order to get repairs and improvements,” Miller said. “While Highways 14, 12 and 23 got in, for some reason 212 did not.”
Miller said the program provides more access to funding and would move Highway 212 higher on the road improvement priority list.
Miller said he’s spoken to several different people with MnDOT and around the district, and no one can give a solid answer as to why Highway 212 wasn’t originally included as part of the Corridors of Commerce.
Last session, Miller worked with Minnesota House leadership and convinced them to include Highway 212 in the Corridors of Commerce as part of a capital investment proposal. Ultimately that plan died after Senate Democratic leadership took down the bill because it did not include new money for Twin Cities light rail.
Miller is hoping for a better conclusion this year.
“With the heavy commerce and truck traffic found on Highway 212, it is very important not only for our district but for Greater Minnesota,” Miller said. “It’s time to dedicate more money and opportunities to this critical road.”
Miller’s bill was recently approved by the Minnesota House Transportation and Regional Governance Committee, and now heads to the Minnesota House Transportation Finance Committee for further debate.