While this is encouraging news and demonstrates how our state’s economy has adapted to the pandemic, it’s important to keep in mind that this is still an estimate, and inflation is not built into these twice-a-year projections. The Omicron variant now accounts for 73% of COVID-19 infections across the country and much uncertainty remains. I’ll be advocating for judicious, targeted investments in our Minnesota communities so we can meet pandemic response needs now, and build a strong foundation for a healthy, thriving state. Infrastructure Update & Upcoming Town HallPresident Biden visited Rosemount, Minnesota late last month to learn more about Dakota County Community and Technical College’s Heavy Duty Truck Technology area and about the transportation programs’ contribution to infrastructure development and enhancement. Since the President’s visit, the House Transportation and Capital Investment Committees held a joint hearing to discuss how the federal Infrastructure Improvement Jobs Act law will impact our transportation system over the next five years. The Minnesota Department of Transportation testified, for example, that by 2026, 772 bridges will need to be replaced completely, with an estimated cost of $458 million. This doesn’t include the 88 historic local bridges in need of preservation in the next five years, which has a price tag of approximately $54 million. Minnesota is slated to get approximately $302 million for bridge replacement. I’ll continue working with my colleagues on long-term solutions to maintain the high-quality infrastructure we all need and deserve, so we don’t have to put off critical projects like the replacement of the 100-year-old Northome Avenue Bridge, of which I was grateful to have secured the state funds in 2019.  It was an honor to partner with the City of Deephaven and fierce advocate and late Mayor Paul Skrede on securing state funds to replace the Northome Avenue Bridge. Photo: StarTribune, Deephaven City Councilmemer Steve Erickson and I at the Northome Avenue Bridge, dedicated to former Mayor Paul Skrede. We’ll do a deeper dive into the local infrastructure improvements underway in our Lake Minnetonka communities at our upcoming town hall meeting on January 12 at 6:30 p.m. in Shorewood. I would also appreciate hearing directly from you about the types of local updates and fixes you’d like to see get funded at the state level.  |