Highway 14 group calls for funds

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

OWATONNA--U.S. Highway 14 Partnership members approved restoring vehicle tab fees to an amount closer to a pre-Jesse Ventura level in case its call for increasing the gas tax to seven cents proves to be a "political impossibility" at its annual meeting in Owatonna Friday.

A position statement calling for a constitutional amendment dedicating at least 50 percent of motor-vehicle sales tax to the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund was approved. Members decided not to push it aggressively for fear of alienating supportive legislators.

However, partnership members then called for the Legislature to adopt "target" funding for major projects like the Highway 14 four-lane expansion project.

As Rep. Bill Kuisle, R-Rochester, chairman of the House Transportation Finance Committee, noted later, lawmakers aren't likely to accept targeted funding in highway construction projects because "that just brings politics into it."

The partnership also called for Congressional approval of $32 million for Highway 14 in the 2003 Transportation Reauthorization bill, as well as increased funding from the Legislature and Minnesota Department of Transportation.

It called upon MnDOT to rank Highway 14 "as one of their highest east-west corridor priorities and dedicate the necessary funding and staff to the project."

Speaking later, both James Swanson, Dist. 7 Engineer, and Nelrae Succio, Dist. 6 Engineer, told the gathering the highway project already is a high priority in both districts and will remain so.

As the Highway 14 expansion project concerns the highway's Rochester-New Ulm segments, much of the expansion has taken place in District 6. Succio noted that her district has spent $35 million to date on the project.

However, it was indicated at the meeting that the city of Rochester is interested in getting Highway 14 expanded heading east out of Rochester. Also, the city of Sleepy Eye has joined the partnership in hopes of having the expansion continue from New Ulm to Sleepy Eye.

In providing a Highway 14 expansion construction update, "The management plan and scoping process to upgrade Highway 14 from New Ulm to North Mankato is nearly complete," Swanson said.

"So far we have learned that a four-lane (highway) is justified, by-passes of Courtland and Nicollet are being considered and New Ulm is a destination for 80-85 percent of the traffic."

A scoping public hearing is scheduled for April 23, Swanson explained. The results of this study will include "alternatives to be studied further in an Environmental Impact Statement."

The partnership's 2003 strategy includes active opposition to using the current 32 percent of the motor vehicles sales tax which is by statute dedicated to the HUTDF for deficit-reduction purposes.

It's also going to lobby for any funds that may be federally leveraged through bonding, for inclusion of Highway 14 in the 2003 Transportation Reauthorization bill. Another tactic will be to try to place pro-Highway 14 supporters on MnDOT's District Areawide Transportation Partnerships.

Also on hand to give members a federal- and state-level perspective were state lawmakers including Kuisle and Sen. Dick Day, R-Owatonna and representatives of Senators Mark Dayton and Norm Coleman and Congressman Gil Gutknecht.

During the group's business meeting, Mayor Pete Connor of Owatonna was elected to another term as chairman, and New Ulm Mayor Joel Albrecht was elected vice-chairman.

A budget calling for $56,000 in revenues and $51,000 in expenses for 2003 was approved.