After a winter of potholes and predictions that roads will only get worse, Gov. Mark Dayton on Tuesday proposed earmarking nearly $400 million from highway and bridge funds to pay for smoother rides.
Dayton wants to add that amount over the next four years to the $980 million his administration has already committed for pavement improvements through 2015.
"Our state pavement quality is gradually deteriorating," Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Commissioner Tom Sorel said in explaining the initiative.
This past winter was an exceptionally tough pothole season that prompted numerous complaints from drivers, many in a MnDOT online survey. In February, the department told legislators to expect the number of major and secondary highways in poor condition to double or triple over 10 years.
The problem is serious enough that the additional money is expected to only slow the growth in deteriorated highways, not stop it.
Dayton, a DFLer, said no new money would be raised for the improvements. Most of it would be diverted from the trunk highway fund and federal transportation funds that could have been used for other construction projects. While those shifts would require legislative action, key Republican lawmakers Tuesday signaled their approval.
"The time is right," said Rep. Michael Beard, R-Shakopee, chairman of the House Transportation Policy and Finance Committee. "Some of the last couple of winters have been pretty brutal. It's time we catch up with what Mother Nature's done with us."
"I'm glad to see it," said Sen. Joe Gimse, R-Willmar, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. "I don't think we'll have a problem getting this through."
Other money will come from a contingency bond fund for bridge repairs and replacements that was created in response to the 2007 collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge.
Sorel said the contingency fund for cost overruns isn't needed now because bids for several major bridge projects came in lower than expected. "We wouldn't be doing this if we didn't think our current bridge needs were being fully funded," he said.
GOP legislators made pavement improvements a top priority at the beginning of the legislative session, Gimse said.
The additional money would be spent to improve more than 750 miles of highway in poor condition. Miles of poor highway were expected to grow to 1,900 by 2020 even with the $980 million committed earlier to pavement improvement.
Without the additional money, MnDOT said Tuesday, the percentage of highways in poor condition would increase from about 5 percent now to 10 percent in 2017. The additional money would keep the share of poor pavement at or slightly above 5 percent through 2015, but the problem would still worsen in later years.
"The goal is to slow the increase," said MnDOT spokesman Kevin Gutknecht.
The shifts involve taking $153 million from the bridge contingency bond fund and $142 million from the trunk highway fund, which gets revenue from taxes on gasoline and vehicle sales and registration fees. An additional $62 million will come from unused federal funds, including savings on recent projects.
When borrowing costs are included, the additional spending reaches $398 million. Dayton said the investment in roads would create 9,900 jobs directly or indirectly across the state.
Pat Doyle • 612-673-4504
