Minnesota state lawmakers recently approved a transportation budget bill to provide over $800 million for state roads and bridges.
As part of the budget, the state’s trunk highway system will receive $413 million in trunk highway bonds, including $200 million for the Corridors of Commerce program, $100 million for general state road construction, and $113 million for state road construction projects under the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Regional and Community Investment planning category.
As a major producer of corn and soybeans, Minnesota depends on the condition and performance of its roads for grain transportation. As of 2019, 4.7 percent (13,346) of bridges in Minnesota were structurally deficient, and in 2018, 16 percent of roads in the state were in poor condition — according to the American Society of Civil Engineers.
The new funding is expected to boost highway capacity and improve freight movement statewide, which can benefit grain transportation.
