NEW ULM - Brown County commissioners will consider signing a letter to Gov. Mark Dayton and passing a resolution Tuesday urging the Minnesota Highway Department (MnDOT) consider upgrading U.S. Highway 14 to four lanes from New Ulm to North Mankato as a top priority.
The planned completion of U.S. Highway 14 from Waseca to Owatonna will leave only two segments not upgraded, from New Ulm to North Mankato and Owatonna to Dodge Center, according to the Request for Board Action (RBA).
The highway department is revising its 20-year highway system investment plan to exclude four-lane upgrades for the two missing segments, since MnDOT plans to spend less money on expansion and more on maintenance over the next 20 years, according to the RBA.
The Trunk Highway 14 Partnership is requesting letters and resolutions support including the TH 14 expansion of the two missing segments in the 20-year plan.
Commissioners will also:
View a 30-minute Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) Legislative Preview Video focusing on potential state-wide county legislative issues including the environment and natural resources, general government, health and human services, public safety, transportation, and workforce/economic development.
Consider authorizing the Brown County Veterans Council's request to expand the Brown County Veterans Memorial. The council plans to add 12 5x6 foot, vertical, granite tablets that will yield an additional 1,632 memorial name spaces.
The project will be funded only by the veterans council via fund-raising efforts.
The meeting starts at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 7 in the commissioner's room on the courthouse second floor.
Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.