MANKATO — The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) recently selected the U.S. Highway 14 four-lane expansion as one of three projects to submit for federal grant funds.

The $25 million U.S. Department of Transportation Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grant program would help fund the $85 million project to expand Highway 14 to four lanes from New Ulm to Nicollet.

Local partners and MnDOT are committed to fund the difference to build the project if selected as a BUILD grant recipient.

Toward that end, MnDOT seeks letters of support by Monday, July 8 from community residents, businesses, city and county officials to include in the application. Letters should be mailed or emailed to: MnDOT District 7, Attn: Doris Degenstein, 2151 Bassett Drive, Mankato, Mn 56001. Email dorisdegenstein@state.mn.us

BUILD grant applications are due Monday, July 15. The grants will be awarded by Tuesday, Nov. 12. They will be awarded on a competitive basis to projects that will have a significant local or regional impact.

Other grant selection criteria includes safety, economic competitiveness, quality of life, state of good repair, innovation, partnerships, public health and safety, regional connectivity, economic growth and energy independence.

The maximum grant award is $25 million. No more than $90 million can be awarded to one state.

“The ($900 million) in BUILD grants will provide needed infrastructure investment to better connect rural and urban communities around our nation,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao.

For more information, visit www.transportation.gov/BUILDgrants and www.mndot.gov/d7/projects/14newulmtomankato/

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).