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Torkelson responds to Hwy 14 criticism

To the editor:

I’d like to thank Thomas Kuster for the letter to the editor bashing me for helping secure funding for Highway 14, because it gives me the opportunity to provide a history lesson and share how things actually work in state government.

First let’s set the record straight. Mr. Kuster claims that in my first ten years of service nothing happened on Highway 14. The truth is during those ten years the stretch from Mankato to Nicollet was completed, the New Ulm Gateway project including the Hwy 14/15 interchange was authorized and throughout those ten years I and numerous others on both sides of the aisle continued to advocate for the Nicollet to New Ulm section.

It is important to understand that MnDOT has a priority list when it comes to highway reconstruction. With U.S. Highway 14, MnDOT’s highest priority throughout my legislative service had always been the stretch from Owatonna to Dodge Center. Until that section of Highway 14 was funded, the New Ulm to Nicollet portion would always remain in 2nd place.

It was during my tenure as chairman of the Minnesota House Transportation Finance Committee that we got the job done. Not only did we make the largest investment in state history (totaling billions of dollars) into road and bridge infrastructure without raising taxes, we also found a way to finally secure funding to complete the Owatonna to Dodge Center portion of Highway 14. In doing so, the New Ulm to Nicollet stretch moved into the top spot on MnDOT’s Highway 14 priority list.

Mr. Kuster states correctly that through 2019 Highway 14 Nicollet to New Ulm section was officially listed as “unfunded and unscheduled.” What he fails to recognize is just how much time and effort goes into a road project just to get the project to a place in time where it can be “funded and scheduled.” I don’t fault Kuster for not having any knowledge of how the road improvement process works in this state, or what it takes to successfully move legislation forward. I learned very quickly that just because you want something, you can’t just snap your fingers and make it happen.

In the case of Highway 14, it took years of collaboration and compromise with Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate to fund what MnDOT believed were the state’s top road construction priorities. Doing that allowed the New Ulm to Nicollet stretch of Highway 14 to move up the ladder, and finally be in a position last year to receive the funding it desperately needed.

Most recently we received more good news for this project. Congressman Hagedorn has facilitated a Federal $22 million BUILD grant that will conserve state resources for other projects and assure this project proceeds smoothly.

Finally, let me say clearly that there is a long list of advocates that deserve credit for reaching this goal. I ask you to thank them and understand that I am part of that team and so very proud of what has been accomplished.

It is not only partisan but completely disingenuous to suggest I have done nothing to help Highway 14 during my legislative tenure. It has always been my Number 1 priority, and I am pleased to have helped.

State Rep. Paul Torkelson

House District 16B

Hanska

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