Minnesota would receive around $6 billion in federal aid over the next five years for roads, bridges, transit, internet connections and other public works projects under the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that the U.S. Senate passed Tuesday.
“It’s a huge opportunity for Minnesota’s economy, for creating jobs and for clearing out a backlog of long-overdue transportation projects,” U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., said in an interview after the vote.
Although the bill must still clear the U.S. House, Smith and her fellow Minnesota senator, Amy Klobuchar, said the vote moves the nation one step closer to major new investments in its aging public facilities.
“After years of talking about infrastructure, it is great to deliver on that promise,” Smith said. That’s a top priority for President Joe Biden.
The largest chunk of federal cash for Minnesota — an estimated $4.5 billion — would go to repair and rebuild roads. Another $302 million can be expected for fixing or replacing deteriorating bridges.
The state desperately needs that money, Klobuchar said. “We have 600 bridges and nearly 5,000 miles of highways in poor condition. Since 2011, commute times have increased by 8.6 percent in Minnesota.”
The state also is in line to receive $820 million for public transit options, including buses, light rail and related passenger transportation services in both the metro area and greater Minnesota. That’s a likely source of funding for east metro bus rapid transit projects, Klobuchar said.
Minnesota would receive a minimum of $100 million to connect more residents with high-speed internet, Smith said. It would provide access to about 83,000 of the 140,000 Minnesota households that currently lack it. “This gets us more than halfway there,” she said.
The bill would pump $68 million into expanding Minnesota’s network of electric vehicle charging stations, Smith said.
The federal package also allocates $66 billion to boost passenger and freight rail services, possibly including funding for a second Amtrak train between St. Paul and Chicago. “We’ll have to compete for those dollars, but at least there’s more to compete for,” Smith said.
Klobuchar said Minnesota should benefit from a $73 billion investment in modernizing the nation’s aging electric grid.
The bill creates the nation’s first program to reconnect communities that were divided by transportation projects, particularly interstate highways that were built through Black communities. It provides $1 billion for that program, and Klobuchar and Smith both said the proposed I-94 “land bridge” in St. Paul’s former Rondo neighborhood should be a strong candidate for a share of those federal dollars.
“The bipartisan infrastructure plan is a win for Minnesota,” Gov. Tim Walz said in a statement released before the vote.