Mark Kennedy for US Senate

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Transportation

In Minnesota, we often joke that there are only two seasons; winter and road construction. As a member of the House Transportation committee, I have been a constant advocate for the transportation needs of Minnesotans, so that we spend less time in traffic, and more time at home with our families.

The recently passed House road bill provides $45 million for projects within the 6th district. From Interstate 94 in Woodbury and Albertville, to a new interchange in Forest Lake for 35 W, $4 million for Highway 65 in Anoka and $5 million for the Stillwater Bridge, every corner of the district will benefit from this crucial funding. Projects within the 6th District are extremely important in order to keep up with the area’s rapid population growth. In addition, the bill contains $25.75 million for the Northstar Corridor – connecting St. Cloud to the Twin Cities.

Another victory for Minnesota drivers contained in the road bill is a fix in the federal gas tax formula that will end the unfair treatment of drivers who use ethanol. This fix will mean an additional $1.2 billion for Minnesota over the next six years. I introduced a bill to speed this process along, which would mean an additional $17 million per month over the next couple of years for Minnesota’s transportation needs.

One of my frustrations with Washington in general and transportation policy in particular is the failure to set priorities. While Minnesotans sit in traffic, we’re spending billions in federal gas tax dollars on things like bike paths, bridges to nowhere, and Amtrak. It’s time to end the old ways of doing things and for new ideas based on common sense.

For years, I have been working with taxpayer, highway user and construction groups on a common-sense solution to our congestion problems. I introduced the Freeing Alternatives for Speedy Transportation (FAST) Act, to promote innovation and fiscal responsibility in our transportation policy. This bipartisan legislation has been called "one of the most significant improvements in the federal highway program since it was created in 1956." FAST lane users would have new lanes to use, and those who choose not to use the FAST lanes will benefit from having fewer cars in existing lanes.

When the road bill passed out of the Senate, I was pleased it contained an amendment to prevent tolls on existing interstate lanes while providing for much-needed new capacity, a key provision of my FAST Act. I will continue working to make this much-needed legislation into law. It’s time to end gridlock in Washington, so we end gridlock on Minnesota roads.