St. Paul, Minn. – Yesterday, the Minnesota legislature adjourned the 2023 session. In total, Rep. Matt Norris (DFL - Blaine) secured $102.75 million across three bills for the construction and improvement of Highway 65. This was a day-one session priority for Rep. Norris, who was the only Blaine legislator to vote for every bill which included Highway 65 funds.
“Many people in Blaine began to doubt this day would ever come. But I was committed to delivering for my district, and I am proud to have followed through on that commitment. I can’t wait to see shovels in the ground on this project that will make our community much safer and reduce congestion to make it an even more vibrant city,” said Rep. Norris. “There are many partners who helped make this possible, including the City of Blaine and Anoka County. I also want to thank Sen. Michael Kreun for helping to secure $25 million from the Senate GOP’s portion of the bonding bill dollars. My DFL House colleagues Chair Frank Hornstein, Chair Erin Koegel, and Rep. Jerry Newton also deserve recognition for their work on this issue over many years.”
The funding is spread across three bills; $68.75 million in the Transportation Bill, $25 million in HF 669 (bonding capital investment), and $9 million in HF 670 (cash capital investment). This will be enough to begin construction on the intersections at 99th Ave, 105th Ave, and 109th Ave. More details on the construction timeline will be forthcoming from the city and county.
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