Posted: 6/5/02

County will seek federal funding for Broadway work in Forest Lake

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Improvements to W. Broadway Ave. (CR-2) in Forest Lake could come as early as 2004 if Washington County is successful is securing federal transportation funds for a proposed project.

The Washington County Board of Commissioners on May 28 approved a list of transportation requests that would be backed by the federal highway funding bill.

Broadway in Forest Lake would stand to benefit to the tune of $3 million.

Dennis Hegberg, First District commissioner from Forest Lake, said if the county is successful, funds could be secured by 2004. That would allow the county to advance the Broadway project which will feature improvements east of the I-35 bridge to US-61 (Lake Street).

ìWe are sincere in getting it done,î Hegberg said of the Broadway improvements and a new I-35 bridge. ìWeíd like to get federal dollars to help pay the bill.î

A combination of state, county and local funding would be merged with federal funding to pay the cost, he said. The federal funding will be used to match state, county and city funds.

ìIt will be nice to get it (funding) and it (the project) is necessary,î Hegberg said.

The lobbying effort to secure the funding is now in place.

Hegberg met with current 2nd District Congressman Mark Kennedy, R-Watertown, on Monday and appealed for Kennedyís help. Kennedy is running for reelection in the new 6th District which includes the northern parts of Washington County.

Don Theisen, county engineer, will be part of the countyís transportation alliance which will meet with the federal delegation in Washington, D.C. June 11-13. They will carry the county boardís message to Washington.

The list of transportation needs also includes support of the Metro Joint Powers Board for commuter rail funding requests and inclusion of the Stillwater bridge to the funding list.

At Hegbergís request, the county has added a $300,000 funding request for the construction of park-and-ride lots along the Rush Line Corridor from St. Paul to Hinckley.

Hegberg said he is in contact with 8th District Congressman Jim Oberstar seeking support for the federal dollars. Hegberg said he is hopeful park-and-ride facilities can be constructed in Hugo and Forest Lake.

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