Cliff Buchan
News Editor

When it comes to securing funding for road projects, no one can ever accuse Rep. Jim Oberstar of not bringing home the bacon.

Chisago County, an area represented by the Eighth District Democrat, was a big winner in the Transportation Equity Act that passed Congress last week.

TEA-LU, the largest, most comprehensive public works legislation in history, passed the House of Representatives and Senate last week. The bill, H.R. 3, authorizes $286.5 billion over six years for federal highways, public transit, and road safety projects ó a 42 percent increase over the guaranteed funding for the 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century.

Oberstar, the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, secured just under $19 million for three major highway projects and an environmental assessment study in the south end of Chisago County.

Sixth District Congressman Mark Kennedy secured $2.4 million for the I-35-Broadway interchange project in Forest Lake.

But Oberstar was the true home run hitter for area highway projects. Chisago County projects include the following:

ï$5.61 million for a new bridge over I-35 and freeway ramps at CR-17 in Lent Township between Stacy and North Branch with CR-17 improvements to extend from the west Chisago County line to CR-30 (old US-61).

ï$5.76 million for US-8 capacity and safety improvements in the city of Lindstrom from west of 306th St. to the eastern city limits.

ï$480,000 for an environmental assessment for a US-8 upgrade from Chisago City to Forest Lake.

ï$7.12 million for a TH-95 bridge over I-35 in North Branch. The funding will be used to conduct design, engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and construction of the TH-95 bridge, approaches, ramps, and signals, including turn lanes over I-35.

Oberstar said in a press release the bill also authorizes $121,313,556 over six years for 57 high priority projects in Minnesotaís Eighth Congressional District.

ìCongressí challenge is to ensure that our nationís highways, bridges, recreational trails, enhancements and safety improvements keep up with the demands of a growing population and greater involvement in the global marketplace.

ìIncreasing our investment in a strong, efficient, and safe transportation infrastructure will create good, family-wage jobs and help maintain our economic competitiveness,î Oberstar said.

ìTEA-LU will improve economic productivity, facilitate international trade, relieve congestion, enrich our quality of life, and make our transportation systems safer. Simply put, this bill will get America moving ó and working ó again!î

Kennedy, the Sixth District Republican who is running for Senate next year, landed $64 million for highway and transit projects in the district.

Only two local projects won approval, however.

The bill provides $2.4 million for a new interchange in Forest Lake for I-35 at Broadway. Washington County and city of Forest Lake planners had sought $6 million in funding only to see the amount slashed to $3 million.

The final compromise lowered the total funding to $2.4 million for the project that will be built in 2007 and 2008.

The other local project includes $800,000 for I-35 in Lino Lakes for removal of the bottleneck at the Main St. (CR-14) interchange.

The bill also includes $50 million for St. Paul Union Depot conversion into a multi-modal transportation significance.

In addition, the bill provides $4 million for a commuter rail study for the Central, Red Rock, and Rush Line corridors. The Rush Line Corridor extends from St. Paul to Hinckley through Forest Lake and Wyoming along the former rail bed.

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