Millions in federal funds secured for improving south metro's I-35 corridor
DAKOTA COUNTY, Minn. -- Millions of taxpayer dollars will soon help to improve Interstate 35 in the south metro.
Local leaders in Lakeville said I-35 is a key corridor through Dakota County with nearly 90,000 cars and trucks using it to pass through the city every day. With that number continuing to grow, local lawmakers said improvements are needed to keep up.
On Monday morning, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Angie Craig, who represents the Second Congressional District, along with local leaders announced $5 million from the federal budget have been secured to improve the I-35 and County Highway 50 corridor.
The improvements include a new bridge, expanding Highway 50 and changes to the entrance and exit ramps.
"There's over 90,000 trips going through this very compact area," Luke Hellier, mayor of Lakeville. "It really ends up having a bottleneck all the way north past Buck Hill through the southern part of the state so this will help elevate a lot of that congestion."
The improvements would also include the expansion of an E-ZPass lane, formerly known as MnPASS.
"In the morning the congestion used to start around Buck Hill, now it's Highway 7, so we need that extension MnPASS to increase the capacity of the corridor as well," said Mary Liz Holberg, Dakota County Commissioner.
Construction is expected to begin in 2026.
Klobuchar and Craig stressed the $5 million is only a down payment as the whole project is estimated to cost $45 million, but they're hoping the funds will give them some leverage in securing more money - especially as the new legislative session gets underway in Minnesota.
Klobuchar and Craig said Minnesota received more than $223 million from the federal budget for projects all over the state.
Another project in Dakota County to receive funding is the Veteran Greenway Trail, which welcomes 650,000 visitors each year. Roughly $5 million will go to make the trail more accessible for people with disabilities.
An additional $750,000 will go to build new freight rail car storage that leaders said will help increase the capacity for the local supply chain in Dakota County.
The Dakota County Sheriff's Office will also receive $325,000 to help fight cyber crimes, especially those that target seniors. The money will pay for one full-time forensic technician to join the department.
