ST. PAUL, MN – At a roundtable discussion in Burnsville Wednesday, Lt. Governor Tina Smith urged action on new transit investments this session. Joined by Metropolitan Council Chair Adam Duininck and Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle, Lt. Governor Smith today gathered input and testimony from local elected officials and area business leaders about the need for new transit investments as part of a comprehensive, long-term transportation plan. The Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit project between Minneapolis and Burnsville would help improve access to 194,000 jobs and 115,000 residents while leveraging a $9-to-$1 return on investment. Additionally, the proposed Orange Line – which would require new state transit funding in order to move forward – would also help to raise area property values and attract and retain businesses and residents in a 21st Century economy.

 

“Minnesota’s roads, bridges, and transit networks form the backbone of our economy. After decades of decline, we must invest in these systems to protect Minnesota's long-term economic vitality,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. “Governor Dayton and I believe that transit must be part of Minnesota's long-term transportation solution: businesses need it, workers need it, and thousands of Minnesotans rely on it every day. The plan proposed by Democrats would provide the resources necessary for a 21st Century transportation system and build an economy that works for all Minnesotans, everywhere in Minnesota.”

 

Modern roads, bridges, and transit systems are the foundation of an economy that works for all Minnesotans, everywhere in our state. Businesses statewide need reliable roads and bridges to export their ideas and innovations to consumers around the globe. To attract and retain the best workers, Minnesota needs roadways, bridges, and transit systems that make it easy to get to work safely, affordably, and on-time. The Dayton-Smith Administration has proposed a 21st Century transportation plan that would make the sustainable, long-term investments necessary to build a better transportation network, spur Minnesota’s innovation economy forward, and generate the great jobs of the future.

 

“Businesses know that we need a reliable, robust and efficient regional transit system to attract and retain workforce,” said Council Chair Adam Duininck. “The Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit project will provide fast, frequent and reliable all-day transit service along I-35W. It allows people to connect into the larger transit system, connecting people across the region to job centers, housing options, transit stations and key destinations in the I-35W corridor. This seven-day-a-week service is critical to people who rely on transit to get to and from their jobs.”

 

The 17-mile corridor along I-35W from downtown Minneapolis to Burnsville is the most heavily traveled express bus corridor in the region, with about 14,000 daily rides. Right now, that service is limited and only runs five days a week. The Orange Line project will improve access to 194,000 jobs and 115,000 residents, including 56,000 jobs and 81,000 residents outside of downtown Minneapolis.

 

“The state’s foremost experts agree on two things: this problem is real, and it cannot be resolved without a major investment,” said Transportation Commissioner Zelle. “But Minnesotans didn’t need a bipartisan panel of experts to tell them what they already know – that our transportation system is in serious disrepair, and getting worse. This problem presents us with two simple and starkly different options: invest for the future, or do nothing and let the problem get much worse.”

 

By aligning construction on the Orange Line with MnDOT’s Lake Street bridge work in 2017, investing in the project this year will save money for the state and time for commuters, with less disruption to traffic. This investment would leverage an additional $9 in state and federal funding for every $1 provided by the state.

 

High-quality, modern transportation infrastructure drives economic growth and competitiveness. That’s why Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith support a transportation investment that will reinvigorate Minnesota’s transportation systems – ensuring that we have a statewide transportation solution that works for all Minnesotans.

 

 

 

 

·         Aging Roads and Bridges – Right now, more than half of Minnesota’s roads are more than 50 years old, and 40 percent of the state’s bridges are more than 40 years old. In just the next three years alone, one in five Minnesota roads will pass their useful life. And in the next ten years, nearly 40 percent of our roads will be past their useful life.

 

·         High Costs for Commuters and Businesses – Poor roads cost Minnesota motorists $1.2 billion every year in extra vehicle repairs, and Minnesota businesses spend an extra $232 million each year on additional freight transportation costs caused by traffic congestion.

 

·         Meeting the Need for Rising Transit Ridership – In 2015, there were nearly 99 million rides across the system. Transit usage has increased 30 percent over the past 10 years. By 2040, the region is expected to add an additional 750,000 people. Without additional investments in transit, our state will not be able to keep up with that growing demand.

 

·         A $6 Billion Problem – Last year, Governor Dayton and legislative leaders reached agreement on the scope of Minnesota’s growing transportation needs. Currently, Minnesota faces a $6 billion funding gap for state highways over the next decade that will only get bigger the longer we wait. Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith remain committed to reaching a common ground, common sense solution this year on how to fund a long-term, comprehensive transportation solution to build a better Minnesota for everyone, everywhere in our state.

 

FACT SHEET: Fixing Our Roads, Bridges, and Transit Systems [Link]

 

FACT SHEET: Transportation Investments Listed by County, City [Link]