Rep. Terry Morrow announces that he successfully included language concerning Highway 14 between North Mankato and New Ulm as part of the Transportation Policy bill that unanimously passed in a conference committee this afternoon. Representative Morrow served as a member of the 10-person Transportation Policy conference committee, the second year in a row he has been selected for this responsibility.

I introduced the Highway 14 bill this session because I know it’s imperative for the safety and economic development of our area that this project move forward. Today’s action is a significant step that builds upon the positive commitments to roads and bridges that Minnesota has taken in the past two years.

Under Representative Morrow’s provision, MnDOT will submit a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the North Mankato-New Ulm section by December 31, 2010 and the Owatonna-Dodge Center section of Highway 14 by May 31, 2010. The language requires MnDOT to provide public reports if these time requirements are not met. An EIS is a required step to purchasing right-of-way and constructing a four-lane expansion of these sections.

The U.S. Highway 14 Partnership–and especially North Mankato Mayor Gary Zellmer, New Ulm Mayor Joel Albrecht, and Courtland Mayor Bob Schabert–were indispensable partners in our effort to get more certainty for our communities along Highway 14. Congressman Tim Walz, Senator Kathy Sheran, and I have been committed to this project and will continue working with our local partners as the project progresses.

On Monday, Rep. Morrow joined Congressman Walz at a press conference regarding their efforts to garner federal and state support for Highway 14. At that conference, Morrow stated that it was a “critically significant week” for Highway 14. Today’s legislative action represents fulfillment of this prediction, Morrow confirmed.