At Monday's groundbreaking on a $28.3 million expansion of Interstate 94 to ease congestion over the Crow River between the cities of Rogers and St. Michael, were, from left, St. Michael city administrator Steve Bot, Rep. David Fitzsimmons, Rep. Frank Hornstein, Rep. Michele Bachmann, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, MnDOT Commissioner Charles Zelle and State Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer. (Photo by Samara Postuma)

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has greenlighted $6.5 million in improvements to four gridlocked outstate highways.

The projects announced Monday are part of the state's Corridors of Commerce initiative, which targets traffic bottlenecks around the state. The latest projects include:

  • $1.5 million to expand Highway 14 between Dodge Center and Owatonna.
  • $1.5 million for environmental work to prepare for the future expansion of Highway 23 from New London to Paynesville, and Paynesville to Richmond.
  • $1.9 million to build a center-left turn lane in Detroit Lakes from Highway 59 to County Road 141.
  • $1.6 million to reconstruct a section of Highway 2 in Deer River.

The Corridors of Commerce project has steered $306.5 million in funding to 14 projects statewide so far. Another $25 million in projects will be announced this fall.

Monday also marked the groundbreaking on a $28.3 million expansion of Interstate 94 to ease congestion over the Crow River between the cities of Rogers and St. Michael.

"Transportation projects funded by the Corridors of Commerce initiative will reduce travel times, improve safety for Minnesota citizens, and help our businesses transport their products more efficiently," Gov. Mark Dayton said in a statement Monday. "The number of projects from all over our state, which sought financing from this program, underscores the acute need for more transportation funding to meet the needs of our state's growing economy."

Terry Sauer, Star Tribune

The Legislature approved another $31.5 million for the Corridors of Commerce program this year.