Anoka County sues MnDOT in dispute over ‘dubious boondoggle’ of a project

Anoka County had a plan for more than $6 million in transportation funds: Improved trails in Columbia Heights, an underpass at a dangerous crossing in St. Francis and park upgrades in Andover and Coon Rapids.

Instead, the money is going toward the construction of a pedestrian bridge over the Rum River in the city of Anoka, as part of a project county officials call a “dubious boondoggle” of a plan to bring white-water surfing to the river there.

Now, Anoka County is suing the state, accusing state Rep. Zack Stephenson, newly elected House DFL leader from Coon Rapids, of “misusing the legislative process to finance his own pet project” in his district. Anoka County’s lawsuit against the Minnesota Department of Transportation argues the state’s Constitution does not allow the Legislature to divert funds allocated to a county without its approval.

“One legislator’s desire to build a third pedestrian bridge within a quarter mile of two other existing pedestrian bridges should not trump Anoka County’s ability to fund essential parks and transportation projects for the benefit of the entire county,” the complaint reads.

Stephenson, whose district includes Anoka, declined to comment on the lawsuit, which mentions him several times but does not name him as a defendant. But on the House floor during the June special session where they took up the bill that included the funding, Stephenson defended it after Republican Rep. Harry Niska of Anoka unsuccessfully pushed to remove the Rum River allocation.

Stephenson said there was nothing “nefarious” about the bill and that the project received vetting in a committee and was approved as part of the House transportation budget with bipartisan support. He said only the funding source changed as other dollars were unavailable.

The legislation included in the final transportation bill directs MnDOT to divert $6.2 million of Anoka County’s transportation funds to build the Rum River pedestrian overpass. The lawsuit, filed by Anoka County Attorney Brad Johnson late last month, seeks to prohibit MnDOT from allocating the money without the county’s approval.

The city of Anoka has been seeking funding to upgrade the Rum River Dam, less than a mile from the river’s confluence with the Mississippi River.

The long-term project includes a pedestrian bridge and a navigation lock for watercraft. It would also turn the dam into a white-water attraction, with controlled waves allowing visitors to take a ride by paddleboard, kayak, inner tube or surfboard. Similar attractions featuring river surfing have opened across the country in recent years.

City officials, who said the plan features needed safety upgrades to the dam and would draw more visitors downtown, previously estimated it could cost up to $55 million. It’s a project officials have said would help reinforce downtown Anoka as a fun destination.

The Anoka City Council met in closed session Monday evening to discuss Anoka County’s lawsuit. A city spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

City officials previously said the curving pedestrian bridge would connect both sides of the river, and could be used for dam maintenance, fishing and white-water sport events.

“This type of backroom politics is bad government,” the lawsuit reads. “It is an unlawful abuse of power that threatens every single Minnesota county.”

The lawsuit points to the state Constitution prohibiting the Legislature from enacting special laws related to local governments without their approval.

“This shift ignores the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s own rules, policies and procedures, and reallocations of this nature need County Board approval to take effect,” Anoka County Board Chair Mike Gamache said in a news release. It says $4.9 million of the county’s transportation funds would go toward the bridge in 2026, and another $1.3 million in 2027.

Stephenson said at the House session in June that the funding decision was not unprecedented, pointing out that as part of the transportation bill, $6 million of Hennepin County’s transit funding was similarly directed to the Washington Avenue pedestrian bridge project. A Hennepin County spokesperson declined to comment.

Republican Rep. Peggy Scott of Andover questioned the allocation: “You’re robbing their account, an account that’s supposed to benefit the entire county. And they’re supposed to be making the decisions, and you took that money out of there to fund a pet project.”