Minnesota Secures $50.5M in Federal Grants for Highway Safety Upgrades

NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Transportation has been awarded $25.5 million in federal funding to reconstruct and repave a heavily trafficked stretch of Hwy. 19 in Northfield, part of a broader $785 million package announced Friday by the Biden administration to improve rural transportation infrastructure.

The grant, announced by U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, will address safety and traffic flow concerns along a portion of the highway extending from Decker Avenue to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. Plans include converting the highway into a three-lane roadway with dedicated left-turn areas and a roundabout at the intersection of Hwy. 19 and Armstrong Road. Sidewalks and pedestrian crossings will also be upgraded.

“Every day, thousands of Minnesotans rely on Highway 19 to get to and from work, school, the doctor’s office, the grocery store — you name it — and that’s why this project is so important,” Craig said in a written statement.

Another Minnesota project in Carver County received $25 million to expand Hwy. 5 from two to four lanes between Chanhassen and Victoria. The funding is part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program, which saw a 50 percent increase in available funding due to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

In addition to the Northfield and Carver County projects, two Tribal communities in Minnesota also received grants. The Lower Sioux Indian Community will use $25 million to reconstruct approximately 10 miles of County State Aid Highway 2, construct a shared-use path, and build an electric vehicle charging station. The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians will use $25 million to reconstruct 1.2 miles of Minnesota State Highway 1, rehabilitate 4 miles of Walking Shield Road, and extend the road by 5.6 miles. The project also includes 11 miles of shared-use paths, widened shoulders, sidewalks, street lighting, and a new roundabout.

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith praised the investments, emphasizing their impact on safety and economic opportunities. “Rebuilding our infrastructure is critical for families, workers, and businesses everywhere—including in Tribal communities,” Klobuchar said. Smith added, “This federal grant will help improve safety on County State Aid Highway 2 and Minnesota State Highway 1, so that members of Lower Sioux and Red Lake Nation can get where they need to go safely.”

The RAISE Program, administered by the Department of Transportation, funds surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant local or regional impact. The grants aim to create jobs, support businesses, and enhance safety for drivers and pedestrians.