HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-28-12 Council Handouts 1
C- STATE OF MINNESOTA
Office of Governor Mark Dayton
. 57;
‘-<' 130 State Capitol • 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard ♦ Saint Paul, MN 55155
February 28, 2012
The Honorable John Boehner
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
H -232 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. Speaker:
I respectfully ask you and the Members of your Caucus to support Representative
Michele Bachmaiin's proposed legislation, which would allow the construction of a
desperately needed new bridge across the St. Croix River between Wisconsin and
Minnesota.
This new bridge is a top priority for both states. Increasing numbers of people are
choosing to live near the western Wisconsin border and work or shop across the river in
Minnesota, thus benefitting both economies. That commerce is now being severely
constricted by the inadequacy of the existing Stillwater Lift Bridge.
That bridge is an 80 -year old structure, which was placed on the National Registry
of Historic Places in 1989. However, as an operational Lift Bridge, with frequent
raisings to allow boats to travel the St. Croix River, it is a source of ever- worsening
traffic congestion on both sides of the river, as traffic backs up to wait for the bridge to
lower and resume vehicular traffic. Additionally, the narrow street network in downtown
Stillwater and topographic constraints on the Wisconsin bluff cause further traffic
congestion and severely limit opportunities to improve approaches to the bridge.
After 80 years of service, the Lift Bridge has aged and has significant structural,
operational, and maintenance problems. The limitations of a two -lane historic bridge, the
demands of raising and lowering the bridge, and ongoing maintenance and operations
have raised concerns about safety on the bridge as well as on the approach roadways.
Twenty -eight different stakeholders representing a wide variety of interests
worked collaboratively over several years to identify a new, mutually agreeable river
crossing. Representatives from federal, state, and local government agencies and
environmental protection organizations participated in the choice of the location and the
design of the new bridge. The project has also received extensive public involvement
and comment.
Voice: (651) 201 -3400 or (800) 657 -3717 Fax: (651) 797 -1850 MN Relay (800) 627 -3529
Website: http: / /governor.state.mn.us An Equal Opportunity Employer
Printed on recycled paper containing 15% post consumer material and state government printed
The Honorable John Boehner
February 28, 2012
Page 3
2) The alternative locations and designs would fail to meet the transportation needs
of the project. It does not make sense to build an expensive bridge that fails to
improve the immediate and long -term congestion problems facing the region.
If the proposed location for this new bridge were in a natural stretch of this
beautiful river, I would not support it, regardless of transportation needs. However, the
site is only about 50 yards south of the existing Lift Bridge, and borders the growing
town of Stillwater. On its Minnesota side, the new bridge would be immediately adjacent
to a coal - powered electricity - generating plant, which spews large plumes of smoke well
above the bridge's level, and a glass manufacturing plant. Thus, it is by no means a
scenic site of a scenic river. It is, rather, a cosmopolitan and industrial site, whose
improved transpottation is imperative to its future economic growth and social well-
being.
Furthermore, subjecting this project to yet another stakeholder process and
redesign would likely be its death knell. Both the federal and state funds, which
Minnesota has reserved for this project, are time - sensitive. Thus, the choice is not
between the proposed bridge and an alternative. It is between that bridge and no bridge
for probably the next two decades.
The urgent need for this connection between Wisconsin and Minnesota has united
Members of Congress and the Governors from both states and both political parties. We
ask for your support of this legislation and your assistance in securing its passage by the
U.S. House of Representatives.
Sincerely,
/ 47A(3‘;k
Mark Dayton
Governor
cc: Representative Michele Bachmann
Senator Amy Klobuchar