Bill in Congress to cap cost of Stillwater bridge threatens project

A bill in Congress would limit the use of federal funds for the crossing at $574 million. That's significantly lower than the project's estimated $700 million price tag. Democratic Congressman Keith Ellison says he's not against building the bridge but says the price is just too high. The group lobbying for the crossing says that cost also includes highway improvements in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Author:: BMTN Staff
Publish date:: Nov 22, 2011

A bill in Congress would limit the use of federal funds for the crossing at $574 million. That's significantly lower than the project's estimated $700 million price tag. Democratic Congressman Keith Ellison says he's not against building the bridge but says the price is just too high. The group lobbying for the crossing says that cost also includes highway improvements in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.

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Democrat Reps. Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison have introduced a bill to cap any bridge project using federal funds at just under $600 million. The proposed bridge currently has a $700 million price tag.

The state legislators signed a letter to federal lawmakers opposing a plan to build a $700 million bridge that would replace the current lift bridge. Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann and Gov. Dayton have spoken out in favor of the bridge. The legislators who signed the letter say the money could be better spent elsewhere.

A coalition of local city officials and residents are in Washington D.C. to meet with lawmakers and lobby for speedy passage of a bill that would clear the way for the new bridge.

The $700 million project is fully funded, but needs congressional action to bypass federal environmental regulations that protects rivers like the St. Croix from construction projects. The bill now goes to the House floor.

Environment Minnesota is among the groups that say half a dozen bills pending in Washington risk harming public lands including the Boundary Waters. They're rallying opposition to the bills they say would relax protections against pollution or development.

Three lawsuits--only one of which is still pending--have added more than a million dollars to the Central Corridor light rail construction project. Taxpayers are on the line for the extra costs but the Metropolitan Council says it doesn't anticipate any cost overruns.

Officials with the city of Minneapolis, Hennepin County and the Met Council told Minnesota Public Radio the cost to shutdown and repair the pedestrian and bicycle crossing topped $1.1 million. The Sabo Bridge was closed for three-and-a-half months after two of the bridge's supporting cables came loose in February. A report released in June blames the failure on wind vibrations.

The Stillwater Lift Bridge will close Monday for four months while MnDot crews make repairs. The bridge will not reopen until late December. The lift span will open to boat traffic on Sundays from Oct. 15 through Nov. 5 and will also not open again until late December.