Buckle up, Minnesota: MnDOT releases road construction schedule

With the snow gone and the spring here, road construction crews have come out of hibernation.

Work is beginning anew on 290 transportation construction projects around Minnesota, according to a news release from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

MnDOT officials outlined the plans in an annual press conference Thursday morning. According to MPR News, Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle told reporters the total cost of the projects is around $1 billion.

Sounds like a lot, but MnDOT officials indicate much more is needed to address Minnesota's crumbling highways and bridges.

According to the release, the agency foresees "revenue shortfalls" in future years and thus less funding for construction projects.

With "significant declines" in the state of Minnesota's roads, "you can see very clearly the need for additional, sustainable transportation revenues," Zelle said.

For these reasons, MnDOT says, this year's work will focus on "maintenance" and "preservation" as opposed to all-out overhauls.

The problem is currently a topic of great detention between DFL Governor Dayton and Republican lawmakers – both parties have multi-billion dollar approaches to fixing the state's roads.

One thing they do agree on, however, is that Minnesota's highways are in dire need of an upgrade.

In the meantime, you can prepare for any possible traffic delays in your travels by looking at detailed project maps of when and where MnDOT construction will take place.