MANKATO — Despite my disappointment over the Federal Highway Administration’s decision to not provide a grant to finish Highway 14 between Nicollet and New Ulm, I feel compelled to thank Rep. Jim Hagedorn and state officials from both parties for coming together to advocate for this long overdue highway expansion.
In the current toxic political atmosphere, I was especially impressed to watch two former political rivals, Rep. Hagedorn and Gov. Tim Walz, work together on a project that both advocated for in Congress.
In addition, Hagedorn and Minnesota Department of Transportation joined city and county elected officials and business leaders across the political spectrum in an attempt to convince the highway administration to finish this 50-year-old project.