ST. PAUL, Minn. — Fifteen projects that will improve freight mobility, safety, intermodal connections and first and last-mile freight throughout Minnesota were selected to receive a total of $81.5 million in funding, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) announced Thursday.
These 15 projects selected are part of the third round of targeted freight funding offered through the competitive Minnesota Highway Freight Program (MHFP), according to a news release.
MHFP funds are made available for road, port, airport and railroad projects. This round of funding will be applied to projects programmed in state fiscal years 2026–28.
The projects awarded funding include:
- MnDOT Rest Area Program – I-94 Enfield Rest Area truck parking expansion: $2.7 million
- MnDOT District 4 – Snow fence on I-94 near Rothsay: $2.25 million
- MnDOT Rest Area Program – I-94 Big Spunk Lake Rest Area truck parking expansion: $3.4 million
- City of Cottage Grove – 100 St SW arterial roadway project: $5 million
- Sherburne County – Highway 169 and County Road 4 rural safety and mobility project: $10.8 million
- Carver County – Highway 5 Arboretum Area safety project: $10.8 million
- Scott County – Highway River, Rails, and Highway Freight Improvement project: $10.8 million
- City of Coon Rapids – Highway 610 East River Road interchange: $10.8 million
- Bridgewater Township – Comus Industrial Park Intermodal Facility access road: $1.6 million
- MnDOT District 7 – Highway 169 Mankato Area revitalization: $10.8 million
- City of Clearwater – I-94 and Highway 24 improvements: $5 million
- City of Mankato – Veterans Memorial Bridge rehabilitation; $6.1 million
- Statewide Truck Parking Information and Management System replacement project: $550,000
- Statewide Truck Parking Study update — $300,000
- State Freight Plan update — $600,000
“The MHFP encourages public and private sector entities to apply for funding for transportation projects that benefit freight movement across the state,” the news release states.”During this latest round of the solicitation, MnDOT received 24 applications requesting $158 million. Each project was evaluated for key freight data, proposed project benefits, and project readiness.”
MnDOT worked with stakeholders over the past two years to develop and roll out this round of the solicitation. Funding for the program comes through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and connects to the key strategic goals in Minnesota’s State Freight Plan.
More information about the awards and the program can be found online at the program website at https://www.dot.state.mn.us/ofrw/mhfp/.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
