Governor Dayton Sets Deadline for Stillwater Bridge | News

Gov. Mark Dayton says he wants federal approval for a new St. Croix bridge by mid-March or he will ask that state funds for its construction be diverted to other projects.

Dayton is calling on U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann to secure House approval. The Stillwater bridge project needs an exemption from the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The U.S. Senate has already granted approval. With its recess, the House has just eight legislative days to act on the matter before Dayton's deadline.

New redistricting plans released Tuesday shift the Stillwater area from Bachmann to Rep. Betty McCollum, who has been critical of the project.     

The Pioneer Press says the four-lane bridge spanning the St. Croix and connecting Minnesota and Wisconsin is estimated to cost at least $574 million.
    
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