Business money will speed up new road projects

Gov. Tim Pawlenty says Minnesota companies that benefit from highway improvements should be willing to share in the construction costs.

Pawlenty proposed a new push for public-private road construction partnerships Tuesday as part of a package of transportation initiatives. The Republican governor didn't provide a total price tag, but he said his plans could be paid for with existing state highway funds.

The idea isn't new. When Best Buy needed highway interchange improvements near its corporate headquarters in Richfield, company officials paid the state $7 million to speed up the project.

State transportation officials say two similar partnerships are currently in place. UnitedHealth Group is paying $5 million toward a $20 million Highway 169 interchange in Minnetonka, and the developers of a bioscience medical facility are donating $13 million in right-of-way for a $36 million project on Highway 52 in Pine Island.

Gov. Pawlenty says he wants the state to work aggressively to expand an effort known as P-3 partnerships.

"We're looking for areas of improvement that would benefit existing or future commercial or private interests, and then asking those interests to join us in a P-3 partnership to help pay for the acceleration of the development of the project," said Pawlenty, "to the benefit of those commercial or private interests, as well as to the benefit other motorists and individuals and goods moving on the system."

Pawlenty insists the initiative is about improving travel, not letting wealthy interests buy their way up the project list. He says the benefits go far beyond the partnering companies.

The governor also said he's directing transportation officials to identify more metro area freeways that could be added to the MnPASS toll network, which allows motorists to pay to drive in less congested commuter lanes.

Another proposal would upgrade I-94 between Minneapolis and St. Paul. Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel says electronic signs will be installed above the lanes on I-94 to better manage traffic.

"That's going to put up advisory speeds for you. And we're trying to use a technique called speed harmonization, which we can try to get everybody to travel at the same speed, which will allow more capacity on the roadway and provide a more safe environment," said Sorel.

The governor's plan also calls for accelerated spending of up to $40 million on projects to ease traffic congestion in the metro area, and up to $5 million for safety improvement on rural highways.

Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter, a member of the House Transportation Committee, says the proposed safety investment is woefully inadequate.

"Seventy percent of the fatalities in Minnesota occur on two-lane roads. Many of them already have the rumble strips and all the other safety devices. They need substantial work," said Morrow. "I don't know what to do for Highway 14 in my district. I have to wonder, do I have to get UnitedHealth to align itself along the highway so I can get a public-private partnership for safety?"

Morrrow says he supports the concept of public-private partnerships and voted earlier this year to increase funding for that specific purpose. He says most of the governor's plan is already in practice.

Another legislator, Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, issued a news release describing the governor's plan as more fanfare than substance.