New US transportation chief visits Minn.

The new federal transportation secretary will visit Minnesota on Monday as one of his first official duties.

Anthony Foxx, who is replacing Ray LaHood as the nation's top transportation official, is coming to Minnesota to talk with local officials and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., about the state's transportation needs.

He will also visit the rebuilt Interstate 35W bridge. The previous bridge was considered a symbol of the nation's infrastructure problems when it collapsed in 2007.

Minnesota is in the middle of rewriting its 20-year state highway investment plan and debating two new light rail lines that will require federal funding.

In the legislative session that ended in May, lawmakers considered increasing the state gas tax to finance transportation improvements but opted against the tax hike.

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