Transportation during the 2015 session

Daily Circuit Friday Roundtable
Daily Circuit Friday Roundtable
Daily Circuit illustration

Transportation is at the top of the agenda for Minnesota's lawmakers, but how will a divided legislature handle this issue? Our Friday Roundtable guests discuss the state of transportation in Minnesota.

Learn more about transportation policy:

Wishin' and hopin': what the Twin Cities want from the Legislature in 2015

Transportation funding is the other top priority for local governments. Concerns about deteriorating infrastructure are universal. Partisan splits emerge, however, over how to pay for maintenance and new projects -- and how to distribute money between roads and bridges and mass transit.

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That conflict was at the center of the GOP's 2014 campaign, during which many Republican House candidates said there was an overemphasis on metro-area transit projects at the expense of outstate roads and bridges. (Minnpost)

Dayton: House transportation plan 'pure fantasy'

House Republicans released their transportation plan Thursday. It taps $200 million from the state's budget surplus and directs the Minnesota Department of Transportation to cut 15 percent of its budget and direct that spending to new transportation projects. The plan would put a total of $750 million into transportation over four years. (MPR News)

Daudt: No funding for Southwest light rail

Daudt said the 16 mile light rail line is not a priority for House Republicans .

"We are not interested in moving forward on the Southwest light rail project. I think we need to get real with our priorities in Minnesota on how we spend our transportation dollars. Our plan is to spend them on roads and bridges." (MPR News)