tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094757.post8660199599688294949..comments2023-12-06T02:41:57.797-06:00Comments on Minnesota Central: Dick Day is right ... there is a Leadership FailureMinnesota Centralhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02462056292830437795noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094757.post-28465861794198001872008-02-05T21:37:00.000-06:002008-02-05T21:37:00.000-06:00The I-35W bridge may be on an Interstate, but the ...The I-35W bridge may be on an Interstate, but the individual states are responsible for maintenance and upkeep of their portions of the Interstate system, with funding help from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).<BR/><BR/>So while Congress holds the purse strings for FHWA, it's still MnDOT's responsibility, not Congress.<BR/><BR/>And the Legislature ultimately holds MnDOT's purse strings.<BR/><BR/>BTW, money has not been taken away from roads and bridges and put into transit. The money that went to transit came from the general fund, though it is true that said money could have gone for roads instead.<BR/><BR/>Lastly, the 3 biggest road/bridge spending years have been under Pawlenty for two big reason: one is ongoing construction inflation (which of course is going to drive the costs/overlays up), and the second is his bonding plan. Yeah, it increased the current construction spending, but it's going to tie up *A LOT OF MONEY* in paying off those bonds. We're already seeing a big slowdown in highway projects as a result.Froggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12843594625467349428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094757.post-75632345644703541102007-12-07T22:12:00.000-06:002007-12-07T22:12:00.000-06:00The I-35W bridge is a federal bridge. Congress is...The I-35W bridge is a federal bridge. Congress is responsible for funding the bridge. If any project is delayed in Minnesota it will be because Congress didn't fulfill its promise to Minnesota.<BR/><BR/>As for Steve Murphy and the Democrats in the state legislature, their conduct is no better. Minnesota has a fund with $190 million that it can spend towards the bridge. Murphy and the DFLers on the special transportation board only authorized MNDOT to spend $70 million of the $190 million prior to February 12, 2008 when session begins. It appears that Murphy's reckless failure to allow MNDOT to spend money on the bridge may also put projects in jeopardy.<BR/><BR/>But I ask, when has the DFL ever been interested in funding roads and bridges? Certainly not in the last 20 years when money has been taken away from roads and bridges and put into transit, bike trails and other spending unrelated to our infrastructure problems. The three biggest road and bridge spending years in Minnesota history have been under the Pawlenty administration.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15094757.post-8848825344890633872007-12-01T12:58:00.000-06:002007-12-01T12:58:00.000-06:00Great post! I'll being posting about it at BSP, a...Great post! I'll being posting about it at BSP, and including a choice passage from Day's campaign site about Highway 14.<BR/><BR/>Ollie OxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com