494/169 interchange project in jeopardy

Two Minnesota congressmen are hoping to keep the Interstate 494/Highway 169 project on track.

U.S. Republican Representatives Erik Paulsen and John Kline announced they sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The project is a prime candidate for federal money coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. But there's a problem.

As 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reported Monday, the issue is, the Federal Highway Administration prefers plans with only one phase. The current plan for rebuilding the interchange contains two phases.

The Minnesota Sun Newspapers reported that the local office of the FHWA said that it would allow the two-phase plan if both phases are complete by 2016.

In their letter, the congressmen said that imposing such a deadline would be costly and require nearly seven years of continuous construction at the site. They want LaHood to intervene in the dispute.

Without federal funding, city leaders from Eden Prairie, Edina, and Bloomington worry the project will be scrapped.

The state has until April 15 to argue its case before the federal money is divvied up.