Lawmakers break ground on I-90 bridge project

(ABC 6 News) – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (DFL) and other elected officials stopped in Austin Thursday to break ground on the $50 million Interstate 90 bridge project. City, state, and federal lawmakers at the groundbreaking touting unity to get important projects done on America’s roads just like in Austin.

Over the next two years, the six bridges extending over I-90 in Austin are getting replaced.

“This stretch of the interstate was built back in the 1950’s and it has served us so well, but like many roads and bridges across this country it is ready for an upgrade,” said Sen. Tina Smith (D).

Upgrades, officials say, are dire to complete before it’s too late. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D) thinks back to when the 35W bridge collapsed in 2007. “A bridge just doesn’t fall down in the middle of America, but it did. But when it does, we rebuild. And what we are doing here with our fantastic workers is making sure that doesn’t happen,” said Sen. Klobuchar.

This project is made possible by funding from the state and critical dollars from President Biden’s infrastructure bill.

“This bi-partisan infrastructure act is absolutely critical. It is going to end up bringing $7.5 billion to Minnesota. We and the legislature were able to get the matching funds for that in this last legislative session we used a lot of our surplus to get that done. It’s just good stuff and I would say it’s win-win-win. It strengthens the economy, it creates good jobs,” said Gov. Walz.

Connecting is a word spoken many times at Thursday’s groundbreaking. Exactly what bridges are meant to do.

“This is about building community and connecting community whether it’s the ethanol plant in Lyle or getting over the Cedar River, our folks going back and forth for commerce here is critically important,” said Gov. Walz.

Many who spoke today said this is proof Middle America and greater Minnesota are not being forgotten.

The $50 million project is expected to take two years to finish. Crews have already started work on the east side of town