Now is the Time to Approve the St. Croix River Crossing Project

Right now, my colleagues and I are preparing for the St. Croix River Crossing Project to be brought to the House of Representatives for a vote. Minnesotans and Wisconsinites can’t afford to have this project fail; there’s simply too much at stake. It is time for a new crossing to replace the structurally-deficient, 1931 Lift Bridge.

In order to help explain why this crossing is so vital to both Minnesota and Wisconsin, here’s a list of key facts surrounding this project.

·       The St. Croix River Crossing Project legislation will not cost the federal government one cent.

·       This bill lessens big government as it will return control of the bridge over to state and local government.

·       This project will create jobs while boosting the local economy.

·       The current bridge, built in 1931, is structurally deficient, functionally obsolete and fracture-critical. As of right now it has a safety rating of 32.8. The bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis in 2007, tragically killing 13 people, had a safety rating of 50.

·       This project will solve a transportation need and safety concern for the citizens of both Minnesota and Wisconsin. As the citizens of the communities around the bridge can attest, traffic stalls are regular occurrence and closures are expected due to flooding in the spring.

·       This is a non-partisan project! The Governors of both Minnesota and Wisconsin support this legislation, as do all four Senators, and all members from the affected region.

·       The people of Minnesota and Wisconsin also support this project. A recent survey showed there is 86% approval for the four-lane crossing in the area.

As you see, Congress has every reason to pass the St. Croix River Crossing legislation. It is time to clear every roadblock in the way of building this new crossing for our constituents.