Transportation Commissioner Stops in St. Cloud

ST. CLOUD -- Minnesota Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle made a stop in St. Cloud today to share Governor Mark Dayton's long range transportation plan to community leaders.

Dayton is proposing a 10-year, $10,500,000,000 funding plan to improve Minnesota's transportation infrastructure. It would be paid for through a 6.5% increase to the wholesale gas tax, increasing vehicle registration fees to 1.5% and raising car license tabs by $10.00.

Zelle says no one wants fee increases, but our congested and deteriorating roads are costing us all money through time spent in traffic congestion and vehicle repairs as a result of deteriorating roads. He says studies show it will likely cost us more over the long run if we don't invest in our infrastructure now.

The plan calls for repairing or replacing 2,200 miles of state roads and 330 bridges. It would also shift 40% of new revenue to local governments to use on projects they choose.

There's also money to fund transit needs and invest in key freight routes known as Corridors of Commerce.

Republicans in the state legislature are opposed to new taxes and are calling for existing revenue to be shifted to transportation funding.