Funding will improve road safety and accessibility on Highway 65

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $20 million in federal funding for infrastructure improvements in Blaine. Specifically, the grant, provided through USDOT’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, will allow the City of Blaine to improve road safety and accessibility on Highway 65 from 97th Ave to 117th Ave. 

“Investments in our infrastructure serve as down payments on the long-term economic well-being of our state,” said Klobuchar. “This federal funding will help make our roads safer and more accessible and allow Minnesotans to more easily reach work, school, and other destinations in Blaine.” 

“Infrastructure is the backbone of a strong, resilient economy, connecting Minnesotans to their jobs, schools, grocery stores and countless other opportunities,” said Smith. “This funding will help improve highways and roads in and around the City of Blaine. It’s great to see these investments making an impact for Minnesotans.”

The resources will fund the final design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction on TH 65 from its intersection at 97th Avenue to north of its intersection with 117th Avenue through central parts of the city. The project features several interchange improvements, added frontage roads, and safety improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists.

RAISE grants can be used by communities across the country for a wide variety of projects with significant local or regional impact. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar and Smith supported and was signed into law in 2021, delivered a 50 percent increase in the amount of available funding for the RAISE grants, as well as resources for improving the state’s roads, bridges, public transportation, and water infrastructure. 

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