The Minnesota Department of Transportation recently announced $76.2 million in grants to support projects that improve freight options, travel time and economic development.
Two projects in Northern Minnesota will receive some of this funding.
The city of Two Harbors will receive $4.9 million from the Transportation Economic Development Program to reconstruct Highway 61 from Scenic Drive to Park Road. The project will also include two new roundabouts and other intersection enhancements to extend the life of the corridor.
MnDOT will invest $1.9 million from the Minnesota Highway Freight Program that will go toward intermodal and railroad improvements at the Cloquet Terminal. The project is expected to better accommodate stacking and cargo at the Sappi Paper Cloquet Mill, according to MnDOT.
Seven other projects were awarded grant funding in southern and central Greater Minnesota, with eight more in the Twin Cities metro area.
“Infrastructure investments in Minnesota help people get where they need to go safely, help businesses grow and make local communities attractive to companies looking to relocate or expand,” stated MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger in a Jan. 6 news release.
“Safety is always a guiding principle of our funding decisions, and these transportation projects will help us better serve our state for decades to come.”
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Contributed/Michelle Griffith / Minnesota ReformerHis statement underscores the increasing unease Minnesota Republicans — which now includes several swing-district lawmakers — are expressing about the surge of federal officers. -
Lead service lines are a pervasive issue in Minnesota. The state has a goal to replace them by 2033, but Hibbing Public Utilities aims to do it in two to three years. -
Contributed/Nicole Neri / Minnesota ReformerSigns emerged by Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, that at least some elected Republicans and gun rights groups were uncomfortable with the official line that Pretti posed a clear and present danger. -
Contributed/Nicole Neri / Minnesota ReformerThe shooting site has been turned into a makeshift memorial of candles and flowers, less than 2 miles away from the memorial in the Powderhorn neighborhood for Renee Good. -
Plus: Co-owner of The Pines in Grand Rapids Kyle Lussier was nominated for a James Beard award; the Minnesota DNR will accept comment on adjusting Aitkin County's public waters through Feb. 27; and MnDOT announced more than $76 million in transportation grants.
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Contributed/Nicole Neri | Minnesota ReformerOrganizers say 100 clergy were arrested Jan. 23, 2026, at a morning protest at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEThe first of two Native American Heritage Nights Jan. 20, 2026, included drumming, dancing and an Ojibwe-language broadcast. The second is Jan. 30 against Grand Rapids. -
Contributed/Becker County Sheriff's Office & Clearwater County Sheriff's OfficeBecker County Sheriff Todd Glander and Clearwater County Sheriff Darin Halverson recently announced they wouldn't seek reelection in 2026. -
Plus: Nisswa City Council votes to censure Mayor Jennifer Carnahan and strip her of committee posts; and a general strike against ICE presence in Minnesota is Friday.
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Contributed/Jimmy Emerson via FlickrPermits are needed to visit the Boundary Waters in May through September. The Superior National Forest encourages planning your backcountry trip and only reserving permits you can use.
