Transportation projects in Two Harbors, Cloquet among MnDOT grantees

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.”