Highway 14 expansion to benefit area economy, Hagedorn says

NEW ULM, Minn. (KEYC) — On Thursday, Minnesota secured $22 million in federal funding to complete the final expansion of U.S. Highway 14 between Nicollet and New Ulm.

“As it moves to four lanes it becomes safer, we’ll have less fatalities and you just can’t put a price on human life,” Rep. Jim Hagedorn (MN-01) said.

Highway 14 is one of the most dangerous roads in Minnesota. Since the mid-80s, more than 145 people have died in crashes on the highway.

The U.S. Department of Transportation funding will help complete the 12 miles of two-lane traffic between Nicollet and New Ulm, the last portion of the project that spans from New Ulm to Rochester.

On Thursday at the New Ulm Event Center, Hagedorn said the expansion will not only improve safety, but our economy as well.

“Anytime that you have a corridor like this that’s moving from two lanes to four lanes all the way from Rochester to New Ulm, it’s going to help Minnesotans get across, it’s going to help people as they travel in and out of Minnesota and this area. It’s certainly going to help our farmers and our truckers, and anybody in commerce,” Hagedorn explained.

Gov. Tim Walz, who promised to get the project finished when he was elected governor, says the expansion will undoubtedly save lives and improve traffic for many of southern Minnesota’s growing cities.

“Many of our major employers are on this road. So it’s a big deal, both for safety and for commerce,” Walz said. "Unfortunately, it’s come with a lot of deaths before that. So I’m just really pleased and grateful we’re able to start moving with this final stretch.”

Walz says there’s still work to be done on roads statewide — and drivers can expect a push for more funding soon.

“I’m still going to advocate for a very robust transportation package in Minnesota. I think federally, the president has talked about it, as have others,” Walz stated.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation expects work to begin on the final stretch of Highway 14 in 2022.

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