A recently published University of Minnesota Duluth study provides a glimpse of the numerous benefits of urban highway removal. The report estimated that rightsizing just one mile of I-35 in Duluth would cost $50 million but could lead to up to $4.5 billion in economic benefits, including 450 construction jobs, $29 million in labor income, nearly $39 million to the area’s GDP, and $74 million in new spending. A similar feasibility study for I-94 would help the public and decision-makers better understand the potential benefits of an I-94 boulevard conversion.

Transportation Committee Chairs are Blocking a Twin Cities Highway-to-Boulevard Conversion Study

Minnesota State Representative Frank Hornstein and State Senator Scott Dibble may claim to be champions for progressive transportation legislation, but when it comes to the future of I-94, they are blocking progress on a generational opportunity to repair the harms of past racist transportation planning decisions. The two DFL Transportation Committee Chairs are barring a committee hearing for H.F. 2270 and S.F. 2180, bills to fund a feasibility study of a highway-to-boulevard conversion of I-94 between downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul. This inaction comes despite immense community support and Sen. Dibble's own bill co-authorship.

MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger and staff are openly opposing a highway-to-boulevard feasibility study (SF 2180 and HF 2270) through an inaccurate and inflated fiscal note.