Federal money only part of overpass funding
By JILL SCHRAMM, Staff Writer jschramm@minotdailynews.comFact Box
Dorgan explains why he did not vote
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., did not vote on Sunday with the Senate on the final passage of the conference report to accompany H.R. 3288, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2010.
The bill includes a number of projects in North Dakota, including the Minot area.
"I was unable to vote because I was attending my son's college graduation ceremony at the University of Minnesota, which occurred at the same time as the Senate vote. Had I been present during the vote, I would have voted in favor of the legislation," said Dorgan, in a statement for the "Congressional Record."
On Saturday, Dorgan voted "yes" to cut the debate on the bill and move to a final vote, an action which needed 60 votes, said Brenden Timpe, assistant communications director for Dorgan. He said the action on Sunday needed 51 votes.
Eloise Ogden
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Bill has $13.2 million for construction at Minot AFB
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE More than $13 million in an appropriations bill approved by Congress Sunday is for new facilities at Minot Air Force Base.
For the Minot base the bill includes:
- $11.5 million for a new missile procedures training operations facility and munitions trailer storage facility. The new facilities are critical to ensuring the security and continued viability of the nuclear weapons and Minuteman III ballistic missiles that are deployed at the base.
- $1.7 million to design an 11-story control tower as well as a consolidated facility to house base operations. The facility is required to replace the existing tower, which is in need of major repair, and to consolidate air traffic control and base operations.
The bill now goes to the president for his signature.
The $1.85 million included in a federal appropriations bill for the 55th Street overpass will be pooled with other money to eventually get the project done, said Dana Larsen, Ward County engineer.
Congress passed the bill on Sunday.
With the new money, Larsen said, Ward County and the City of Minot have about $3 million, which still isn't enough to fund the overpass.
However, the city and county are waiting for the results of a grant application for $20 million in stimulus dollars through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Discretionary Grants Program. Larsen said the government is expected to announce awards in January or February.
The TIGER program has a minimum grant request of $20 million. To qualify, the city and county added five miles of grading and pavement to the $15 million overpass project to create the Northeast Bypass project. The bypass would connect 55th Street to the extension of Ward County Road 10A.
The project on the east side of the city of Minot would provide better access for freight and emergency vehicles to Minot's energy park. The proposed overpass would alleviate a safety and traffic bottleneck that exists due to an increase in truck traffic.
Larsen said if the project gets a TIGER grant, construction bids will be let in May or June. If the project fails to get a grant, the city and county will continue to look for funding, he said.
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