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Anoka County <br />ADMINISTRATION <br />Communications <br />July 17, 2023 <br />Contact: Erik Thorson, Communications Director, 763-324-4612, or e-mail: <br />Erik.Thorson@ co.anoka.mn.us <br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE <br />$30 Million in Funding Secured for Highway 65 Projects <br />A total of $30 million in Corridors of Commerce funding was allocated to Anoka County, <br />which will be used for improvements along Highway 65 in Blaine. <br />The areas slated for construction are along 99th, 1 5th, 109th and 117th avenues. <br />Improvements will include adding frontage roads and overpasses, changing access, and improving <br />facilities for people walking and bicycling. A total of four traffic lights along the thoroughfare will <br />be removed, which will help address congestion issues along the corridor. <br />"Over the past three years, the project team has been focused, motivated, and tireless in our <br />efforts of bringing over a dozen funding sources together for this nearly $163 million endeavor, <br />and nearly all the funding for improvements at these intersections has been secured," said District <br />6 Commissioner Julie Jeppson. <br />District 2 Commissioner Julie Braastad, chair of the county's Transportation Committee, <br />noted the pace at which funding has been secured for these projects is impressive. <br />"Ten of our state's 31 most dangerous intersections are on Highway 65, so improving this <br />corridor is a high priority, but the short amount of time in which $160 million -plus in funding has <br />been secured to pay for several of these improvements is breathtaking," she said. "It's really a <br />testament to how several government entities can work together for the betterment of our residents <br />and other motorists who travel our roads." <br />The Corridors of Commerce Program was created about 10 years ago by the Minnesota <br />Legislature. The goal of the program is to focus additional transportation investments in state <br />-more- <br />Respectful, Innovative, Fiscally Responsible <br />Government Center A 2100 3rd Avenue, Suite 700 A Anoka, MN 55303-5024 A www.anokacounty.us <br />Office: 763-324-4700 A Fax: 763-324-5490 <br />Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer <br />