In a continuing story about the growing incompetence and underfunding at MnDOT, I-35W is scheduled to be closed once again this weekend. The Star Tribune reports that the road will be closed to traffic between I-494 and the crosstown on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. Last weekend, the entire stretch between downtown and the Crosstown was closed for the entire weekend.
It used to be that MnDOT could complete construction while maintaining open lanes to keep traffic in the regional flowing relatively smoothly. But that was before Tim Pawlenty, thinking about a future VP offer instead of how to do what's best for our state, slashed funding for transportation. That led to MnDOT's embarrasing request to contractors to front the money for the I-35W project--which, of course, nobody agreed to. Now, to save money, they seem to be closing the highway every weekend.
If you've been driving at all this summer, you're well aware of the number of roads closed every weekend. MnDOT is trying to save money, but the taxpayers are paying for it anyway--we're just paying at the pump instead of through our taxes. This is particularly outrageous at a time of $4/gal gas. Thank god, after the DFL legislature's transportation funding plan, things should be better next year.
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