Minnesota’s trunk highway system takes various forms, from small-town main streets to large urban freeways, and serves all transportation modes. These highways aren’t just for cars – they’re vital corridors that connect our communities, whether we’re driving, walking, biking, or taking public transit. However, the way we currently interpret state law means that highway funding can only be used for car-related infrastructure, even though our Constitution never specifically required this limitation.

This creates two significant problems for all Minnesotans. First, it means we’re spending a lot of money on expensive highway expansion projects while struggling to fund safer pedestrian crossings, bike paths, and public transit improvements along these same routes. Second, it makes it harder for the state to meet its climate goals since we can’t easily redirect funding to more environmentally friendly transportation options.

The proposed legislation would clarify that highway funds can be used for all types of transportation infrastructure along highway corridors. The policy also puts us on par with climate and transportation leaders like Colorado, who passed a similar policy in 2013. This change has strong public support – 66% of Minnesotans favor using state and federal highway funding to improve various transportation options rather than just expanding highways.

This policy would benefit Minnesotans in several practical ways:

  • It would make our transportation dollars go further by allowing more flexible and efficient use of existing funding
  • It would help create safer and more accessible routes for everyone, regardless of how they choose to travel
  • It would support Minnesota’s environmental goals and existing policies by making it easier to fund climate-friendly transportation options
  • It would reduce project costs and delays by eliminating the need to find separate funding sources for non-car infrastructure along highways

This is a commonsense update to align our state’s funding practices with how Minnesotans actually use our trunk highways today, while respecting the original intent of our Constitution to provide “reasonable means of communication” between communities – regardless of how people choose to travel. 

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Ask your legislator to clarify “highway purpose” to include all modes of transportation.

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