A planned project to reconstruct part of Highway 19 in Marshall will be receiving more than $15 million in federal infrastructure grant funding, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced this week. The funds will also help improve safety along the roadway.

MARSHALL — A major construction project being planned in Marshall will have help from federal infrastructure funding. This week, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded more than $15 million in funding to improve road safety and accessibility on Minnesota Highway 19 in Marshall.

The funding will be awarded through the USDOT’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, a news release said.

“Investments in our infrastructure serve as down payments on the long-term economic well-being of our state,” Klobuchar said in the news release. “This federal funding will help make our roads safer and more accessible and allow Minnesotans to more easily reach work, school, and other destinations in Marshall.”

“Infrastructure is the backbone of a strong, resilient economy, connecting Minnesotans to their jobs, schools, grocery stores and countless other opportunities,” said Smith. “This funding will help improve highways and roads in and around the City of Marshall. It’s great to see these investments making an impact for Minnesotans.”

The Minnesota Department of Transportation and the city of Marshall are planning a major reconstruction of Highway 19 (College Drive) as it runs through the city. The project would rebuild College Drive from 4th Street through the intersection of College and Bruce Street. The project will also make some safety updates and some changes to the roadway, like adding a roundabout at the intersection of College Drive, South 2nd Street and Country Club Drive. Construction is planned to start in 2025, and is anticipated to take two years.

The news release said the RAISE funding would help cover the final design, right-of-way acquisition and construction of about 1.5 miles of Highway 19.

Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes and public works director Jason Anderson said it was MnDOT that applied for the $15.4 million RAISE grant, but MnDOT has been working in partnership with the city. On Friday, a MnDOT spokesperson said the city would receive part of the RAISE funding, but the exact details have not been worked out yet.

“This was very good news,” Byrnes said of the RAISE grant. “This will really go a long way to covering our local costs” for the project, he said.

“We certainly thank Senator Klobuchar and Senator Smith for their strong advocacy,” Byrnes said.

Road and bridge construction ongoing in area

While the Highway 19 project that received the RAISE grant is still a couple of years away, road and bridge construction is ongoing around southwest Minnesota. MnDOT said bridge maintenance work will begin at 51 locations around the region beginning July 5. The work is expected to be completed by Aug. 25, weather permitting.

The list of bridges undergoing maintenance spans 12 counties. In Lyon County, maintenance work will be done on Highway 19, east of the Lincoln/Lyon County line, and at two locations on Highway 68. Another bridge location on Highway 68 will also undergo maintenance in Lincoln County, as well as two more locations southeast of Canby.

In Murray County, bridge maintenance work will be done on Highway 30, west of Currie. In Redwood County, work will be done at two locations on U.S. Highway 14, and six locations on Highway 19.

In Yellow Medicine County, bridge maintenance work will be done on Highway 67 southeast of Granite Falls, Highway 75 south and northeast of Canby, Highway 212 in Granite Falls, and Highway 274 north of Wood Lake.

Other MnDOT construction projects in the region include rerouting Highway 67 between Granite Falls and Echo. Construction of an interchange at Highway 23 and Kandiyohi County Road 5 in Willmar is planned to start in July. A resurfacing project on Highway 59 (East Main Street) in Marshall is also planned for September.