Klobuchar, Smith Secure Federal Funding for Projects Benefiting Twin Cities and Surrounding Areas

December 22, 2022
3:05 pm

Projects will help bolster the region’s infrastructure, expand health care access and upgrade health care facilities, address affordable housing needs, and improve public safety

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they have secured significant federal funding in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 federal budget to support local projects benefiting the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. These projects will bolster the region’s infrastructure, help expand health care access and upgrade health care facilities, address affordable housing needs, and improve public safety.

“From making infrastructure improvements to expanding access to health care and affordable housing, these projects will help address key issues impacting Minnesotans on a daily basis. I am proud to have worked with local leaders to secure these funding commitments, and I know that these resources will make a real difference for so many communities across the Twin Cities and surrounding areas,” said Klobuchar.

“The best ideas come from the people living in communities across Minnesota. One of the best parts of my job is helping Minnesotan communities turn their dream projects into reality with federal support,” said Smith. “Health care, housing, education, and infrastructure all have daily impacts on the lives of Minnesotans. I’m proud of our work to secure these investments that will be transformational for people across our state.”

Klobuchar and Smith have secured federal investments to further the following priorities:

Bolstering infrastructure and community development:

$7 million to replace the Eastbound Kellogg Boulevard Bridge in St. Paul with a new bridge system that includes multi-modal safety and access improvements;
$5.04 million for Dakota County to design and reconstruct the I-35 and County Highway 50 Interchange;
$5 million for Anoka County to make improvements to the TH 65 Corridor at 109th Avenue;
$5 million for Cottage Grove to reconstruct 80th Street;
$4.99 million for Dakota County to build a Veterans Memorial Greenway;
$4 million for the City of St. Paul to construct a new North End Community Center;
$4 million for the City of Blaine to rebuild a key intersection of Highway 65;
$4 million to increase rural freight mobility and safety on a stretch of US Highway 212 in Carver County;
$3.9 million for the Ordway Center in St. Paul to upgrade facility infrastructure and technology;
$3.9 million to strengthen and modernize Woodbury’s water infrastructure;
$3.1 million for West St. Paul to make infrastructure improvements to the Smith/Dodd Intersection Realignment, Public Plaza and Officer Scott Patrick Memorial
$3 million to enable Perspectives Inc., a nonprofit helping women and children in St. Louis Park facing poverty and trauma, expand its Family Center;
$3 million for City of Burnsville to make mobility improvements to Highway 13 and Nicollet Avenue;
$3 million for the City of Richfield to construct a Wood Lake Nature Center;
$3 million to support the City of Corcoran in expanding its water supply;
$2.5 million for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community to upgrade its Organics Recycling Facility Stormwater Reclamation System;
$2.3 million to help the City of Bloomington make infrastructure improvements to a stretch of the Minnesota Valley State Trail;
$2.2 million for St. Paul to make energy efficiency upgrades at Como Zoo;
$2 million to assist the City of St. Louis Park with reconstructing Cedar Lake and Louisiana Avenue roadways;
$1.85 million to enable Southwest Transit to make energy efficiency upgrades at several public transit stations;
$1.78 million to expand Hallie Q. Brown Community Center’s (HQB) Martin Luther King Service Center to accommodate community child care needs in St. Paul;
$1 million for Southern Anoka Community Assistance (SACA) to construct a new facility;
$1 million for the Latino Economic Development Center to renovate its Plaza del Sol Oeste mall in St. Paul;
$850,000 to improve the accessibility, utility, and safety of the Harriet Tubman Center East, a social services center in Mapleton;
$750,000 to help the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities expand its Southside Village facility;
$750,000 for the City of Shakopee to upgrade its Riverfront Cultural Corridor;
$750,000 to improve the Merriam Junction Regional Trail in Scott County;
$750,000 to construct a freight rail car storage and transload facility in Lakeville;
$750,000 for the City of Farmington to make infrastructure improvements to Rambling River Center and Downtown Plaza;
$632,150 for the City of Prior Lake to extend the Highway 13 trail;
$500,000 to conduct modernization repairs to the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul;
$350,000 for the City of Newport’s Mississippi River Land Redevelopment project.

Expanding health care access and upgrading health care facilities:

$3 million for Southside Community Health Services in Minneapolis to expand and integrate primary medical, dental, vision, and integrated behavioral health services to meet the healthcare needs of the community;
$2.25 million to rehabilitate two health facilities on the Indian Health Board of Minneapolis’ Menaandawiwiwe Wellness Campus;
$1 million to help People’s Center Clinic and Services in Minneapolis renovate their facilities;
$1 million for North Memorial Hospital in Maple Grove to expand its emergency department;
$1 million to expand the capacity of M Health Fairview’s Mobile Transition Clinic in St. Paul to bolster virtual mental health care services;
$1 million to expand the Native American Community Clinic in Minneapolis to provide additional health services to the community;
$700,000 to establish an inpatient mental health unit at Childrens’ Minnesota in St. Paul to address pediatric mental health care needs;
$600,000 for Roots Community Birth Center in Minneapolis to make facility improvements;
$567,000 for Allina Health Cancer Institute’s mobile cancer screening program;
$500,000 for Hennepin County’s Health Equity Legal Projects, which will support legal diversion services;
$200,000 to improve and update sensory equipment at Minnesota Autism Center (MAC) to bolster therapy outcomes for autistic children;
$50,000 to support the Northfield Community Action Center’s Substance Abuse Prevention for Rural Youth treatment program;

Improving public safety:

$2.5 million for the City of Minneapolis’ 9-1-1 emergency response services;
$1.89 million to support the Minneapolis PEACE Recruitment Plan, which provides young people of diverse backgrounds internship opportunities in law enforcement;
$1.6 million for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office to acquire Hybrid Patrol Vehicles and River Patrol Boat vessels;
$350,000 for the Scott County’s Office to purchase a multipurpose response and rescue vehicle to strengthen emergency services;
$325,000 for the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office to purchase public safety technology.

Addressing affordable housing needs:

$3 million for critical repairs and upgrades at the Heritage Park Apartments in Minneapolis;
$3 million to help the City of St. Louis Park acquire and preserve affordable housing;
$2.5 million to help Simpson Housing Services in Minneapolis build affordable housing units;
$2 million to support Ramsey County’s Heading Home project, which works to end community homelessness;
$1.2 million for the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MAC-V) to convert Snelling Motel into affordable housing units for veterans and provide income navigation services;
$1 million to support the electrification of income-qualified homes in St. Louis Park;
$1 million for Clare Housing in Minneapolis to create affordable housing units for Minnesotans living with HIV/AIDS;
$1 million to construct affordable housing and commercial space in St. Paul’s historic Rondo district;
$800,000 to modernize utility infrastructure for St. Paul Public Housing units;
$514,000 for Accessible Space Inc., to upgrade low income housing units for people with disabilities in St. Paul, Stillwater, and Roseville.

Supporting workforce development and entrepreneurship:

$1.5 million to create a virtual Small Business Reimagination Center in Ramsey County to accelerate business growth and strengthen pathways for entrepreneurship;
$1.5 million for the City of Shakopee to develop a regional entrepreneurship hub;
$1 million to support Hamline University’s Pipers to Professionals workforce training program;
$630,000 to establish a Community Entrepreneurship Program at the University of St. Thomas to provide mentorship and professional development resources for students;
$188,000 to facilitate Normandale Community College’s Interprofessional Education and Simulation programs.

“Over the last year we have enacted deep structural changes to our local government while establishing a more integrated community safety system in Minneapolis,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “This significant federal investment will be critical to our shared work moving forward – including our ongoing efforts to recruit and retain community-oriented police officers along with new initiatives to help ensure 911 calls get the right response. I’m grateful to Senators Klobuchar and Smith for their hard work to secure these resources and for supporting a comprehensive approach to safety in our city.”

“This bridge is essential for residents, commuters, and visitors of our vibrant capital city,” said Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter. “I’m grateful to Senators Klobuchar and Smith for securing this investment in the vitality of our city and region.”

“The support from Senators Klobuchar and Smith for Cottage Grove’s 80th Street Infrastructure project will have a positive impact on our community and the region in general,” said Cottage Grove Mayor Myron Bailey. “These federal funds jump-start this important project, which allows this area to continue growing as a commerce hub.”

“We are grateful for the support from Senators Klobuchar, Smith, and their staff in making this a priority,” said Woodbury Mayor Anne Burt. “Connecting all of our water supply wells to a new water treatment plant to address PFAS is an expensive endeavor and the city cannot do it on its own. This money will help reduce the funding gap and financial burden placed on our residents.”

“Our children’s mental health and wellbeing here in Minnesota and across the country are in crisis. Now more than ever we need to invest in their future so that every child has the opportunity to grow up happy and healthy. Children’s Minnesota is thrilled that Congress has recognized the urgency of this moment. Part of these investments will be crucial to helping Children’s Minnesota continue to provide inpatient mental health services. We’re especially grateful to Senators Klobuchar and Smith for their leadership and advocacy that will impact countless vulnerable children in our community,”said Children’s Minnesota President and CEO Dr. Marc Gorelick.

“As a federally qualified health center, we are dependent upon support from a variety of public and private partnerships to achieve our mission of improving the health of our communities and providing affordable access to underserved populations. This funding will support the equipment needed to serve 14,000 patients per year with more than 45,000 patient visits to our medical, dental, vision, and behavioral health clinics. Southside’s new clinic building in South Minneapolis will allow for the expansion of services such as mammography, making Southside the only health center in the state of Minnesota to offer breast cancer screening services at low or no-cost to patients. The new facility will also allow for extended hours into the evenings and on weekends to further reduce barriers to care. Southside has served South Minneapolis since 1971 and the new building will set up Southside to serve for another 50 years and beyond. Access to exceptional quality upstream primary care not only improves the health of our patients by prevention and early detection and intervention, but also reduces overall healthcare costs to the community. We are so grateful for the support of our very important work,” said Southside Executive Director Ann Cazaban.

“North Memorial Health is grateful for Senators Klobuchar and Smith’s ongoing support and prioritization of projects that benefit the communities we serve. This 2023 $1 million federal appropriation will support our organization’s plans for the much-needed expansion of Maple Grove Hospital. We are truly appreciative and look forward to continued collaboration with Senators Klobuchar and Smith,” said North Memorial Health CEO Dr. J. Kevin Croston.

“Clare Housing is elated at the news of this funding. We have been working hard to find a way to create more affordable, supportive housing to ensure that all Minnesotans living with HIV have a home. We are so fortunate that our Senators have been involved in the long-term fight to end new HIV transmissions, and the work to expand HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for People with HIV/AIDS) and other housing programs in order to provide decent housing for every person. This funding will create new doors and housing for people who are unsheltered and are living with HIV, in the midst of Minnesota’s first ever-declared HIV outbreak. As we know from our ongoing outcomes, housing truly is healthcare. Living in your own home provides the stability to store and take life-saving medications on a daily basis, and provides the dignity everyone deserves. On a day in Minnesota where the low is -9 degrees, this funding is even more vital than ever. Thank you to our MN Senators, we are proud to be working alongside you for the betterment of MN!” said Clare Housing Executive Director Phoebe Trepp.

“Getting funds to modernize our elevators is a huge lift!” said Minnesota Children’s Museum President Dianne Krizan. “Replacing elevators might not be the most exciting project in the world, but this critical work will help ensure that our visitors can easily and safely get to all of our wonderful galleries.”

“We want to thank Senators Klobuchar and Smith for providing this important funding to our Health Sciences area of studies. As we look to the future, we believe it is extremely important to provide a truly interprofessional education experience to students in our Health Sciences programs. This funding will provide faculty members and students with opportunities to learn and practice skills that improve their ability to communicate and collaborate in team-based care. A focus on interprofessional education allows us to change the education paradigm to ensure the development of clinical and professional competencies to enhance patient satisfaction and safety,” said Normandale Community College President Dr. Joyce Ester.

“Following our Dakota tradition of planning seven generations ahead, our tribe works to protect and enhance our earth’s natural resources,” said Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Chairman Keith Anderson. “Thanks to Sen. Klobuchar, Sen. Smith and Rep. Craig, this directed-spending will help us construct and deploy a state-of-the-art stormwater management technology for our new Organics Recycling Facility. This project will help the greater Twin Cities metro area reach its waste diversion goals while protecting and enhancing the environment for current and future generations.”

“Allina Health is grateful for the opportunity to improve access to cancer screenings in rural areas and directly impact the lives of Minnesotans, especially those with limited income and insurance coverage,” said Allina Health President and CEO Lisa Shannon. “Screenings are the best way to detect cancer early, and early detection is more likely to lead to better outcomes. We appreciate the support in our commitment to advance health equity by increasing cancer screening rates in underserved areas.”

“Hamline University is thankful to Minnesota’s congressional delegation for their dedicated work in securing funding for the Pipers to Professionals program. Thanks to their support, hundreds of Hamline students will be able to pursue internships without the undue stress of working multiple jobs or making financial sacrifices,” said Hamline University President Fayneese Miller.

“Thank you to Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, and our federal partners for sharing our vision of ending Veteran homelessness in Minnesota. Together, we can ensure our nation’s most deserving receive the help that they have earned and deserve!” said Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans President and CEO Neal Loidolt.

Klobuchar and Smith have been actively involved in securing federal funding commitments to enable projects benefiting communities across the state through a process called “Congressionally Directed Spending” (CDS). Throughout the CDS process, Klobuchar and Smith considered project proposals and advocated for funding in close coordination with leaders from across the state.

Projects are expected to receive funding over the next several months.

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