Third time’s the charm: Walz signs $1.87 billion bonding bill - Military museum, CRVST and Royalton road project, benefit

The Minnesota Senate and House after two failed attempts to do so earlier this year, came together in a bipartisan effort to put forth a $1.87 billion bonding bill. It was signed by Gov. Tim Walz, Wednesday.

The Senate vote was 64-3 and the House vote was 100-34.

The bonding bill includes funding for the Royalton Cedar and Driftwood Street project, as well as funding for the new Military Museum in Little Falls, and for the Camp Ripley Veterans State Trail (CRVST).

“We have $900,000 in the bonding bill that will be for our project on Cedar and Driftwood Street,” said Royalton Mayor Andrea Lauer.

She said the project includes replacing old cast iron water lines that were put in the 1920s, and adding storm sewer and sidewalks, curb and gutter.

“For local people who remember old Highway 10, that will be part of the project,” she said.

The project includes a 14-block area, at a cost of about $3.2 million.

“We are looking at other funding sources. We’ve worked with MnDOT because we’re so close to Highway 10 and they’ve committed to $260,000 for the project, so we would have roughly a third of our project taken care of,” Lauer said.

The city will continue to look for other funding that might be available.

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