In January, representatives from the Range Gateway Coalition (RGC) met with Congressman Pete Stauber in Grand Rapids to reaffirm his support for the Highway 169 project and bring him up to speed on recent developments. $4.9 million in federal funding and $6 million from the state has already been allocated to the project. However, significant state and federal collaboration is needed to move the project forward towards planning and construction. RGC members talked to Congressman Stauber about how his office can help facilitate conversations between the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the Federal Highway Administration, RGC members, and other local partners.

During the meeting, Congressman Stauber also expressed interest in carrying additional funding requests for the project. RGC has remained in contact with his staff to explore the possibility of making a Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) request. We’re also working actively with MnDOT to determine if we have enough information to submit a CDS request before the deadline. Stay tuned for further federal updates.