Projects ranging from roadway expansions and new overpasses to bridge repair and trail and transit improvements are among 58 projects the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) has recommended to get portions of $208 million in federal funding. Local funding totaling $205 million also would also be used to complete the projects.

The projects in 45 different townships and communities across the seven-county metropolitan area were chosen from applications submitted through the Regional Solicitation process. That process, conducted every two years, allocates federal transportation funds to locally-initiated projects to meet regional transportation needs.

TAB, which advises the Metropolitan Council, has on its list reconstruction of interchanges at Hwy. 252 and 66th Avenue N. in Brooklyn Center, the I-94 and Brockton Lane in Dayton, Hwy. 36 and Manning Avenue in Washington County and I-694 and Rice Street in Little Canada.

The list also includes money for traffic signal upgrades in 10 cities in Hennepin County, and repairing the West Broadway bridge connecting Minneapolis with Robbinsdale and the Kellogg Boulevard bridge in St. Paul.

Money also would be allocated to expand bus service in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington and Eden Prairie, enhance BRT lines along Penn Avenue in Minneapolis, Chicago and Hennepin avenues in Minneapolis and along Lake Street/Marshall Avenue in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

St. Paul's Grand Rounds trail system is among local and regional trail systems selected for funding. Sidewalk and pedestrian improvement projects in St.Louis Park, South St. Paul, St. Paul, and Hennepin and Dakota counties also were chosen. The complete list is here.

TAB also approved the funding of 22 projects totaling $21 million through the MnDOT-administered Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). HSIP is designed to achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on public roads and include items such as freeway cable median barriers, roundabouts, turn lanes at busy intersections and pedestrian crossing improvements. A list of those projects can be found here.