By Ndze Ntuv Evaristus Tunka

The Minnesota Department of Transportation in a statement announced that it may hold off repairs and other road construction projects in the metro area in other for the commencement of the I-35W Bridge reconstruction. Department officials say, unless the state legislature consents to it spending funds up until now not apportioned by the federal government.    

Sources say the expected federal funds are hijacked in a transportation proposed act that may face a possible veto from the White House. President Bush has warned that if the U.S. House approves of the transportation bill, which includes the over US $195 million that was approved by Congress just days after the bridge collapse.

The State Department of Transportation is not however saying which road projects could be delayed if there is a funding delay. Some legislators have expressed their dismay at MnDOT’s beseech to delay maintenance and other road projects to commence the reconstruction of the I-35W bridge.

There are hints that MnDOT may be subjected to a perlustration by the state legislature after making the request to have authorization to delay maintenance work and other projects in the metro to be able to commence the reconstruction of the collapsed bridge. 

While many question this present move by MnDOT, the department’s spokesman Bob McFarlin has maintained that the department is responding to the crisis as best as it can, say the department has limited funds and if the federal government does not follow through with the provision of the promised funding for the reconstruction of the bridge, then the department has no alternative but to delay other projects and maintenance works in the metro.

There are also concerns that the state will be stuck with the provision of huge sums of money for the funding of the reconstruction if the promised federal government funds for it do not fall through.