Portraits in Steele | Page 24
State Sen. John Jasinski (third from left) is joined by Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, Owatonna Mayor Tom Kuntz, Minnesota state representatives, MnDOT personnel and members of the upcoming construction project for the Highway 14 expansion project groundbreaking ceremony. The event took place in Claremont in November. (People’s Press file photo)
The Journey Down Highway 14 By ANNIE GRANLUND agranlund@owatonna.com
It’s been more than 60 years in the works, but the people of southern Minnesota can finally celebrate their victory in the expansion of one of the last remaining two-lane sections of Highway 14.
In May 2018, a group of legislators largely from southern Minnesota gathered at AlCorn Clean Fuel in Claremont and sprayed champagne all over the conference room table as they laughed and cheered about the funding they recently secured to expand 13
miles of what many consider to be one of the deadliest roads in the state. “I can’t tell you how excited I am and what this means for Highway 14 in District 24 and throughout southern Minnesota,”
