MnDOT Commissioner Breaks Down Major State Road Projects

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Charles Zelle is Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

He told WCCO Radio that managing the state's transportation system is a bit of a conundrum.

"Fifty percent of our roads are more than 50 years old," Zelle said.

He said that part of the job of managing the system includes both making sure those old roads are repaired and improved, and also making way for increased population in a number of areas in the state.

For example, the state will be adding a lane to I-494 in the west metro, a Minnesota pass lane on I-35 E and a number of other improvements.

Zelle said it's not easy balancing diminishing funds with the growing demands of the public.

As far as the June storms, he said he felt the state came out of it OK.

But added, it also pushed back the schedule, so we're seeing more construction later in the summer.