Transportation

Video: What you can — and can't — do under Minnesota's new hands-free cellphone law
Minnesota law now bans drivers from using hand-held phones. We asked State Patrol Col. Matt Langer to get in a car with MPR News reporter Tim Nelson to explain what’s allowed, what’s not — and what’s the cost if you're caught.
'Dan Patch moratorium' bans talk of south metro commuter rail
Buried deep in the Senate transportation policy bill is a dead horse -- actually, a rail line named after him. The Dan Patch line, named for a famous early 20th century race horse, carries freight between the Twin Cities and Northfield. The idea of bringing back passenger service along that route is so controversial that lawmakers passed a special law to halt discussion of it more than a decade ago. This year, lawmakers are considering whether to lift the "Dan Patch moratorium."
The House Transportation Finance Committee Monday approved a bill that would allow all counties to impose an optional half-cent sales tax and a $10 annual vehicle registration fee to pay for infrastructure improvements. The bill would also boost funding for greater Minnesota transit.