GRANITE FALLS — A bill that would dedicate a major bridge in Granite Falls in memory of the city’s longtime mayor is making its way through the Minnesota Legislature. On Feb. 21, the bill was passed by the Senate Transportation Committee, and was sent to the full Senate, said Sen. Gary Dahms.

The bill would designate the U.S. Highway 212 bridge over the Minnesota River in Granite Falls as the Mayor Dave Smiglewski Memorial Bridge, Dahms said. A similar bill is being introduced in the Minnesota House of Representatives by Rep. Chris Swedzinski, Dahms said.

Dahms said the two area legislators felt the designation would be a way for people to be able to recognize Smiglewski’s contributions to the area around Granite Falls.

“Chris and I worked with Dave on a lot of projects in Granite Falls,” Dahms said. “He was just a champion for the city of Granite Falls and surrounding communities.”

Smiglewski was a part of Granite Falls city government ever since 1979, when he was first appointed to fill a vacant city council seat. Smiglewski served as mayor of Granite Falls for more than 25 years, from 1996 up until his death in September. He was 70.

Smiglewski was an advocate for rural communities on a wide variety of issues, including transportation. When he died, he was in Washington, D.C., with the Southwest Corridor Coalition, seeking highway funding in southwest Minnesota.

Smiglewski’s involvement in transportation issues was one reason that dedicating a bridge in his memory would be fitting, Dahms said.

As Mayor, Smiglewski was focused on helping local communities, and not on partisanship, Dahms said. “He never made politics an issue,” Dahms said.

Dahms said the memorial bridge bill passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee last week, and was sent to the Senate. He said the bill would likely move forward sometime in the next two or three weeks.