State Aid Programs Legislative Issues - Bonding Local Bridge Replacement Program Local Road Improvement Township Sign Replacement Program

Legislative Issues Bonding Session $66 million for Local Bridge Program

Local Bridge Replacement Program Funding Options Federal State Aid State Transportation Funds (Bridge Bond) Town Bridge Account Local

TOTAL HIGHWAY USERS FUND (2007 dollars used in this slide) Minnesota Highway Users Tax Distribution Fund Collection Costs and Refunds to DNR, Public Safety, Revenue, Administration, etc. $31,768,578 Special 5% Distribution $75,640,663 Regular Distribution $1,437,172,598 Special 5% Town Bridge Account 16% Town Road Account 30.5% Flexible Highway Account 53.5% Regular 95% Trunk Highway Fund 62% County State Aid Highway Fund 29% Municipal State Aid Street Fund 9%

Local Bridge Replacement Program Process Federal Funds: Area Transportation Partnership/Project (ATP) Selection in each district State Aid: County/City program Bridge Bond: County/City/Twp program Town Bridge Account: County/Twp program working with townships

Master Bridge Replacement Priority List Should be updated annually by resolution of the County Board Used for legislative hearings to support bridge bond funding Estimated costs and program year

Federal Funds To be eligible, the bridge must: Have a clear span of at least 20 feet Be structurally deficient or functionally obsolete Have a sufficiency rating of less than 50 Best source for large expensive structures

State Transportation Funds (Bridge Bond) To be eligible, the bridge must: Be located on local road and owned by a city, county or township, and Be at least 10 feet long, have a sufficiency rating of 80 or less, and be structurally deficient or functionally obsolete

State Transportation Funds (Bridge Bond) If these requirements are not met, the bridge can be eligible if: Matching federal-aid bridge funds have been awarded It is hydraulically deficient A road-in-lieu is available (costs to replace the structure are used) Structure is being abandoned Requires preliminary engineering studies and extensive evaluation

Funding Levels CSAH/MSAS - 50/50 split with State Aid funds County and city bridge not on State Aid system – 100% of eligible items Township bridges if town bridge balance is used first

Town Bridge Funds Located on township road and owned by the township Townships coordinate bridge replacements with the County Engineer County Engineer prioritizes replacements based on structural or functional condition, local priority, and availability of Town Bridge funds or other state funds

Highway Users Fund – Special 5% (2007 dollars used in this slide) Special 5% - $75,640,663 Town Bridge Account 16% Town Road Account 30.5% Flexible Highway Account 53.5% Town Bridge Account $12,102,506 Town Road Account $23,288,007 Flexible Highway Account $40,849,456 1.Distributed to counties based on needs 2.Used for the replacement of deficient township bridges 1.Distributed to counties based on: township road mileage open to traffic at least 8 months/year formula adopted by individual county boards 2.Used for township road construction and maintenance 1.Municipal Turnback Account – not apportioned to municipalities, but used for the restoration of former Trunk Highways now designated MSASs 2.County Turnback Account - not apportioned to counties, but used for the restoration of former Trunk Highways now designated as CSAHs 3.Trunk Highway Fund - used for state road construction and engineering costs

Town Bridge Funds To be eligible, the bridge must: Be at least ten feet long, with sufficiency rating of 80 or less, and replaced with another bridge Be hydraulically deficient Road-in-lieu of bridge can be constructed to eliminate bridge – bridge must be abandoned after the project

Costs covered by Town Bridge Funds 100% of bridge structure or culvert costs Approach grading and bridge removal costs over $10,000 Engineering costs over $10,000 or 100% of engineering costs if your net tax capacity is less than $300, % of the costs to abandon a bridge or build a road-in-lieu of a bridge, up to the cost of the replacement bridge

Application for Bridge Funds Bridge must be included in local agencys bridge construction program by board resolution, and the resolution submitted to State Aid State Transportation fund grant application must be completed, approved by the DSAE, and submitted to State Aid Program Engineer

When Funds are Approved Bonding bill signed into session law Funds are awarded based on first- come/first-served basis with priority given to load posted, closed, fracture critical, emergency, and structure size Plans approved Federal match is the first priority Board resolution accepting the grant terms

Local Road Improvement Program Three accounts are used to fund local roads: Routes of Regional Significance Rural Road Safety

Routes of Regional Significance Applies to all local roads Used as a grant for expenditures to cities, towns and counties Used for constructing or reconstructing city streets, county highways or town roads with statewide or regional significance not fully funded through other sources Application on state aid website

Routes of Regional Significance Criteria for eligibility under this program: Local road construction, reconstruction or reconditioning project A minor collector or higher (some exceptions) Be ready for bid by a specified date Have a minimum expected life of 10 years Be located on a CSAH, MSAS, county road, city street, or township road and owned by the city, county or township

Rural Road Safety Used as a grant for counties to assist in paying for projects on county state aid highways For projects intended primarily to reduce traffic crashes, deaths, injuries, and property damage Eligibility is based on the projects ability to reduce the frequency and severity of crashes

Rural Road Safety To be eligible under this program, the project must: Be located on a designated CSAH or county road Reduce or eliminate a safety deficiency that will reduce crashes, deaths, injuries, or property damage Employ a safety strategy identified in MNs Strategic Highway Safety Plan Be ready for bid by a specified date

All use of State Transportation Funds are dependent on the state legislature providing appropriations for this program!