1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to transportation; creating an overpass 
  1.3             improvement fund; specifying uses for the fund; 
  1.4             providing for transfers to the fund; establishing an 
  1.5             advisory committee; appropriating money; proposing 
  1.6             coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 174. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [174.52] [OVERPASS IMPROVEMENT FUND.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [FUND CREATED.] An overpass improvement 
  1.10  fund is created in the state treasury.  The fund consists of 
  1.11  money transferred to the fund under subdivision 2. 
  1.12     Subd. 2.  [GENERAL FUND TRANSFER; APPROPRIATION.] The 
  1.13  commissioner of finance shall annually transfer $....... from 
  1.14  the general fund to the overpass improvement fund.  Money in the 
  1.15  fund is annually appropriated to the commissioner of 
  1.16  transportation for expenditure as specified in subdivision 4.  
  1.17  Any part of this appropriation not spent as of June 30 each year 
  1.18  cancels to the general fund. 
  1.19     Subd. 3.  [ADVISORY COMMITTEE.] The commissioner of 
  1.20  transportation shall annually consult with an overpass 
  1.21  improvement advisory committee concerning expenditures from the 
  1.22  fund.  The committee consists of one representative appointed by 
  1.23  the commissioner, one county engineer appointed by the county 
  1.24  screening board created in section 162.07, and one city engineer 
  1.25  appointed by the municipal screening committee created in 
  1.26  section 162.13.  The committee shall review funding applications 
  2.1   from road authorities and department districts and make 
  2.2   recommendations to the commissioner regarding expenditures from 
  2.3   the fund. 
  2.4      Subd. 4.  [USES OF THE FUND; CRITERIA.] (a) Projects 
  2.5   eligible for funding from the overpass improvement fund include 
  2.6   projects that: 
  2.7      (1) are not funded or are only partially funded in the 
  2.8   statewide transportation improvement program; and 
  2.9      (2) involve the improvement of a grade separation structure 
  2.10  over a trunk highway and the related roadway improvements. 
  2.11     (b) The advisory committee shall prioritize the project 
  2.12  funding applications using the following criteria: 
  2.13     (1) ability of the project to improve safety on the 
  2.14  structure and related roadways; 
  2.15     (2) needed capacity improvements due to increases in 
  2.16  traffic volumes on the structure and related roadways; and 
  2.17     (3) the structural condition and geometric ratings of the 
  2.18  structure as determined in the most recent inspection.