1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to transportation; establishing a trunk 
  1.3             highway corridor-protection demonstration project; 
  1.4             requiring the commissioner to report findings; 
  1.5             appropriating money. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [TRUNK HIGHWAY CORRIDOR-PROTECTION 
  1.8   DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.] 
  1.9      The commissioner of transportation, in cooperation with the 
  1.10  trunk highway No. 55 joint powers board, shall establish a 
  1.11  corridor-protection demonstration project along the corridor of 
  1.12  trunk highway signed No. 55 between interstate highway signed 
  1.13  No. I-494 in Hennepin county and the city of Annandale in Wright 
  1.14  county.  The purpose of the corridor-protection demonstration 
  1.15  project is to develop a transferable process and methodologies 
  1.16  for trunk highway corridor coalitions to use in protecting a 
  1.17  corridor for future capacity needs, such as for additional 
  1.18  lanes, safety improvements, improved access management, and 
  1.19  transit services. 
  1.20     The commissioner, or designee, shall participate as a 
  1.21  nonvoting member of the trunk highway No. 55 joint powers board, 
  1.22  provide technical advice and guidance relating to developing a 
  1.23  corridor-protection plan and official map, and provide a grant 
  1.24  to the board to hire a consultant.  The joint powers board shall 
  1.25  use the grant to hire a consultant to conduct, at a minimum, the 
  2.1   following activities: 
  2.2      (1) develop a preliminary plan and layout for the future 
  2.3   boundaries and right-of-way needs of the highway corridor; 
  2.4      (2) develop an official map of the corridor; 
  2.5      (3) conduct at least one official public hearing in the 
  2.6   corridor upon completion of the official map; 
  2.7      (4) assist the municipalities in making any necessary 
  2.8   comprehensive plan amendments, zoning changes, or ordinance 
  2.9   changes; and 
  2.10     (5) educate the municipalities regarding appropriate 
  2.11  strategies, procedures, and tools to use to protect the corridor 
  2.12  for the planned right-of-way needs. 
  2.13     Sec. 2.  [REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE.] 
  2.14     By January 15, 2004, the commissioner shall report the 
  2.15  results of the corridor-protection demonstration project to the 
  2.16  committees of the senate and house of representatives with 
  2.17  jurisdiction over transportation policy and finance.  The report 
  2.18  must include findings regarding the effectiveness of assisting 
  2.19  communities in developing a corridor-protection plan and 
  2.20  official map and estimates of future right-of-way savings due to 
  2.21  early implementation of right-of-way protection mechanisms. 
  2.22     Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.23     $500,000 is appropriated from the trunk highway fund to the 
  2.24  commissioner of transportation to be used as a grant to the 
  2.25  trunk highway No. 55 joint powers board for costs of hiring a 
  2.26  consultant to conduct the activities described in section 2.  
  2.27  The grant is available only upon the formation of a trunk 
  2.28  highway No. 55 joint powers board that, at a minimum, includes 
  2.29  the counties of Hennepin and Wright, and a majority of the 
  2.30  cities and townships that include or border trunk highway signed 
  2.31  No. 55 between interstate highway signed No. I-494 and the city 
  2.32  of Annandale.  This appropriation cancels to the trunk highway 
  2.33  fund if a joint powers board has not been formed by January 15, 
  2.34  2003.