1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to railroads; allowing commissioner of 
  1.3             transportation to provide financial assistance to 
  1.4             expand railroad bridges; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.5             2000, sections 161.20, subdivision 2; and 165.05, by 
  1.6             adding a subdivision. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 161.20, 
  1.9   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 2.  [ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY; BUILDINGS; RELOCATION 
  1.11  OF CORNERS; AGREEMENTS WITH RAILROADS; CONTRACTS.] The 
  1.12  commissioner is authorized to acquire by purchase, gift, or by 
  1.13  eminent domain proceedings as provided by law, in fee or such 
  1.14  lesser estate as the commissioner deems necessary, all lands and 
  1.15  properties necessary in laying out, constructing, maintaining, 
  1.16  and improving the trunk highway system including recreational 
  1.17  vehicle lanes; to locate, construct, reconstruct, improve, and 
  1.18  maintain the trunk highway system; to purchase all road 
  1.19  material, machinery, tools, and supplies necessary for the 
  1.20  construction, maintenance, and improvement thereof; to construct 
  1.21  necessary buildings, or rent or acquire by purchase, gift, or 
  1.22  condemnation, grounds, and buildings necessary for the storing 
  1.23  and housing of such material, machinery, tools, and supplies or 
  1.24  necessary for office space for employees or for providing for 
  1.25  driver's license examinations; to maintain, repair, or remodel 
  1.26  such buildings as may be necessary; to acquire by purchase, 
  2.1   gift, or condemnation, replacement sites for historically 
  2.2   significant buildings or structures and to relocate these 
  2.3   buildings or structures onto those sites, reconstructing and 
  2.4   maintaining them until disposed of through public sale to the 
  2.5   highest responsible bidder; to make agreements with any county 
  2.6   for the relocation or reestablishment, by the county, of 
  2.7   section, quarter section, or meander corners originally 
  2.8   established by the United States, when such relocation or 
  2.9   reestablishment is necessary in order to write land acquisition 
  2.10  descriptions or by reason of the construction, reconstruction, 
  2.11  improvement, or maintenance of a trunk highway; to contract on 
  2.12  an equitable basis with railroad companies for the installation 
  2.13  and reinstallation of safety devices at trunk highway-railroad 
  2.14  grade crossings, and for the construction, reconstruction and 
  2.15  maintenance of bridges and approaches existing or necessary for 
  2.16  the separation of grades at railroad and trunk highway 
  2.17  intersections, including providing matching financial assistance 
  2.18  for the additional costs incurred to expand or reconstruct 
  2.19  railroad bridges to meet present or future street or highway 
  2.20  needs; and, in carrying out duties, to let all necessary 
  2.21  contracts in the manner prescribed by law.  The commissioner may 
  2.22  make agreements with and cooperate with any governmental 
  2.23  authority for the purpose of effectuating the provisions of this 
  2.24  chapter.  
  2.25     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 165.05, is 
  2.26  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.27     Subd. 3.  [BRIDGE UPGRADE ASSISTANCE.] The commissioner may 
  2.28  contract with a common carrier by rail, as defined in section 
  2.29  218.011, who owns a railroad bridge to be reconstructed, to 
  2.30  provide joint and matching financial assistance to expand or 
  2.31  otherwise upgrade the railroad bridge over a street or highway 
  2.32  when the commissioner and road authority deem assistance would 
  2.33  be advantageous to meet street or highway needs.  The financial 
  2.34  assistance provided is limited to the costs connected with the 
  2.35  additional construction necessary to upgrade the bridge from its 
  2.36  current condition to a structure that meets present or future 
  3.1   street or highway needs as determined by the road authority.