as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 04/13/2018 08:56am
A bill for an act
relating to transportation; establishing a grant program to finance railroad grade
separation projects on trunk highways; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 219.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
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A rail grade separation financing program is
established to reduce the risk of accidents or delays on trunk highways due to railroad grade
crossings.
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A rail grade separation account is established in the trunk
highway fund and consists of money as provided by law, and any other money donated,
allotted, transferred, or otherwise provided to the account. Money in the account is
appropriated to the commissioner of transportation to finance part or all of eligible projects
as provided in this section.
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A project may be funded under this section if the project is
for trunk highway purposes and is to predesign, design, engineer, acquire right-of-way, and
construct or upgrade a grade separated crossing between the trunk highway and the railroad.
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The commissioner of transportation must
establish criteria for determining which projects to implement and how to implement each.
The commissioner must consider:
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(1) roadway traffic volumes and speeds;
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(2) train volumes and speeds;
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(3) adjacent land use;
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(4) crash history;
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(5) use of the crossing by emergency vehicles; and
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(6) use of the crossing by vehicles carrying hazardous materials.
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