1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to highways; directing the commissioner of 
  1.3             administration to contract with the University of 
  1.4             Minnesota center for transportation studies for a 
  1.5             study of freeway ramp meters in the metropolitan area; 
  1.6             appropriating money. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [FREEWAY RAMP METERS; STUDY.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [STUDY DIRECTED.] The commissioner of 
  1.10  administration shall contract with the University of Minnesota 
  1.11  center for transportation studies to conduct a study of the 
  1.12  effectiveness of ramp meters on freeways in the metropolitan 
  1.13  area.  The study must include: 
  1.14     (1) the effectiveness of ramp meters in reducing vehicle 
  1.15  congestion on metered freeways; 
  1.16     (2) the effects of ramp meters on vehicle congestion on 
  1.17  nonmetered freeways and on other commuter routes; 
  1.18     (3) safety effects of ramp meters; 
  1.19     (4) effects of preferential, high-occupancy entrance ramps 
  1.20  and meter bypasses on transit ridership and high-occupancy 
  1.21  vehicle use; and 
  1.22     (5) alternatives to ramp meters as congestion-mitigation 
  1.23  measures. 
  1.24     Subd. 2.  [REPORT.] The center for transportation studies 
  1.25  shall report the findings of the study to the commissioner of 
  1.26  administration, the governor, and the legislature by February 1, 
  2.1   1998. 
  2.2      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.3      $....... is appropriated from the trunk highway fund to the 
  2.4   commissioner of administration for the purposes of section 1.