1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to transportation; directing commissioner of 
  1.3             transportation to study feasibility of assuming or 
  1.4             sharing jurisdiction of major river crossings in 
  1.5             Minnesota. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [STUDY OF METROPOLITAN BRIDGE JURISDICTION.] 
  1.8      (a) The commissioner of transportation shall study the 
  1.9   advantages, disadvantages, concerns, desirability, and 
  1.10  feasibility of assuming, sharing, or not assuming jurisdiction 
  1.11  and responsibility for all or a portion of bridges comprising 
  1.12  the major, navigable river crossings in Minnesota that are now, 
  1.13  or are scheduled to be, under the jurisdiction of local road 
  1.14  authorities.  The commissioner shall evaluate jurisdiction and 
  1.15  responsibility for the bridges in terms of (1) present and 
  1.16  future needs for financing and conducting emergency or scheduled 
  1.17  construction, replacement, reconstruction, rehabilitation, 
  1.18  expansion, repair, maintenance, and inspection; (2) the local 
  1.19  community's financial liability and its ability to support and 
  1.20  address those needs; (3) with community input, addressing 
  1.21  transportation needs such as lane widths, high-occupancy vehicle 
  1.22  lanes, bicycle and pedestrian crossings and lanes, lighting, 
  1.23  landscaping, and other amenities; (4) expectations of complete, 
  1.24  partial, or matching federal or state funding; and (5) ensuring 
  1.25  community involvement in identifying those needs and their 
  2.1   consequent resolutions. 
  2.2      (b) The commissioner shall make findings and 
  2.3   recommendations and submit a written report to the chairs of the 
  2.4   transportation policy and budget committees of the senate and 
  2.5   house of representatives, as well as the required number of 
  2.6   copies to the legislative reference library, by January 2, 2002.