1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to transportation; establishing polymer 
  1.3             bridge wrap research program; appropriating money. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [POLYMER BRIDGE WRAP RESEARCH PROGRAM.] 
  1.6      The commissioner of transportation shall establish a 
  1.7   polymer bridge wrap research program for local bridges.  The 
  1.8   program will evaluate the potential for employing technologies 
  1.9   that use carbon fiber or glass fiber hybrid composites and 
  1.10  proven epoxy-based, wet wrapping processes to repair, maintain, 
  1.11  or otherwise extend the life of structurally deficient local 
  1.12  bridges. 
  1.13     The commissioner of transportation shall establish a 
  1.14  process for accepting applications from local units of 
  1.15  government to participate in the polymer bridge wrap research 
  1.16  program.  The commissioner shall establish criteria for 
  1.17  reviewing applications and making grants to local units of 
  1.18  government to participate in the research program.  The grants 
  1.19  must be distributed equitably across the state to reflect 
  1.20  differing climatic and geographic conditions. 
  1.21     The commissioner shall report to the legislature by 
  1.22  February 1, 1999, on the results of the polymer bridge wrap 
  1.23  research program.  The report must contain information on the 
  1.24  ability of polymer bridge wraps to provide structurally sound 
  2.1   preventive maintenance, strengthen bridges beyond their original 
  2.2   construction specifications, and to provide necessary 
  2.3   maintenance in a more timely and cost-effective manner than 
  2.4   current maintenance techniques.  The report must provide 
  2.5   recommendations on the future use of polymer bridge wrap 
  2.6   technologies for bridge maintenance and repair. 
  2.7      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.8      $4,000,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.9   commissioner of transportation for the purposes of establishing 
  2.10  and administering this program, analyzing the results of the 
  2.11  program, and making grants to local units of government 
  2.12  participating in the polymer bridge wrap research program.  This 
  2.13  appropriation is available until February 1, 1999.