2002 Minnesota Statutes

     174.55 Major transportation projects commission. 

    Subdivision 1.    Creation and purpose.  The major 
 transportation projects commission shall review and comment on 
 proposed major transportation projects in which the department 
 of transportation is involved.  The commission does not expire. 

    Subd. 2.    Composition.  The major transportation 
 projects commission is composed of the governor or the 
 governor's designee; four citizen members appointed by the 
 governor and serving at the pleasure of the governor; seven 
 senators appointed by the subcommittee on committees of the 
 committee on rules and administration, three of whom must not be 
 members of the senate majority party; and seven members of the 
 house of representatives appointed by the speaker, three of whom 
 must not be members of the house majority party.  The 
 commissioner of transportation shall serve as a nonvoting member 
 unless the commissioner is the governor's designee.  The 
 commission shall elect a chair from among its members.  
 Nongovernment members of the commission shall receive 
 compensation in accordance with section 15.059, subdivision 3. 

    Subd. 3.    Duties.  The major transportation projects 
 commission shall review each report submitted under subdivision 
 4 and shall make comments on the report to the governor and 
 legislature by September 30 of each year.  

    Subd. 4.    Commissioner report.  The commissioner of 
 transportation shall report to the commission not later than 
 July 15 of each year.  The report must consist of a listing of 
 candidate projects that meet the criteria of major 
 transportation projects within the definition in subdivision 5, 
 and a listing of proposed projects for study that the 
 commissioner believes have the potential of being major 
 transportation projects.  The report must include the 
 commissioner's plan for funding and implementation of each 
 project. 

    Subd. 5.    Major transportation project.  A major 
 transportation project is a project that meets each of the 
 following criteria: 

    (1) involves the department of transportation; 

    (2) has a construction cost, in the year in which 
 construction is expected to begin, that exceeds 25 percent of 
 the estimated annual construction program of the department 
 division or construction district in which the project is 
 located; and 

    (3) is a critical element of the transportation system of 
 its region and the state.  

    Subd. 6.    Construction of transportation projects.  
 The department may not construct a major transportation project 
 without first submitting the project to the major transportation 
 projects commission.  Within any six-year period, the department 
 may not construct a transportation project consisting of 
 separate contiguous projects that do not individually qualify as 
 major transportation projects, but which in their entirety would 
 constitute a major transportation project, without first 
 submitting the project to the major transportation projects 
 commission. 

    HIST: 2000 c 479 art 1 s 19; 2001 c 161 s 30; 1Sp2001 c 8 art 
 2 s 54,55