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473.399 Light rail transit and commuter rail planning.

Subdivision 1. General requirements. (a) The council shall adopt a plan to ensure that light rail transit facilities in the metropolitan area will be acquired, developed, owned, and capable of operation in an efficient, cost-effective, and coordinated manner in coordination with buses and other transportation modes and facilities. The plan may be developed and adopted in phases corresponding to phasing of construction of light rail. The council may incorporate into its plan appropriate elements of the plans of regional railroad authorities in order to avoid duplication of effort.

(b) The light rail transit plan or first phase of the plan required by this section must be adopted by the council before the commissioner of transportation may begin construction of light rail transit facilities. Following adoption of the plan, the commissioner of transportation shall act in conformity with the plan. The commissioner shall prepare or amend the final design plans as necessary to make the plans consistent with the light rail transit plan.

(c) Throughout the development and implementation of the plan, the council shall contract for or otherwise obtain engineering services to assure that the plan adequately addresses the technical aspects of light rail transit.

Subd. 1a. Integrated transportation system. The commissioner of transportation and the Metropolitan Council shall ensure that the light rail transit and commuter rail facilities are planned, designed, and implemented: (1) to move commuters and transit users into and out of, as well as within, the metropolitan area, and (2) to ensure that rail transit lines will interface with each other and other transportation facilities and services so as to provide a unified, integrated, and efficient multimodal transportation system.

Subd. 2. Repealed, 1993 c 353 s 20

Subd. 3. Repealed, 1993 c 353 s 20

Subd. 4. Expenditure of state funds. No state funds may be expended by the Metropolitan Council to study light rail transit or commuter rail unless the funds are appropriated in legislation that identifies route, including the origin and destination.

HIST: 1989 c 339 s 12; 1993 c 353 s 5; 1994 c 628 art 3 s 98; 1998 c 404 s 55,56; 1999 c 230 s 38; 1Sp2001 c 8 art 2 s 71

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes