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Transportation <br />Account. <br />5-KCountyStateAidHighway(CSAH)DistributionFormula <br />Significant resource needs remain in the metro area CSAH system. Revenues provided by the <br />Legislature for the CSAH system have resulted in a higher number of projects being completed, <br />however, greater pressure is being placed on municipalitiesto participate in cost sharing <br />activities, encumbering an already over-burdened local funding system. When the alternative is <br />not building or maintaining roads, cities bear not only the costs of their local systems but also <br />payupwardoffiftypercentofcountyroadprojects.MetroCitiessupportsspecialor <br />additional funding for cities that have burdens of additional cost participation in projects <br />involvingcountyroads. <br />CSAH eligible roads were designated by county engineers in 1956 and although only 10 percent <br />of the CSAH roads are in the metro area, they account for nearly 50 percent of the vehicle miles <br />traveled. The CSAH formula passed by the Legislature in 2008 increased the amount of CSAH <br />funding for the metropolitan area from 18 percent in 2007 to 21 percent in 2011. The formula <br />helpsto betteraccountforneedsin themetropolitan region butisonlythefirst stepinaddressing <br />needsforadditionalresources fortheregion. <br />Metro Citiessupportsanew CSAHformulamoreequitablydesigned tofundthe needsof <br />our metropolitanregion. <br />5-LMunicipalInput/ConsentforTrunkHighwaysandCountyRoads <br />State statutes direct the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to submit detailed <br />plans, with city cost estimates, at a point one-and-a-half to two years prior to bid letting, at <br />which time public hearings are held for community input. If MnDOT does not concur with <br />requestedchanges,itmayappeal.Currently,thatprocesswouldtakeamaximumofthreeanda <br />halfmonthsandtheresultsofthe appeals boardarebindingonboththecityandMnDOT. <br />Metro Cities supports the municipal consent process and opposes changes to weaken <br />municipal consent or adding another level of government to the consent process. Metro <br />Cities opposes changes to current statutes that would allow MnDOT to disregard the <br />appeals board ruling for state trunk highways. Such a change would significantly minimize <br />MnDOTÓs need to negotiate in good faith with cities for appropriate project access and alignment <br />andwouldrenderthepublichearingandappeals processmeaningless.MetroCitiesalso <br />opposes the elimination of the county road municipal consent and appeal process for these <br />reasons. <br />5-MPlatAuthority <br />Current law grants counties review and comment authority for access and drainage issues for city <br />platsabuttingcountyroads. <br />Metro Citiesopposesanystatutory changethatwould grantcountiesvetopower orthat <br />wouldshortenthe 120-dayreview andpermitprocess time. <br />2022 Legislative Policies <br />61 <br /> <br />