Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that proposed transit guideway projects in Minnesota undergo a thorough cost-benefit analysis before any local decisions are made on implementing such projects. This is aimed at better assessing the economic and practical impacts of these projects on the community and public resources.

Main Provisions

• Cost-Benefit Analysis Requirement: Before a locally preferred alternative for a guideway project is selected, a responsible governmental unit must conduct a detailed cost-benefit analysis. The analysis must then be submitted to the state's Commissioner of Transportation and the Metropolitan Council within 30 days of completion.
• Alternative Assessment: The analysis must consider various project options, including arterial bus rapid transit lines, regular route bus services, and non-transit options like road capacity expansion.
• Detailed Information Requirements: The analysis must include estimates on ridership, the number of vehicles accommodated, revenue sources, ongoing maintenance, and capital costs. Additionally, it should evaluate economic benefits such as new businesses and housing, construction timelines and impacts, projected vehicle collisions, and environmental impacts such as changes in carbon emissions.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• This bill introduces a mandatory cost-benefit analysis for guideway projects, including various transit and non-transit options, which is not currently a legislated requirement in Minnesota. This requirement aims to bring transparency and comprehensive evaluation to how such projects can impact transportation, the economy, and the environment.

Relevant Terms

• Cost-benefit analysis
• Guideway
• Arterial bus rapid transit
• Ridership
• Economic benefit
• Carbon emissions
• Environmental impacts
• Metropolitan Council