Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of the bill is to eliminate the authority to collect tolls on highways in Minnesota. It aims to change how transportation funding is managed by reallocating user fee revenue to different transportation needs.

Main Provisions

1. Elimination of Toll Collection Authority:

   • The bill prohibits road authorities, including city governments and private operators, from converting or using any part of a highway to impose tolls or to use as a toll facility.
   • Commercial vehicles cannot be restricted to use toll facilities or be forced to use tolled portions of highways.

2. Exceptions:

   • The restrictions do not apply to toll facilities or high-occupancy vehicle lanes created before September 1, 2007.
   • Lanes added after this date, such as priced dynamic shoulder lanes, high-occupancy vehicle lanes, or toll lanes that add capacity, may still be exceptions.

3. Reallocation of Revenue:

   • The bill provides for the reallocation of revenues previously collected from tolls to fund other transportation-related expenses. However, specific details on the reallocation process or which expenses are prioritized are not outlined.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Repeal of Toll Provisions:
  • The proposed legislation includes repealing certain sections of the Minnesota Statutes regarding toll collections, specifically section 160.93 subdivisions 2 and 2a.
• Amendments to Current Statutes:
  • It amends several parts of the Minnesota Statutes 2024, affecting sections related to transportation and toll roads, aligning them with the new policy of eliminating tolls.

Relevant Terms

tolls, highway tolls, transportation funding, road authority, user fee revenue, toll facility, commercial motor vehicle, high-occupancy vehicle lanes, priced dynamic shoulder lanes, Minnesota transportation law, toll collection repeal.