Purpose

This bill provides funding and authorization to improve local roads in the city of Watertown. It allocates money to support predesign, design, and construction work for road projects, with a focus on accessibility and related public infrastructure along specific corridors.

Main Provisions

• Subdivision 1 — Appropriation

  • Appropriates 750,000 from the bond proceeds account in the state transportation fund.
  • The money goes to the commissioner of transportation as a grant to the city of Watertown.
  • The purpose is to predesign, design, and construct local road improvements, including ADA accessibility and other related public infrastructure improvements to the Fremont Street and Lewis Avenue corridors.

• Subdivision 2 — Bond Sale

  • To provide the appropriation, the commissioner of management and budget must sell and issue state bonds in an amount up to 750,000.
  • Bond issuance is governed by Minnesota law (statutes 16A.631 to 16A.675) and the Minnesota Constitution (Article XI, sections 4 to 7).

Fiscal and Legal Context

• Funding source: bond proceeds account within the state transportation fund.
• Financing method: debt via state bonds up to 750,000.
• Legal framework: uses standard state debt and bonding procedures as specified in Minnesota Statutes and the State Constitution.
• Participating agencies: commissioner of transportation (recipient/grantee) and commissioner of management and budget (bond issuer).

Local Impact and Purpose

• Targeted locality: Watertown.
• Projects: local road improvements on Fremont Street and Lewis Avenue corridors, including ADA accessibility improvements and other related public infrastructure enhancements.
• Outcome goal: improved transportation infrastructure and accessibility for residents and users of these road corridors.

Significance and Changes to Law

• This bill creates a new capital investment appropriation and debt authority specific to Watertown’s local road improvements.
• It does not broadly change existing law beyond authorizing the new appropriation and bond issuance for this project, and it ties the financing to existing bonding rules and constitutional provisions.

Beneficiaries and Stakeholders

• Primary beneficiary: City of Watertown.
• Other stakeholders: residents and users of Fremont Street and Lewis Avenue, and local and state transportation authorities overseeing the project and funding.

Practical Considerations

• Timelines: funding is tied to the bond sale process and project planning (predesign, design, construction).
• Compliance: project execution must follow the statutory bond procedures and construction/ADA requirements.

Relevant Terms - Watertown - local road improvements - grant - predesign - design - construct - ADA accessibility - Fremont Street corridor - Lewis Avenue corridor - bond proceeds account - state transportation fund - commissioner of transportation - commissioner of management and budget - Minnesota Statutes 16A.631 to 16A.675 - Minnesota Constitution Article XI (sections 4 to 7) - bonds - 750,000 (or 750,000 dollars)