Purpose

This bill aims to fund improvements to marked Trunk Highway 7 by providing a specific appropriation and authorizing the sale of state bonds. The goal is to support planning, design, environmental work, property acquisition, and construction for upgrades along Trunk Highway 7 in several cities, and to coordinate these projects with planned highway maintenance.

Main Provisions

• Appropriation: $11,000,000 is appropriated from the bond proceeds account in the trunk highway fund to the commissioner of transportation. Funds cover predesign, design engineering, environmental analysis and remediation, property acquisition (including easements), and construction of improvements to Trunk Highway 7 in the listed cities.
• Use with maintenance: The authorized improvements are to be used in conjunction with planned highway maintenance.
• Bond issuance: The commissioner of management and budget shall sell and issue up to $11,000,000 in state bonds to finance this appropriation, following Minnesota statutes 167.50 to 167.52 and the state constitution. Sales occur at times and in amounts requested by the transportation commissioner.
• Bond proceeds handling: Proceeds from the bond sale, excluding accrued interest and any premium, must be deposited into the bond proceeds account in the trunk highway fund.
• Placement: Section 1 of the bill governs these provisions (appropriation and bond sale).

Geographic Scope

• Counties: Hennepin and Carver.
• Cities included: Chanhassen, Deephaven, Excelsior, Greenwood, Minnetonka, Minnetrista, Shorewood, and St. Bonifacius.

Relationship to Highway Maintenance

• The funds are intended to support improvements that are planned to be carried out in conjunction with ongoing or planned highway maintenance efforts along Trunk Highway 7.

Significance and Changes to Law

• Creates a new capital investment appropriation of $11,000,000 for Trunk Highway 7 improvements.
• Authorizes the sale of up to $11,000,000 in state bonds to fund the appropriation.
• Moves or directs bond proceeds into the trunk highway fund’s bond proceeds account, consistent with existing bonding and fund management statutes.
• Ties project financing to a specific list of cities and to predesign through construction activities.

Relevant terms - Trunk Highway 7 - Hennepin County - Carver County - Chanhassen - Deephaven - Excelsior - Greenwood - Minnetonka - Minnetrista - Shorewood - St. Bonifacius - appropriation - bond proceeds account - trunk highway fund - bonds / bond sale - Minnesota Statutes 167.50 to 167.52 - Minnesota Constitution Article XIV Section 11 - predesign - design engineering - environmental analysis - remediation - property acquisition - easements - construction - highway maintenance