SF5158

Purpose

• To authorize state funding and bonding to help preserve and restore the historic WPA-era Swayback Bridge (No. 89859) in Redwood Falls, ensuring the structure’s granite and masonry exterior is protected.

Main Provisions

• Subdivision 1 — Appropriation

  • An amount of 1,300,000 dollars is appropriated from the bond proceeds fund.
  • The money is to be provided as a grant from the commissioner of transportation to the city of Redwood Falls.
  • The grant covers design and construction for the restoration of the historic WPA 1938 Swayback Bridge No. 89859.
  • Specific activities funded include cofferdam access, stone replacement, and tuckpointing to preserve and protect the granite and masonry exterior of the bridge.
  • The grant is exempt from certain Minnesota statutory requirements (sections 16B.32, 16B.325, 216C.19, and 216C.20), meaning those rules do not apply to this grant.

• Subdivision 2 — Bond Sale

  • The funds for the appropriation will come from the bond proceeds fund.
  • The commissioner of management and budget is authorized to sell and issue state bonds in an amount up to 1,300,000 dollars.
  • Bond terms, sale process, and related provisions follow Minnesota Statutes sections 16A.631 to 16A.675 and the Minnesota Constitution, Article XI, sections 4 to 7.

Affected Parties

• City of Redwood Falls (recipient of the grant for bridge restoration)
• Minnesota Department of Transportation (managing restoration funding and oversight)
• Commissioner of Management and Budget (responsible for issuing the bonds)
• State bond proceeds fund (source of the money)

Financial Impact

• Uses up to 1.3 million dollars in bond proceeds to fund design and construction improvements for the Swayback Bridge restoration.
• Establishes a financing mechanism via state bonds to support the project.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Creates a new appropriation specifically for the Redwood Falls Swayback Bridge restoration.
• Enables the sale of up to 1.3 million dollars in state bonds for this project.
• Exempts the project grant from certain procurement and statutory requirements (16B.32, 16B.325, 216C.19, 216C.20), which can streamline the funding and delivery process for this restoration.

Implementation Notes

• The project focuses on preserving a historic structure (WPA 1938 Swayback Bridge) through targeted exterior work (granite and masonry), including cofferdam access, stone replacement, and tuckpointing.
• All actions must comply with the approved bond funding and the applicable statutes cited for bond issuance and constitutional provisions.

Oversight and Compliance

• Oversight likely provided by the Transportation Department and the oversight framework provided by the bond issuance statutes and the Minnesota Constitution.

Relevant Terms - Redwood Falls - Swayback Bridge No. 89859 - WPA 1938 - restoration - grant - design and construction - cofferdam access - stone replacement - tuckpointing - granite exterior - masonry exterior - bond proceeds fund - appropriation - exempt from requirements (16B.32, 16B.325, 216C.19, 216C.20) - bonds - 1,300,000 dollars - Minnesota Statutes 16A.631 to 16A.675 - Minnesota Constitution Article XI, sections 4 to 7 - commissioner of transportation - commissioner of management and budget - city of Redwood Falls