Plain English Breakdown
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HF3740 • 2026
Requirements for trunk highway project development, scoping, and alternatives analysis modified; working group established; report required; and money appropriated.
Requirements for trunk highway project development, scoping, and alternatives analysis modified; working group established; report required; and money appropriated.
Passed Legislature
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Bill History
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2026-02-25
House
Introduction and first reading, referred to Transportation Finance and Policy
Official Summary Text
Requirements for trunk highway project development, scoping, and alternatives analysis modified; working group established; report required; and money appropriated.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
A bill for an act relating to transportation; modifying certain requirements for trunk highway project development, scoping, and alternatives analysis; establishing a working group; requiring a report; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 161. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. new text begin [161.1615] PROJECT SCOPING AND DEVELOPMENT. new text end new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end new text begin Definitions. new text end new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given. new text end new text begin (b) "Major highway project" has the meaning given in section 174.56, subdivision 1, paragraph (b). new text end new text begin (c) "Principal transportation system users" means each of the following users of surface transportation right-of-way for transportation purposes: motorists, commercial vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists and other nonmotorized vehicle operators, and transit users and vehicles. new text end new text begin Subd. 2. new text end new text begin Application. new text end new text begin (a) The requirements in this section apply to a major highway project on the trunk highway system that: new text end new text begin (1) involves construction, reconstruction, bridge replacement, or acquisition of permanent right-of-way; new text end new text begin (2) adds highway traffic capacity or provides for grade separation of motor vehicle traffic at an intersection, excluding auxiliary lanes with a length of less than 2,500 feet; or new text end new text begin (3) requires an environmental impact statement under chapter 116D for the project. new text end new text begin (b) Except for a project under paragraph (a), clause (1), the requirements in this section do not apply to reconditioning, resurfacing, rehabilitation, preventive maintenance, other routine infrastructure maintenance activities or projects, and associated capital set-asides. new text end new text begin (c) The requirements in this section are effective for a project that first enters the appropriate state or metropolitan transportation improvement program for fiscal year 2031 or a subsequent year. This section does not apply to a project that (1) was included in the appropriate transportation improvement program, or (2) has submitted for approval a geometric layout before July 1, 2030. new text end new text begin Subd. 3. new text end new text begin Purpose and need statement. new text end new text begin (a) The purpose and need statement established by the commissioner for a project under this section must: new text end new text begin (1) allow for consideration of alternatives as provided in subdivision 4; and new text end new text begin (2) provide for evaluation of impacts of safety, accessibility, and mobility for principal transportation system users. new text end new text begin (b) The purpose and need statement must not identify, tacitly presume, or preclude a specific improvement to address the stated transportation deficiency or problem. new text end new text begin Subd. 4. new text end new text begin Project alternatives. new text end new text begin (a) The project development process for a project under this section must include identification and analysis of a suitably comprehensive set of design alternatives to address the project purpose and need. The process must: new text end new text begin (1) incorporate alternatives that improve access to destinations for principal transportation system users; new text end new text begin (2) include evaluation of appropriate multimodal alternatives; new text end new text begin (3) include evaluation of at least one alternative that reduces traffic lanes, reduces the area of the road right-of-way, or lowers the functional classification of the road; new text end new text begin (4) consider relevant traffic models, safety analyses, air quality analyses, and other data; new text end new text begin (5) consider coordination of transportation investments in the corridor, including transit and active transportation projects, to maximize project delivery efficiency and minimize negative impacts to system users, local units of government, and affected property owners; and new text end new text begin (6) conform with state transportation system goals under section 174.01, subdivision 2. new text end new text begin (b) The project development process must not conflict with the requirements under chapter 116D and the National Environmental Policy Act under United States Code, title 42, section 4331, et seq. new text end Sec. 2. new text begin PROJECT SCOPING AND DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP. new text end new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end new text begin Definitions. new text end new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given. new text end new text begin (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of transportation. new text end new text begin (c) "Working group" means the Project Scoping and Development Working Group established in this section. new text end new text begin Subd. 2. new text end new text begin Establishment. new text end new text begin The commissioner must convene a working group to develop a comprehensive framework to implement the trunk highway project scoping and development requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 161.1615. The commissioner must seek to collaborate with the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota to lead the working group. new text end new text begin Subd. 3. new text end new text begin Membership. new text end new text begin The commissioner of transportation must solicit the following to participate as members in the working group: new text end new text begin (1) Department of Transportation district staff who perform planning and engineering functions; new text end new text begin (2) metropolitan planning organizations; new text end new text begin (3) county engineers; new text end new text begin (4) city engineers; and new text end new text begin (5) individuals with relevant experience and expertise in transportation planning, multimodal highway project development, and cost-benefit analysis, which may include but is not limited to the following areas: new text end new text begin (i) multimodal transportation planning; new text end new text begin (ii) transit operations and planning; new text end new text begin (iii) pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure design and planning; new text end new text begin (iv) land use planning; new text end new text begin (v) highway traffic modeling; new text end new text begin (vi) highway safety analysis; and new text end new text begin (vii) highway right-sizing or roadway reconfiguration. new text end new text begin Subd. 4. new text end new text begin Duties. new text end new text begin At a minimum, the working group must: new text end new text begin (1) evaluate and make recommendations on project scoping and development practices by the Department of Transportation; and new text end new text begin (2) develop and propose an updated methodology for cost-benefit analyses performed to comprehensively evaluate major trunk highway project investments. new text end new text begin Subd. 5. new text end new text begin Administration. new text end new text begin Upon request of the working group, the commissioner must provide administrative and technical support. new text end new text begin Subd. 6. new text end new text begin Report. new text end new text begin By February 1, 2027, the working group must submit a report on trunk highway project scoping and development to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over transportation policy and finance. At a minimum, the report must summarize the results of the working group and provide information on each of the activities specified in subdivision 4. new text end new text begin Subd. 7. new text end new text begin Expiration. new text end new text begin The working group expires June 30, 2027. new text end Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION; PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. new text end new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the trunk highway fund to the commissioner of transportation for the Project Scoping and Development Working Group under section 2 and to implement the project scoping and development requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 161.1615. new text end