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2007 Transit Subdivision updates
Update: January 30 2008 1:45 p.m.
Senate and House Transportation Committees, chaired by Sen. Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing) and Rep. Bernard Lieder (DFL-Crookston), met Wed., Aug. 22, to continue discussion of replacing the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak briefed members on the progress made by the city of Minneapolis. He said the city council passed a statement of principles supporting the idea that the new I-35W bridge be designed and built to meet both present and future transportation needs. He said the city has also set in motion the municipal consent process required by law and scheduled the first public hearing for Thurs., Sept. 20. Rybak said the statement of principles centers on improving vehicle capacity and the incorporation of options for future transit improvements. In addition, Rybak said the city is working with the Dept. of Transportation and other agencies to address issues concerning congestion on either side of the bridge and additional access to I-35W. He said all of the issues are being addressed and that progress is being made, but there is a need for a special legislative session to address transportation and local aid issues.
Congressman James Oberstar also spoke to the panel. Oberstar said, "We need, on the national level, an urgent response to meet the needs of bridges throughout the country." He said the calamity of the bridge collapse has galvanized public opinion about the needs of our transportation system. He said there are 73,784 bridges listed as structurally deficient by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. Oberstar outlined a comprehensive package he has proposed to repair the nation's bridges. He said the package includes new, uniform standards for bridge inspection, provides dedicated funding, provides for fund distribution based on public safety and need, and establishes a trust fund to provide a dedicated source of revenue for the repair, rehabilitation and replacement of bridges. To that end, Oberstar said, he has proposed a five cent per gallon federal gasoline tax increase. Under the proposal, Oberstar said, the gas tax increase would sunset after three years. He said the package is a targeted, focused and urgent response to the national bridge crisis.
Members also heard from Peter Bell, chair, Metropolitan Council and Brian Lamb, general manager, Metro Transit, on the Metro Transit response to the bridge collapse, the possible inclusion of light rail transit on the new bridge and the concept of BRT, or bus rapid transit. Peter McLaughlin, Hennepin County commissioner, said the county board is supportive of building the new bridge as light rail ready. He said the board is also supportive of reducing congestion and providing capacity for the communities north of Minneapolis. He said the board is also very supportive of completing the new bridge as quickly as possible while at the same time providing for future transportation needs. "We are at a historic moment, a moment for reflection and a moment for commitment," McLaughlin said.
Khani Sahebjam, Dept. of Transportation, and Frank Pafko, director of MnDOT's Office of Environmental Services, returned to finish answering questions posed by members at the last hearing. Sahebjam said the questions had centered on the themes of partnership with other agencies and the design-build process. Pafko said the environmental processes of the whole project have not been waived or ignored. Instead, he said, the environmental review process has been expedited through strong relationships with other agencies. Jon Chiglo, project manager for the I-35W bridge reconstruction project, outlined the design-build process. He said design-build allows for the overlap of the design and construction phases of a project, which results in the faster completion of projects. In the end, design-build provides a lower probability for cost-overruns, Chiglo said. He said the department has used design-build for several projects, which were completed in record time. Minnesota has won a number of awards for its design-build projects, he said. Chiglo said using design-build will allow the letting of contracts within weeks, rather than months, will lead to cost savings and will attract the best firms.
Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau, who also serves as commissioner of transportation, also answered questions posed by committee members.
Members of the Transportation Budget and Policy Subdivision on Transit met Mon., Mar. 12, to assemble the subdivision's portion of the omnibus transportation bill. Chair Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.) said the measure contains numerous provisions taken from various bills referred to the subdivision.
The bill appropriates $720,000 from the trunk highway fund and $18.8 million from the general fund in each fiscal year for Greater Minnesota transit. The measure also appropriates $73.45 million from the general fund each year for bus system operations in the Metro Area and appropriates $5.3 million each year for Hiawatha light rail operations.
Dibble offered, and members adopted, an amendment providing deficiency appropriations for both Metro Area and Greater Minnesota transit. The amendment specifies $5.87 million be appropriated to the Metropolitan Council for the Metro Transit system deficiency and $391,000 for the Greater Minnesota deficiency.
The bill also establishes a transit assistance fund to receive revenues allocated under the bill from the motor vehicle sales tax and the motor vehicle lease sales tax. The measure specifies that 50 percent of the revenue from the sales tax on motor vehicle leases, after a five-year phase-in, be allocated to the highway user tax distribution fund and that 50 percent be allocated to the transit assistance fund. The measure also changes the allocation of revenue from the sales tax on motor vehicles to specify that 36 percent of the revenue be deposited in the Metropolitan Area transit account and four percent be deposited in the Greater Minnesota transit account.
Dibble said the bill also contains language authorizing the county boards of the seven county Metropolitan Area to impose a half-cent transportation sales tax and an excise tax of $20 on the sale of new motor vehicles. The bill specifies that 75 percent of the revenue be used for planning, capital and operating costs of specified transit ways, 20 percent of the revenue be used for trunk highways and local roads located within the counties and five percent for transit, bicycle programs, pedestrian programs and for local matches for federal programs.
One article of the bill contains various bills heard by the subdivision. One provision encourages the coordination of paratransit services statewide, one measure creates a transportation endowment fund that captures 25 percent of future general fund surpluses, another measure requires the election of the members of the Metropolitan Council and still another requires the construction of a commuter rail station in Fridley for the Northstar commuter rail line. The measure also increases vehicle registration fees, license plates and validation stickers, vehicles titles and duplicate titles, drivers licenses and identification cards, drivers license reinstatement and fees charged for State Patrol escort services.
The measure was approved and advanced to the full division.
Members of the Transit Subdivision held a joint meeting with the House Transportation and Transit Policy Subcommittee, Wed., Mar. 7. The panels, chaired by Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.) and Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Mpls.), met in Woodbury to discuss transit issues with elected officials, government administrators, business leaders, representatives of community groups, and members of the public from the eastern Metro Area.
A major transit funding bill took center stage at the Tues., Mar. 6, evening meeting of the Transportation Budget and Policy Division Subdivision on Transit.
S.F. 1032, authored by Sen. Katie Sieben (DFL-Newport), is a comprehensive statewide transit funding bill. The bill, dubbed Transportation Choices 2020, implements the Metropolitan Council's 2030 transportation policy plan by 2020, provides for eight new transit lines, provides for renovation of the Union Depot in St. Paul, imposes a one half of one percent sales tax within the Metropolitan Area, with the proceeds dedicated to transit and transit oriented development and transfers a portion of the motor vehicle sales tax revenues to be used for transit purposes, Sieben said. There is tremendous demand for transit, Sieben said, and there is an opportunity to receive federal matching funds. The measure also addresses transit needs in Greater Minnesota, she said.
Mayor Jerry Miller of Winona said smaller cities like Winona have transit needs, too. He said that the transit system in his city is only available five days a week and then only during regular business hours. He said the transit system does not meet the needs of the people who most use the system. Representatives of several groups spoke in support of the bill. Supporters said that a stable funding source for transit is needed to reduce dependency on foreign oil and because of climate change brought about by global warming.
Sen. Sandra Pappas (DFL-St. Paul) sponsored a very similar bill. S.F. 970 also creates a transit fund and provides for a one half of one percent sales tax in the Metro Area with the proceeds being used for transit. She said she fully supported Sieben's bill because it has been obvious for a very long time that a stable funding source for transit is needed.
Both measures were laid over to be considered in an omnibus transit bill.
The panel heard several additional bills all of which were laid on the table for consideration as part of the omnibus bill. Committee Chair Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.) explained a bill, not yet introduced, that authorizes the establishment of joint powers boards to impose a one half of one percent sales tax for transportation and transit purposes. He said the joint powers boards would allow local units of government to have governance of new transportation funds to ensure accountability to address local needs. Dibble said the joint powers boards would also be able to maximize federal funds.
S.F. 187, authored by Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria), provides for transitional deposits of proceeds of the motor vehicle sales tax to highway user fund and transit funds. The bill specifies the amounts to be deposited into each account until July 1, 2011. After that time, the bill specifies that 60 percent be deposited in the highway user tax distribution fund, 35 percent be deposited in the Metropolitan Area transit fund and five percent be deposited in the Greater Minnesota transit fund. S.F. 1138, carried by Sen. Jim Carlson (DFL-Eagan), also provides for apportionment of proceeds from the sales tax on motor vehicles. Under the bill, 38 percent of the funds would be used for Metro Area transit, two percent for Greater Minnesota transit and 60 percent be deposited in the highway user tax distribution fund. Carlson said the bill follows the governor's recommendation on the apportionment of the motor vehicle sales tax.
S.F. 1411, carried by Dibble, encourages the coordination of paratransit services, establishes paratransit and special transportation service standards and requires subsidized paratransit providers to offer intercounty service. S.F. 1305, authored by Sen. Dan Larson (DFL-Bloomington), requires a referendum to impose a one half of one percent Metro Area sales tax for transportation and transit purposes and authorizes the imposition of county sales taxes for transportation purposes.
S.F. 1448, authored by Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park), appropriates money from the bond proceeds fund for a draft environmental impact statement and preliminary engineering for the Southwest Transitway Corridor. The bill was approved and referred to the full Transportation Budget and Policy Division because the bill needs to be heard by the Capital Investment Committee. S.F. 1384, authored by Sen. Sandy Rummel (DFL-White Bear Lake), was also advanced to the full division. The bill appropriates $1 million for a grant to the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority to acquire land for, design and construct park-and-pool or park-and-ride lots located along the Rush Line Corridor from downtown St. Paul to Hinckley.
Representatives of the Twin West Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce spoke in opposition to increases in the sales tax. They said their organizations support more investment in transportation, but do not think tax increases are the appropriate way to fund those investments.
The panel also heard S.F. 1498. The measure, sponsored by Dibble, modifies provisions for planning, designing and constructing light rail transit in the Metropolitan Area. He said the bill allows the Metropolitan Council oversee the development of light rail. Dibble also sponsored a bill, S.F. 1513, to provide that some costs for rail transit projects are not to be funded by county regional railroad authorities.
The Transportation Budget and Policy Division Subcommittee on Airways, Waterways and Railways considered a bill that would require legislative authorization for certain Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) agreements at the Mon., Mar. 5, meeting. Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope) chairs the subcommittee.
Authored by Sen. Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing), S.F. 580 requires the MAC to obtain legislative approval before entering into certain agreements. Under the bill, MAC cannot enter into any agreements with terms of longer than six months if the agreement results in reduction in lease payments, shared concession revenues, payment of rebates or otherwise reduces a carrier's costs of operations by more than $100 million, said Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.), who presented the bill. MAC is trying to significantly reduce the lease rates for carriers, Dibble said. The rate reduction is a tremendous benefit to Northwest Airlines (NWA), which would save $240 million under the proposed lease agreement, he said. Dibble said the bill ensures the deal is being done with the appropriate level of public debate and ensures public benefit. The new lease agreement reduces costs to make the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport a more attractive and competitive airport for carriers, said Jeff Hamiel, executive director, MAC. Lease negotiations are a regular event and it would be unusual to have legislative oversight, Hamiel said. Negotiations are a one year process and require a detailed understanding of the industry, he added. Dibble said there is precedent for legislative oversight of major MAC financial deals, such as the 1996 loan to NWA. The bill was recommended to pass and referred to the Transportation Committee.
In other action, the subcommittee approved several other bills. The bills were all referred to the full Transportation Committee.
S.F. 127, authored by Sen. Tom Saxhaug (DFL-Grand Rapids), appropriates $800,000 for safety improvements at railroad crossings in Grand Rapids. Tom Pagel, City Engineer, Grand Rapids, said the average wait time when a train passes through the city is two and a half minutes. The wait causes traffic to back up on Trunk Highway 169 and Trunk Highway 2, Pagel said. The improvements will reduce wait time, he said.
Authored by Sen. Thomas Bakk (DFL-Cook), S.F. 1121 appropriates $1.7 million for the North Shore Express Intercity Rail Initiative. The project will bring passenger rail, from Duluth to the Twin Cities back to Minnesota, Bakk said. Part of the funds will be used for acquisition and reconstruction of rail beds, said Bob Manzoline, director, St. Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority.
Sen. Katie Sieben (DFL-Newport) authored S.F. 223. The bill appropriates $10 million for the state's share of a high-speed rail line between St. Paul and Chicago. The regional project will connect the Midwest and introduce modern train equipment, Sieben said. Trains will be able to travel at speeds of 110 miles per hour, she said. Siben said there are significant cost savings to doing the high-speed rail project and the Red Rock Commuter Line at the same time.
Carried by Rest, S.F. 958 is the Minnesota Department of Transportation's (MnDOT) housekeeping bill. The bill gives MnDOT the authority to enter property to do soil testing after notifying the owner, said Betsy Parker, government relations director, MnDOT. The bill also includes a list of what people may not do on rail bank property, Parker said. Prohibited activities include building fences, obstructing trails and driving in unauthorized areas, she said.
Members also heard two bills that were not formally in front of the subcommittee.
Authored by Dibble, S.F. 1534 enacts the Railroad Walkways Safety Act. The bill creates the position of rail safety inspector, authorizes administrative penalties for safety violations and creates safe walkway standards, Dibble said. Several other states have created similar standards, he said. Vegetation and other debris can block railroad walkways, creating hazards for employees, said Phil Qualy, Minnesota legislative director, United Transportation Union. Brian Sweeney, director of government affairs, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, spoke against the bill. The solution in the bill is disproportionate to the problem and would have significant costs, Sweeney said. Industry and labor representatives should work together to find a solution, he said.
S.F. 351, also carried by Sieben, appropriates $1.5 million for the Red Rock Corridor Transit Way. The funds will be used to build park-and-ride lots and for a feasibility study of expanding the line from Hastings to Red Wing, Sieben said.
The Transportation Budget and Policy Division Transit Subdivision met Thurs., Mar. 1, to hear a variety of transit bills.
S.F. 658, authored by Sen. Kathy Saltzman (DFL-Woodbury), appropriates $1 million from the bond proceeds fund for transportation and transit improvements along the I-94 Corridor. S.F. 1276, carried by Sen. Charles Wiger (DFL-North St. Paul), appropriates $460,000 to study transportation and transit improvements along the Highway 36 Corridor. S.F. 351, sponsored by Sen. Katie Sieben (DFL-Newport), appropriates $1.5 million for the Red Rock Corridor Transit Way between Hastings and Minneapolis via St. Paul for the design and construction of park and ride lots. The bill also requires a feasibility study of extending the corridor between Hastings and Red Wing.
Subdivision Chair Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.) carried three measures. S.F. 1111 modifies provisions relating to a periodic evaluation of the Metropolitan Area's transportation system and clarifies provisions relating to the provision of special transportation services. The measure was amended to remove references to the Transportation Advisory Board. S.F. 1163 clarifies the Metropolitan Transit Police's jurisdiction and includes the transit police in the distribution of forfeited items. S.F. 1164 appropriates $33.6 million from the Metropolitan Council bond proceeds for Metro Area transit and paratransit capital expenditures.
All of the above measures were advanced to the full Transportation Budget and Policy Division.
S.F. 378, carried by Sen. Dan Larson (DFL-Bloomington), appropriates $500,000 to the Metropolitan Council for a feasibility study, environmental studies and preliminary engineer of light rail transit on the I-494 Corridor from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to a transit station on the proposed Southwest Transit Way. The bill was laid over.
Members of the Transit Subdivision held a joint meeting with the House Transportation and Transit Policy Subcommittee, Wed., Feb. 28. The panels, chaired by Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.) and Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Mpls.), met in Minnetonka to discuss transit issues with elected officials, government administrators, business leaders, representatives of community groups, and members of the public from the western Metro Area.
A proposal to provide $40 million to link the state's two largest cities with a light rail line was approved, Thurs., Feb. 22, by members of the Transit Subdivision. The panel, chaired by Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.), advanced the measure to the full Transportation Budget and Policy Division, recommending it for inclusion in an omnibus transportation bonding bill.
S.F. 614, carried by Sen. Sandra Pappas (DFL-St. Paul), provides $40 million in bond proceeds for the final design and construction of a light rail line in the Central Corridor. The corridor runs 11 miles along University Avenue between downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul. Ramsey County Commissioner Raphael Ortega and Karri Plowman, St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, discussed the benefits of a light rail line between the two downtowns. Sen. Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing) offered, and the subdivision adopted, an amendment specifying the St. Paul terminus of the line as the Union Depot Concourse Multimodal Transit Hub.
Chair Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.) and members of the Transit Subdivision met Thurs., Feb. 15, to hear testimony on four bills.
S.F. 223, authored by Sen. Katie Sieben (DFL-Newport), appropriates $10 million to fund environmental and engineering work for a high-speed rail line between St. Paul and Chicago. The total cost of the engineering design will be $30 million, Sieben said. When the line is complete, there will be five trains each day between St. Paul and Chicago, traveling at speeds as high as 110 miles per hour, she said. The bill was recommended to pass and referred back to the Transportation Budget and Policy Division.
The following bills were all laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.
Carried by Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka), S.F. 189 appropriates $500,000 to conduct a study and prepare a report on the feasibility of the use of commuter rail transit near the I-394 corridor. Under the bill, the Metropolitan Council will work in partnership with the Center for Changing Landscapes and Centers for Transportation Studies to complete the study, Bonoff said. The partnership is designed to take advantage of studies the center has already made in the area and it's familiar with many of the issues, she said.
Also authored by Bonoff, S.F. 190 proposes to change the deposit of revenues from the sales tax on motor vehicle leases. If someone buys a new car, the constitutional amendment passed in November splits the taxes collected between the highway and transit funds, Bonoff said. Under the bill, taxes on a car lease would follow the same path instead of going into the general fund, she said. The governor agrees with the idea, but the governor's transportation bill differs in how the funds should be distributed within the accounts, said Kevin Gray, chief financial officer with the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
S.F. 228, authored by Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope), creates a transportation endowment fund. The bill is offered as a suggestion for an approach to make one-time dollars sustainable, Rest said. The bill proposes using 25 percent of the state surplus to set up an endowment fund and use the returns on that money for transit needs, she said. Under the bill, 25 percent of any future surplus would be committed to the endowment, Rest said.
Members of the Transit Subdivision met jointly with their counterparts from the other body, Wed., Feb. 7. The panel, chaired by Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.), gathered in Burnsville to discuss transit issues in the southern suburbs. Members heard from Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz, Dakota County Commissioner Michael Turner, Bloomington City Councilmember Steve Elkins, Judd Schetnan of Metro Transit, Beverley Miller of the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, and other transit partners in the region.
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