Purpose

Clarify that the bill provides state funding to support the expansion of U.S. Highway 169 in Itasca County from a two-lane road to a four-lane divided highway. It also updates the existing law to authorize these specific one-time appropriations for planning, design, environmental work, and related tasks needed before or during the highway expansion.

Main Provisions

• Amends an existing law (Laws 2023 chapter 68 article 1 section 17 subdivision 12) to authorize two separate one-time funding allocations for U.S. Highway 169 expansion between Taconite and Pengilly.
• Sec. 1: In fiscal year 2024, appropriates $6,000,000 from the trunk highway fund to the commissioner of transportation for planning, predesign, design engineering, environmental analysis, and remediation connected with expanding marked U.S. Highway 169 from two lanes to a four-lane divided highway between Taconite and Pengilly. This appropriation is a one-time amount and has a deadline for use (described in the bill text).
• Sec. 2: In fiscal year 2027, appropriates $8,000,000 from the trunk highway fund to the commissioner of transportation for planning, route selection, predesign, design, surface and mineral title searches, engineering, and environmental analysis and remediation for expanding marked U.S. Highway 169 from two lanes to a four-lane divided highway from Itasca County State Aid Highway 7 in Taconite to near Pengilly at Trunk Highway 65. This is also a one-time appropriation with its own use deadline.

Funding Details and Schedule

• Two separate one-time funding installments:
  • $6,000,000 in FY 2024 for planning, design, and environmental work on the segment from Taconite to Pengilly.
  • $8,000,000 in FY 2027 for planning, route selection, design, surface and mineral title searches, engineering, and environmental work on the segment from Taconite (Itasca County State Aid Highway 7) to near Pengilly (Trunk Highway 65).
• Both appropriations come from the trunk highway fund and are designated for the expansion from a two-lane to a four-lane divided highway.
• Each allocation is described as a one-time appropriation with specified deadlines for availability (use timeline).

Geographic Scope

• Primary project area: U.S. Highway 169 in Itasca County between Taconite and Pengilly.
• Specific endpoints:
  • Between Taconite and Pengilly (Section from the Sec. 1 appropriation).
  • From Itasca County State Aid Highway 7 in Taconite to near Pengilly at Trunk Highway 65 (Section from the Sec. 2 appropriation).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill amends Laws 2023 chapter 68 article 1 section 17 subdivision 12 to incorporate new, separate one-time appropriations for the U.S. Highway 169 expansion project and to set out the related planning, design, and environmental work requirements and deadlines.

Implementation Notes

• Funds are designated specifically for planning, predesign, design engineering, environmental analysis, remediation, route and title work, and related tasks necessary to advance the expansion project.
• The project’s scope remains the conversion of a two-lane highway to a four-lane divided highway along the described segments, with work timelines tied to the two separate funding events.

Relevant Terms

• trunk highway fund
• U.S. Highway 169 expansion
• Itasca County
• Taconite
• Pengilly
• two-lane to four-lane divided highway
• planning
• predesign
• design engineering
• environmental analysis
• remediation
• surface and mineral title searches
• route selection
• Itasca County State Aid Highway 7
• Trunk Highway 65
• one-time appropriation
• available until (deadline dates for use)