Purpose

• Update how trunk highway (major highway) project scoping and alternatives analysis is done in Minnesota.
• Create a Project Scoping and Development Working Group to develop a comprehensive framework for planning major trunk highway projects and to improve the methods used to evaluate project investments.
• Require a report on the group’s work by February 1, 2027.
• Provide funding in fiscal year 2027 from the trunk highway fund to support the Working Group and to implement the new scoping and development requirements.

Key Definitions and Applicability

• Major highway project: A project defined by a separate statute (referenced in the bill) that involves significant work such as construction, reconstruction, bridge work, or adding highway capacity or grade separation, among other criteria.
• Principal transportation system users: Motorists, commercial vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and other nonmotorized vehicle operators.

• Environmental review: The requirements relate to, but must not conflict with, environmental review processes under state law (Chapter 116D) and the federal NEPA process.

• Applicability: The new requirements apply to major trunk highway projects that trigger certain actions and environmental review, with some exceptions:

  • Do not apply to routine maintenance activities (reconditioning, resurfacing, etc.).
  • Effective for projects entering the state or metropolitan transportation improvement program (TIP) in fiscal year 2031 or later.
  • Do not apply to projects already included in the TIP or that submitted a geometric layout for approval before July 1, 2030.

• Purpose and need statements: Must allow for a range of alternatives and evaluate impacts on safety, accessibility, and mobility for principal transportation system users. They must not presuppose a specific improvement to fix the transportation issue.

Main Provisions and What They Seek to Accomplish

• Alternatives and design process (Section 161.1615):

  • Require a comprehensive set of design alternatives to address the project purpose and need.
  • Include multimodal alternatives and at least one option that reduces lane capacity, reduces the right-of-way area, or lowers the road’s functional classification.
  • Consider impacts using traffic models, safety analyses, air quality analyses, and other relevant data.
  • Coordinate transportation investments within the corridor, including transit and active transportation projects, to improve delivery efficiency and minimize negative impacts to users, local governments, and property owners.
  • Ensure consistency with state transportation system goals.
  • Ensure compatibility with environmental review requirements (no conflict with Chapter 116D and NEPA).

• Project Scoping and Development Working Group (Section Sec. 2):

  • Establish a formal working group to develop a framework to implement the scoping and development requirements.
  • The Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota should lead the working group in collaboration with the Department of Transportation.
  • Members include DOT district planning/engineering staff, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), county engineers, city engineers, and individuals with expertise in transportation planning, multimodal project development, cost-benefit analysis, transit, pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure, land use planning, traffic modeling, safety analysis, and highway rightsizing or roadway reconfiguration.

• Working Group duties (Subd.4):

  • Evaluate and make recommendations on current project scoping and development practices.
  • Develop and propose an updated methodology for cost-benefit analyses to comprehensively evaluate major trunk highway investments.

• Administration and support (Subd.5):

  • The Department must provide necessary administrative and technical support to the Working Group.

• Reporting (Subd.6):

  • By February 1, 2027, the Working Group must submit a report to the legislative chairs and ranking minority members of the transportation policy and finance committees.
  • The report should summarize the group’s results and describe activities related to the required scoping and development work.

• Expiration and timeline (Subd.7):

  • The Working Group expires on June 30, 2027.

• Appropriation (Sec. 3):

  • In FY 2027, money from the trunk highway fund is appropriated to the DOT for the Working Group and to implement the new scoping and development requirements.

Significance and Potential Impacts

• This bill formalizes a broader, more integrated approach to planning major trunk highway projects, emphasizing multimodal options, stakeholder coordination, and updated cost-benefit analyses.
• By involving universities, MPOs, and local engineers, it aims to improve decision-making, increase transparency, and better balance safety, mobility, and accessibility for all principal transportation system users.
• The proposed framework seeks to align state practice with environmental review requirements and foster early consideration of alternatives that could reduce lane counts or footprint where appropriate.

Potential Challenges or Considerations

• The effective date for these requirements is tied to TIP entry in 2031 or later, with some exemptions; real-world projects may see delays or variations in implementation.
• The interaction with existing environmental review processes (Chapter 116D and NEPA) will require careful coordination to avoid conflicts and duplication.
• The creation of a new Working Group and the reliance on collaboration with the University of Minnesota may affect timelines and resource needs.

Related Processes and Terms to Watch

• Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
• Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under Chapter 116D
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
• Cost-benefit analysis methodologies for highway investments
• Multimodal transportation planning
• Rightsizing or roadway reconfiguration

What Is Not Changing

• Routine maintenance projects continue to be exempt from these new scoping requirements.
• Projects that are already in the TIP or submitted with a geometric layout before July 1, 2030 are exempt from the new requirements.

Relevant Terms - trunk highway fund - trunk highway project - major highway project - Project Scoping and Development - Minnesota Statutes section 161.1615 - Center for Transportation Studies - University of Minnesota - Project Scoping and Development Working Group - multimodal alternatives - purpose and need statement - cost-benefit analysis - highway rightsizing - roadway reconfiguration - transportation improvement program (TIP) - environmental impact statement (EIS) - Chapter 116D - NEPA - safety analyses - air quality analyses - principal transportation system users - coordination of investments - local units of government - transit planning - pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure - traffic modeling - land use planning - expiration date (June 30, 2027)