In This Issue:
- MnDOT Releases New Trunk Highway Bridge Guidance
- TAC Recommends ABRT Project Selection Moved to April
MnDOT Releases New Trunk Highway Bridge Guidance
MnDOT has recently released guidance and put into effect a Process to Determine Bridge Ownership & Bridge Ownership Responsibilities to determine the ownership and financial responsibilities of new and rebuilt bridges over Trunk Highways. The guidance applies to new and replacement bridges that carry local roads and infrastructure over a trunk highway and does not provide access to the trunk highway. This can include streets, pathways and transit infrastructure.
In most cases MnDOT will own and bear responsibility for all bridges that carry facilities over Trunk Highways, except for bridges where responsibilities are shared as directed by this new process. For bridges that are determined to be used by only local interests, MnDOT will be listed as the owner but financial responsibilities are likely to be partially or fully the responsibility of the local government. MnDOT and the local government, including cities, must agree on responsibilities before they would go into effect.
To view the Process to Determine Bridge Ownership & Bridge Ownership Responsibilities document, click here. Metro Cities’ Transportation and General Government Policy Committee has had discussion on this issue and will hear from representatives of MnDOT about the new process at its September meeting.
TAC Recommends ABRT Project Selection Moved to April
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) approved a recommendation that the selection of an ABRT project as part of the Regional Solicitation be delayed from December of this year to April of 2021 and be funded up to $25 million. This recommendation is due to the pandemic and its impact on the ability to conduct a thorough public engagement process. The route to be selected will become the F Line. The ABRT program was created in the last Regional Solicitation and is intended to fully fund an ABRT project in the current Solicitation, which included the creation of a public outreach strategy and timeline. The recommendation to delay a decision until April will be before the TAB at their meeting later this month.