SB 31

This bill creates a local freight bridge improvement program administered by

the Department of Transportation (DOT). Under the program, DOT reimburses

counties, cities, villages, and towns (political subdivisions) for the improvement,

rehabilitation, or reconstruction of local bridges on highway routes that provide

access, for heavy vehicles transporting freight, to or from freight origin or destination

points. Under the bill, a "heavy vehicle" is a vehicle that is legally operating at a gross

vehicle weight exceeding 80,000 pounds. Under the program, DOT reimburses

political subdivisions for eligible costs of local bridge projects, but the political

subdivision has responsibility for all project costs and reimbursement is limited to

not more than 90 percent of total eligible project costs. To be eligible for

reimbursement under the program, a local bridge project must be performed under

contract, awarded on the basis of competitive bidding. DOT must, by rule, prescribe

the form of the application, establish the process for submitting applications, and

establish the procedures and criteria for evaluating applications, determining which

costs are eligible for reimbursement, ranking applications when the number of

applicants or aggregate project costs exceed available funding, and providing

reimbursement. However, these rules must contain specified provisions. Until

permanent rules are promulgated, DOT may operate the program using emergency

rule authority.