This bill extends rural road assistance funds under the Local Road Assistance Program for maintenance or capital improvements of roadway infrastructure, bridges and drainage structures to all rural state aid roads and all public roads that a municipality maintains. Under current law, certain rural state aid roads and urban town ways are excluded from receiving these funds and funds may be used only for capital improvements and for maintenance in limited circumstances. The bill amends the provision of law governing the distribution of urban compact assistance funds under the Local Road Assistance Program to allow distribution of funds for all other public roads maintained by a municipality located inside an urban compact area not otherwise covered by that provision. Funds are distributed at a rate of $600 per year per lane mile except that funds for all seasonal public roads are distributed at a rate of $300 per year per lane mile. The bill further adjusts the Local Road Assistance Program by amending the provision governing responsibility for decisions related to roads that primarily serve as minor collector routes and major collector routes by clarifying that those roads may be improved through a partnership between the State and counties or the State and municipalities, as opposed to current law, which recognizes only partnerships between the State and municipalities. The bill repeals the provision of law establishing the Secondary Road Program Fund, removes cross-references to that section and changes the provision of law that directs
43 transfer of the uncommitted balance in the Highway Fund unallocated surplus account at
44 the close of each fiscal year. The bill also removes an outdated reference in the State Railroad Preservation and Assistance Act.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 154, HP 87: 23.1654, 23.1801, 23.1803, 23.7107