This bill amends various sections of the Minnesota Statutes related to transportation, specifically focusing on project assessment criteria, mitigation activities for vehicle miles traveled (VMT) requirements, and greenhouse gas emission targets. Key changes include the requirement for applicable entities to perform impact assessments for projects before their inclusion in transportation improvement programs, ensuring that projects conform to updated criteria. The bill also clarifies that projects identified under the transportation safety investment category are excluded from certain assessments and establishes a timeline for assessing projects based on their fiscal year entry into the transportation improvement program.

Additionally, the bill modifies the state's transportation policy goals to emphasize the importance of minimizing fatalities and injuries, enhancing economic development, and promoting environmentally sustainable practices. It introduces new greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and specifies that any VMT reduction targets established in the statewide multimodal transportation plan are secondary to the transportation system safety goal. The effective date for these changes is set for the day following final enactment, applying to plans or projects assessed on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 161.178, 174.01, 174.03