This bill amends Minnesota Statutes to update the requirements for design standards and variances related to county and municipal state-aid transportation projects. It introduces new subdivisions that establish state-aid design and engineering standards based on the latest Facility Design Guide, which will take effect on July 1, 2026. The bill revises the variance process, mandating that the commissioner evaluate requests based on specific criteria and notify legislative committees if a variance is denied, providing justification for such decisions.

Furthermore, the bill creates an advisory committee on design variances, composed of transportation professionals, which will operate under the Minnesota Open Meeting Law. This committee is tasked with reviewing variance requests, focusing on safety, especially for nonmotorized transportation projects, and will report its findings and recommendations to the legislature every two years. The bill also clarifies the rulemaking process for evaluating variance requests, emphasizing economic, engineering, and safety guidelines, while exempting certain rules from the provisions of chapter 14, ensuring they remain effective until repealed or replaced.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 162.02, 162.09, 162.155