Agenda Packets - 1985/01/02 - Laserfiche WebLink

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t UEcT_3. SOLIQ t,.%D QP.Z ARCODS 6'ASTC "A1.ACC"C1:T (C) (ccr,t'd) If a responsible party cannot be identified, or responsibility is contested by the responsible party, then the clean-up should be financed by the state superfund and the legislature should- consider the creation of a victims compensation fund to pay for the personal injury damages suffered by individuals. LUEET-4. TRANSPORTATION (B) An efficient transportation system is a vital element in planning for the fiscal, economic and social development at state, regional, and local levels. Since the agricultural and recreational economy of the state and its cities are dependent upon highway transportation, it is necessary to determine the long-range highway needs to assure the vitality of the state's economy. Furthermore, environmental concerns and the need to conserve energy require that alternate modes of transportation be utilized in meeting the diverse needs which exist invarfous communities and regions of the state. In order to provide a more adequate state governmental structure and funding mechanism for transportation system planning and development, the League recommends that the following changes be made: 1. Turnbacks. The State Highway Study Commission has been studying the possibility of reclassifying many roadways in the state as to appropriate use classifications and jurisdiction. The increased cost for cities to assume responsibility for general maintenance and life cycle treatment far exceeds the current financial capacities of cities. For this reason, no wholesale program of highway turnbacks should be instituted at this time. Instead, existing mechanisms for the orderly turnback of roads should be fine tuned, including increasing the level of funding in the municipal turnback account, and prohibiting unilateral revocations or turnbacks by road authorities unless a hearing is held and the road is brought up to normal standards acceptable to the receiving jurisdiction before the revocation is effective. Other changes needed to facilitate turnbacks include: a) State aid rules should be changed to allow counties to upgrade county state aid highways using c.s.a.h. funds prior to turnback with city concurrence and without penalty as currently imposed by the rules; b) The League supports use of a portion of the highway motor vehicle excise tax to provide an adequate source for turnback funds, and; c) allowing cities to determine if a turnback road will be designated as a state aid road or local street and if the city chooses to designate the road as a state -aid road this designation should not affect the standard designation process so that developing cities will be able to continue to designate a percentage of new road growth as part of the state aid system. 0 -21-