Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

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mulad
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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby mulad » February 28th, 2019, 11:18 am

The governor's proposed budget was released this week: https://mn.gov/governor/budget/

Is this mostly a "bonding bill"? I've really only been looking at the transportation section. I'm not sure how much is usually directly appropriated vs. being paid through bonds.

I've mostly been focused on the $11 million proposed for the Northern Lights Express, 2nd daily Twin Cities to Chicago train, and possibly other stuff. I think that's more than we've seen for intercity rail in at least a few years, but it still seems really low, especially if NLX is virtually ready to go after an extended study period, and the 2nd daily train really should be ready to go even if it's been dragging on forever too.

I sent a note to my local representatives recommending $155 to $235 million, based on probably needing $110 million in local dollars for a $550m NLX (20%/80% local/federal split), $25 to $50 million for a 2nd daily train (kind of pulled out of thin air based on $100m to $200m ranges I've heard of, which could be split 3 ways between MN, WI, and the feds; or perhaps paying just for a couple sets of rolling stock), and $20 to $75 million for a Northstar extension (50%/50% split of a $40 to $150 range I recently saw in the news).

I also recommended setting up a funding mechanism for a sustained $100m to $200m annually, which I think would be a pretty good level over the long term (probably eventually becoming repair and operating subsidy funding rather than used for expansion, though hopefully it could set up something extending in several directions and then work on electrification on a 2nd pass before it went almost totally steady-state...).

Of course, if there are plans for a budget addition that's not so bonding-heavy, maybe I'm complaining about nothing, but I feel like at least those three projects should be considered for pretty substantial funding over the next 2-4 years so we can move on to other stuff.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby mulad » March 1st, 2019, 2:53 pm

Interesting note in here that Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman (DFL) would like to see a bigger bonding bill than the governor, in the range of $3 billion rather than $1.3.

https://www.minnpost.com/state-governme ... t-surplus/

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby tmart » May 24th, 2019, 10:59 pm

Here's the transportation funding bill that came out of the special session. AFAICT there's no funding for transit expansions except Northstar. Not terribly surprising, but deeply embarrassing and disappointing nonetheless.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby alexschief » May 25th, 2019, 7:37 am

There is supposed to be a $500 million bonding bill (that nobody has seen yet, feels like the legislature has traded acrimony for secrecy) where the D Line might be funded. But again, it's crunch time and nobody has seen this bill. Frustrating.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby Tom H. » May 25th, 2019, 9:44 am

Startribune is reporting that the borrowing bill got punted to next session, likely due to Kurt Daudt's objections.

Link

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby Anondson » May 25th, 2019, 10:52 am

Continued evidence of bad faith concern trolling by the “bus instead of LRT” GOP leadership.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby Bakken2016 » May 25th, 2019, 10:53 am

Continued evidence of bad faith concern trolling by the “bus instead of LRT” GOP leadership.
They only want regular fixed route service, anything more than that they could care less.


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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby VacantLuxuries » May 25th, 2019, 12:02 pm

House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, began Friday balking at the idea his caucus would vote to suspend the rules, saying one-day special session would leave too little time for legislators to fully review the bills.
"I'm appalled that legislators would do this. It's my trademark strategy, they should at least ask me or pay me royalties."

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby tmart » May 27th, 2019, 3:22 pm

Continued evidence of bad faith concern trolling by the “bus instead of LRT” GOP leadership.
They only want regular fixed route service, anything more than that they could care less.


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I don't see any evidence they want even that. Given the events of the past few years I think it's best to assume the MN GOP's comments on specific details of transit (mode choice, etc.) are always being made in bad faith. To the extent that they express support for any plan or mode it's simply because it's the cheaper of two alternatives being proposed, and when the time comes to fund one of those alternatives they consistently refuse to.

Shouldn't let the DFL off the hook either; with the Governor's Mansion and the State House they have leverage and are clearly prioritizing other spending over transit. They let Daudt fall back on "bonding bills are hard" too easily, instead of hammering on the real damaging impacts (congestion, emissions, housing, economy, etc.) this continuing obstructionism has.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby DanPatchToget » May 27th, 2019, 3:59 pm

^Gonna have to agree with tmart. If there are any Republicans who support better transit they're either not in office or they don't put in even the tiniest effort to get these improvements funded.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby John21 » July 17th, 2019, 11:40 am

Trump admin holding back billions in transit funding, say congressional critics
According to Democratic Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio, chair of the committee, of the $3.8 billion appropriated for the program over the last two years, the FTA is currently sitting on $2.4 billion in funding.

These delays create significant added costs. According to a survey of local transit agencies conducted by the committee and cited by DeFazio, FTA actions since 2017 have resulted in at least $845 million in extra costs for transit agencies, including $650 million resulting from changes to how the FTA assesses risks and $195 millions due to delayed approvals. These delays and changes, which were paid for by local governments, could have funded several more transit projects, the congressman noted.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby Anondson » October 14th, 2020, 10:03 pm

2020 infrastructure bonding bill passes the Minnesota House, on to the Senate.

https://www.startribune.com/minn-house- ... 572744221/

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby alexschief » October 15th, 2020, 6:35 am

Hoping there are no new snags. The substantial majority for the bill in the House may make insulate it from any reversals in the Senate as well. Kudos to Speaker Hortman and Majority Leader Winkler. They seem to have beaten Minority Leader Daudt pretty convincingly here. As the election got closer, turns out that denying money for important projects in your districts is not great politics.

Provided everything goes according to plan, I am so excited about the D and B Lines. I think you can make the case that combined they are as important a transit investment as the Green Line Ext. But more importantly, combined with the Green Line Ext. and the Orange Line BRT, they are better than the sum of their parts. South Minneapolis will soon have four major north-south rapid transit routes, and a rapid transit route tying them all together along its busiest east-west corridor. I think in 2023 when these is all open (and the E Line and Hennepin Avenue reconstruction coming swiftly behind), you will have a section of the city that really does have a first-class transit network.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby DanPatchToget » October 15th, 2020, 12:31 pm

What's the probability of the bonding bill passing the Senate?

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby MNdible » October 15th, 2020, 1:14 pm

Republican Senate Majority Leader Gazelka says he expects it to pass, per the Strib.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby Bakken2016 » October 15th, 2020, 1:16 pm

What's the probability of the bonding bill passing the Senate?
I’m watching the senators speak, many Republicans are voting yes, and I assume all DFL will vote yes.


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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby kellonathan » October 15th, 2020, 1:58 pm

Bonding bill made through the senate with 64 yeas and 3 nos.
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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby Anondson » October 15th, 2020, 2:02 pm

Noice.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby StandishGuy » July 10th, 2021, 11:02 am

The Star Tribune reported that the MN Legislature approved a $7+ billion Transportation Bill for the next two years. Does anyone know of a source besides the actual legislation that would summarize how those funds are spent?

For example $57 million goes to ABRT and $10 million is directed to the second trip to Chicago route. Does the Transportation Bill include funding for Metro Transit too, or is the remaining funding all being spent on roads and bridges? If so, that is really depressing and explains why nearly everyone in this state drives a car.

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Re: Minnesota Transportation Funding (General)

Postby Silophant » July 10th, 2021, 12:52 pm

Here's a decent summary from Henry Pan for the Minnesota Reformer. You are, unfortunately, correct in that something like $5 billion of it is coming from the Trunk Highway fund and will go to roads, but, in addition to the $10M for TCMC rail and $57M for ABRT, there's funding for stuff like Metro Mobility and active transportation.
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