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February
20, 2008 |
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State
legislative auditor releases report on roads and
bridges The Office of the
Legislative Auditor (OLA) issued a report yesterday, February 19, which
points out some disturbing trends on the trunk highway system. At
the Legislature’s request, the analysis only focused on the trunk highway
system and on trunk highway bridges. While the report’s findings
point to some improvement in the trunk highway bridge system, the report
found that trunk highway pavement conditions have worsened and they are
expected to decline even further into the future. Below is a summary
of the OLA findings. Click on this link to review the full
report Major
Findings: ·
After
2003, inflation-adjusted revenues from Minnesota motor vehicle and fuel
taxes declined, and the state made substantial use of debt financing to
support the state trunk highway system. ·
Although
the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has a “preservation
first” policy, over half of trunk highway construction spending since 2002
has gone toward system expansion, leaving important preservation needs
unmet. ·
Since
2002, the ride quality of state trunk highways has generally declined.
The structural condition of bridges has generally
improved. ·
MnDOT
estimates that it will need $672 million per year between 2012 and 2018
for trunk highway preservation, about equal to the forecasted revenues
available for all trunk highway construction. ·
MnDOT
has consistently scheduled more state trunk highway projects than it could
deliver given available funding. ·
According
to MnDOT districts, Minnesota does not have a shortage of certified bridge
inspectors, but it needs additional resources to conduct specialized
inspections of fracture critical bridges. ·
MnDOT
districts reported performing the high-priority work recommended by bridge
inspectors, but said they are falling behind on routine
maintenance. ·
MnDOT
does not adequately document how it follows up on bridge inspectors’
maintenance recommendations. ·
In
recent years, Minnesota has used debt financing for highway expansion
projects but has not invested adequately to maintain many existing
highways. Recommendations: ·
Early
in 2008, MnDOT should present to the Legislature the implications of its
current financial projections, and it should adopt financial management
policies to guide the use of debt financing for state trunk highway
investments. ·
MnDOT
should ensure that the projects included in its trunk highway program
plans can realistically be delivered within the funds projected to be
available. ·
MnDOT
should assess the sufficiency of districts’ bridge maintenance staffing
and make additional resources available, as needed. ·
MnDOT
should provide the operating funds necessary to meet bridge inspection
frequency requirements for fracture critical
bridges. ·
MnDOT
should establish standard procedures for documenting, communicating, and
following up on bridge inspectors’ maintenance
recommendations. For
more information, contact:
Carol Lovro, AMC Policy Analyst
2008
Homeland security grant information released The
Department of Homeland Security announced February 1, 2008 the release of
application guidance for 14 federal grant programs whose collective
purpose is to strengthen prevention, protection, response and recovery
capabilities at all levels of government. The following information
is being distributed at the request of the state. The
Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) integrates the State Homeland
Security Program (SHSP), the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) the
Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), and the Citizen Corps Program
(CCP). The HSGP program builds upon the combined effort to obtain
resources that are critical to building and sustaining capabilities to
realize the National Preparedness Goal. The
National Preparedness Goal is to "achieve as sustain risk-based
target levels of capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and
recover from major events, and to minimize their impact on lives,
property, and the economy through systematic and prioritized efforts by
federal, State, local and tribal entities, their private and
non-governmental partners, and the general
public." The
FEMA website provides all related grant guidance, forms and offers a brief
description of each program, eligibility and more. That information
can be found at www.fema.gov/government/grant/index.shtm. In
the near future grant guidance and HSEM timelines will
be posted on the HSEM website. The Minnesota
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) serves
as the State Administrative Agency (SAA) for these
grants. HSEM will host grant stakeholder meetings and
working sessions for existing SAC workgroups. The 2008
grant submission timelines are also available. Please be patient as
we are preparing the stakeholder invitations and all supporting
documentation. *ADMINISTRATORS
/AUDITORS: Please share a hard copy of all AMC UPDATE emails with
any county board members who do not have email. **If
you do not wish to receive these emails in the future, please reply to
this message with the word ‘REMOVE’ in the subject line. |
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Association
of Minnesota Counties 125
Charles Avenue Saint
Paul, MN 55103-2108 Phone:
651.224.3344, Fax: 651.224.6540 |
