MN HF2149

Commissioner of Transportation must develop, adopt, and implement a project evaluation and selection policy after consulting with the Federal Highway Administration, metropolitan planning organizations, regional development commissions, area transportation partnerships, local governments, the Metropolitan Council, and transportation stakeholders.

Policy must include a ranking system that assigns scores to projects with specific criteria and weights, though project readiness may be considered but cannot be a major factor in determining final scores.

Policy must include a public disclosure process informing stakeholders and the general public of project scores, which projects were selected, and which were not selected.

Projects in the state transportation improvement program must include assigned scores and be prioritized and executed based on those scores, with area transportation partnerships and local authorities involved in the ranking and scoring process.

Commissioner must adopt the policy by October 1, 2018, and report to legislature by February 15, 2018, on how the policy will improve consistency, objectivity, and transparency of the selection process, including proposed legislation to codify the ranking system.