MN SF1345

Requires responsible governmental units to perform a cost-benefit analysis before selecting a locally preferred alternative for any proposed guideway seeking state or federal funding in seven Minnesota counties (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington).

Analysis must compare the proposed guideway against minimum alternatives including arterial bus rapid transit, regular route bus service, and a road capacity expansion option serving the same area.

Analysis must include 13 specific components including ridership estimates, revenue projections, maintenance and capital costs by entity, economic benefits, construction timelines, vehicle collision estimates, travel times, and environmental impacts.

Analysis must determine how many miles of bus rapid transit, regular bus service, or congestion mitigation could be funded for the amount proposed for the guideway.

Completed analyses must be submitted to the commissioner of transportation and Metropolitan Council within 30 days, posted on both agencies' websites, and submitted to the legislative auditor and relevant legislative committees; the Gold Line bus rapid transit project is exempted from these requirements.