11-26-1984 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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V TRANISPORTATION V-A MNDOT HIGdWAY FUNDING An efficient transportation system is a vital element in planning for physical, economic, and social development at state, regional, and local levels Because of extremely high inflation, decreasing state revenues from decreasing gasoline r,aIes, and federal cutbacks in the early 1980,s MNDOT delayed a substantial number of projects in the state and metropolitan, area. In the last legislative bier,,;um, thi- ;.rot)lem was substantially corrected with additional funding. THE. AMM URGES THE. LEGISLATURE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF FUNDS SO THAT NECESSARY HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE MAY BE CONTINUED, NECESSARY ADrITIONAL HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION MAY OCCUR,AND THE MUNICIPAL STATE AID HIGHWAY FUND LEVEL. IS ADEQUATE. ANY INCREASE IN OR CHANCE IN FUNDING FOR HIGHWAY PURPOSES SHOULD GO :NTO THE HIGHWAf TRUST FUND. V-B MNDOT TRANSIT FUNDING MNDOT,by Legislative action a►id func?ng, is a major contributor to statewide transit programs. This is especially true in the Metropolitan Area where approximately 801 of the total transit funds are spent. This imbalance is more than offset by the fact that a majority of the highway funding is channeled to rural Minnesota. Because of the large economically diverse population but rather compact nature of the ':win City Metropolitan. Area, it is an absolute necessity to prc:ide an effective and efficient public transit service with: a variety of prugramn, such as Rideshare and Project Mobility to protect the economic viability of the area. Without a good transit system, the Metropolitan Highway system woul nut just ce crowded, it would be totally inadequate. Many elderly and handicapped persons residing in the area primarily because of access to unique services would to almost totally immobile. Finally, due to statutory constraints, there are r,() funding resources availaoi•, for other anits of government trj pick up the difference 1f the prograu..; are allowed to deteriorate. Based on 1984 legislation, rove of there programs will be transferrted to the new Regional Transit Boar, (RTBi. t THE AMM REQUESTS THE. LEGISLATURE TO CONS,DER THE METROPOLiTP%, RANSIT PROGRAM::; AS VERY HIGH P?1ORITY AND FUND THEM SUFFICIENTLY TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST THE; CURRENT SERVICE: LEVEL. V-C REGIUNA. TRANSIT BOARD (Kh" ,ne 1)14 leglS,,ation creating t?%e Regional Trim+:'.. Board resolutiun to many of the apparent problems, associated wits, t!1e MT'J an the major Metropolitan Transit Provider plann.ng and coordinating the entire transit needs of the area. Alth-)ug,h the legislat.ion recognize, that suDre�;ional and d,�veloping area needs were importan!,, it did not mandate solution., but gavF: the RTB the to ailvis.ry Godies an:, groups as