County Transportation
Systems
Association of MN Counties, MN County Engineers Association, MN
Inter-County Association
Presentation to MN Senate Transportation Committee
February 11, 2013
Minnesota Roadways Comparison of System Miles and Traffic Volume-2006
Share
Total Local
120,629 miles
89.1%
40.7% VMT
Share
Total County
45,000 miles
33.5%
24.7% VMT
Source:
Mn/DOT Traffic
Data and Analysis
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County System:

County State Aid System (CSAH)
◦ 30,600 miles of roadway - 67% of total county
mileage

County Roads
◦ 14,500 miles of roadway, 33% of mileage
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Highway User Tax Distribution
Fund (HUTDF)
Main Revenue Sources
 Gas Tax – roads and bridges
 License Tab Fees – roads and bridges
 Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST)
◦ 60% roads
◦ 40% transit (36% metro, 4% rural)
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Highway User Tax Distribution Fund
(HUTDF) Breakdown
 62% - Trunk Highway Fund
 29% - County State Aid Fund (CSAH)
 9%- Municipal State Aid (MSA)
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CSAH Distribution of Funds
Apportionment Formula– “old
money”
10% equal to all counties
10% proportional based on vehicle
registration
 30% based on county lane miles
 50% county construction needs


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CSAH Distribution of Funds
Excess Formula– “new” money from
2008 bill
 40% vehicle registrations
 60% needs
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County Roads – 14,500 miles
Not eligible for CSAH funds
Primary Revenue Source
 Property Taxes
Possible other sources:
 Wheelage Tax (metro only)
 Aggregate Tax
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
Federal Funds
◦ $100 million annually
◦ Distributed by the 8 Area Transportation
Partnerships (ATP)
◦ “Major Collectors” and above are eligible for
federal funding.
 59% of CSAH system eligible
 42% of CSAH and County Roads combined eligible
 Bridges
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Faribault County Construction History Map
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Anticipated General Revenues
County Levy / County Program Aid
Wheelage Tax Funds
Gravel Tax Funds
County State Aid Highway (CSAH)*
City Cost Share Participation
Regional Railroad Authority Levy
Annual Estimated Revenue
$5.2 million / $4.9 million
$1.7 million
$0.2 million
$10.0 million
$7.0 million
$1.6 million
$25.7 million / 30.6 million
* Includes Flexible Highway Account and Leased Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Revenues
Project Specific
Federal Aid
State Trunk Highway Funds
State Bridge Bond Funds
Annual Estimated Revenue
$5.0 million
$2.5 million
$0.2 million
$7.7 million
TOTAL
$33.4 million / $38.3 million
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Dakota County Funding Summary
Total
Thru 2030
2004 Plan
2012 Plan
Needs
$1 billion
$1.253 billion
Revenue
$600 million
$658 million
Shortfall
$400 million
$595 million
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Local Response to Challenges
Local property tax levies applied to road
and bridge construction and maintenance
have increased steadily
 Increased dependence on borrowing as a
finance strategy
 Deferred projects and maintenance

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State Response to Challenges Bonding
 Addition of the Local Road Improvement
Program
◦ Last year $10M

Local Bridge Bonding
◦ Last year $30M
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State Response – Chapter 152
 Gas Tax Increase – 8.5 cents
 Tab Fee Increase – removed cap
 MVST 60%/40% split roads/transit
Constitutionally Dedicated
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Solution – Leverage Constitutionally
Dedicated Streams
 Increase State Aid and other targeted
state funding – gas tax, tab fees, motor
vehicle sales tax
 Sales tax on gas- not constitutionally
dedicated but automatically indexes
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
Bonding – General Obligation and
Truck Highway
◦
◦
◦
◦
Low Interest Rates
Lack of options in many Greater MN Counties
Could especially help with ten ton roads
Trunk Highway Bonds – more revenue would
raise bonding capacity
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
2013 AMC Legislative Initiatives
◦ New revenue, a balanced, comprehensive
package
◦ Local Government Tools:
 Expanding wheelage tax statewide
 Removing the referendum requirement for the
Greater MN Sales Tax for local roads and bridges
 Contact: Abbey Bryduck
abryduck@mncounties.org (651) 789-4339
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