>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WILL
COME TO ORDER TODAY IS
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18, 2017. WE
HAVE RUNBECK THIS MORNING AN
OVERVIEW BY MNDOT AND I WOULD
LIKE TO WELCOME COMMISSIONER
ZELLE TO THE TABLE. WHAT I WILL
DO COMMISSIONER THIS MORNING IS
WE HAVE ABOUT AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS ASK
YOU TO PRESENT YOUR OVERVIEW IN
ABOUT 45 MINUTES WHICH IS HALF
OF THE TIME AND I WILL ASK
MEMBERS TO WITHHOLD THEIR
QUESTIONS UNTIL YOU HAVE FULLY
PRESENTED AND THEN THAT WILL
GIVE MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ASK YOU WHAT EVER QUESTIONS
HAPPEN TO BE ON THEIR MINDS. DO
YOU UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER?
WITH THAT VERY BRIEF OVERVIEW
COMMISSIONERS ZELLE PLEASE
IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD
AND PROCEED. 
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. CHAIR
I'M CHARLIE ZELLE COMMISSIONER
OF THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION IT'S A GREAT
HONOR TO PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF
OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. WHAT
IS MENACED HOLETS FUNDED AND AS
THE CHAIR AS NOTED I WILL
PROCEED WITH SOME DISPATCH OVER
A LOT OF COMPLICATED MATERIAL
MOST OF THIS MAY AND PROBABLY IS
NOT NEW TO MOST OF YOU, BUT I
THINK IT'S A GOOD GROUNDING AND
THE FAX AND KNOW THAT FOR YEARS
AGO I PRESENTED FOR THIS
COMMITTEE ON MY SECOND DAY ON
THE JOB AND ALL OF YOU KNEW MORE
THAN I DID ABOUT WHAT I WAS OVER
VIEWING AND THAT'S STILL MIGHT
BE THE CASE BUT I'M STILL GOING
TO TAKE A SHOT AT IT I LIKE TO
LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WE GO
OVER THE MAIN OVERVIEW. FOR
THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH
THE STATE HISTORY THERE WAS A
LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES
ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT IS NOW
MNDOT THERE WAS OF COURSE THE
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT WHICH GOES
BACK TO THE DIRT ROADS BUT
THERE'S ALSO AVIATION, PLANNING
PROCESSES PUBLIC-SERVICE,
DEPARTMENT AND ALL THOSE WERE
COMBINED IN THE 1970'S TO BE ONE
DEPARTMENT. OUR PURPOSE IS NOT
JUST HAVE ROADS AND HIGHWAYS WE
HAVE ALL THE MODES WATERWAYS
AERONAUTICS PUBLIC TRANSIT
THROUGHOUT THE GREATER MINNESOTA
AREA WE REGULATE WITH REGULATORY
ROLES FOR MOTOR CARRIERS. OUR
PURPOSE IS TO NOT JUST BUILD BUT
TO MANAGE A SAFE AND MULTI
MODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GUIDED BY A
VISION WHICH IS HELPFUL BECAUSE
OFTEN WE HAVE BEEN UNDERSTOOD AS
BEING JUST THE AGENCY THAT
MAINTAINS ALL THE CONCRETE AND
BRIDGES. WE OFTEN HAVE TO
REMIND OURSELVES THAT THE ACTUAL
PURPOSE OF OUR AGENCY IS TO HELP
ENHANCE AND IN OUR VISION IT'S
WELL DESCRIBED AS TO MAXIMIZE
THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE THE
ENVIRONMENT AND OUR ECONOMY
AND. THAT IS ANOTHER PHRASE THAT
WAS JUST MADE UP BY THOSE OF US
IN THE AGENCY, IT WAS FROM A
SERIES OF SURVEYS AND FOCUS
GROUPS AND OUT REACH TO
MINNESOTANS ABOUT WHAT DO THEY
CARE ABOUT MOST WHEN IT COMES TO
TRANSPORTATION? IT WAS ACTUALLY
ALL THE BENEFITS OF WE CARE
ABOUT MOST DEEPLY AS
MINNESOTANS FOR WHAT
TRANSPORTATION REALLY HELPS
PROVIDE WHETHER ITS CLEAN AIR
WHETHER IT'S ACCESS TO JOBS TO
EDUCATION TO MAINTAINING THE
QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE REALLY
ENJOY AND WE REALIZE TO HAVE THE
MISSION TO MANAGE AND MAINTAIN
THAT IN AN EFFICIENT WAY IT IS
CRITICAL TELECOURSE MAKES A HUGE
DIFFERENCE. WE ARE GUIDED BY
VALUES THESE ARE NOT JUST WORDS
ON THE WALL WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
PROGRAMS THAT ARE GUIDED IN PART
BY OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFETY
EXCELLENCE SERVICE INTEGRITY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY WILL GET INTO
THAT IN A MOMENT. OF COURSE ALSO
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION NOT JUST
BECAUSE IS A GOVERNOR OR
COMMISSIONER IBM OR ONE THAT WE
ALL THINK WOULD BE NICE IF IT IS
ACTUALLY INTEGRAL BECAUSE OUR
FUTURE WORK FORCE OUR FUTURE
CONTRACTOR WORK FORCE WE REALLY
NEED TO REPRESENT THE CITIZENS
OF MINNESOTA AND IF WE ARE NOT
EVOLVING OUR CULTURE AND WE
WON'T HAVE A WORKFORCE AND WE
WON'T BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH
CUSTOMERS OF OUR STATE AND A
GOOD WAY. AGAIN GETTING INTO THE
OVERVIEW WE ARE DIVIDED INTO
EIGHT REGIONAL AREAS, THROUGHOUT
THE STATE I THINK ALL OF YOU MAY
BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR OWN
DISTRICTS THE METRO BEING
LARGEST FOREIGN IN TERMS OF
DOLLARS BUT IT IS ALSO PERHAPS
REPRESENTS MAYBE HALF OF THE
FUNDING ROUGHLY IN TERMS OF
MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL
PROJECTS BUT BY NO MEANS
DOMINATES BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY
SPECIAL NEEDS IN EACH OF OUR
DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW ABOUT, OUR
ABOUT I WON'T GO THROUGH EVERY
LITTLE BOX HERE BUT I WILL SAY I
HAVE A STRONG LEADERSHIP TEAM
WHEN I CAME TO AGENCY THERE WERE
ABOUT 17 PEOPLE REPORTING TO THE
COMMISSIONER NOW THERE ARE FIVE
AND A VERY STRONG LEADERS WHO
REPRESENT OUR EXECUTIVE
LEADERSHIP TEAM. TWO DEPUTY
COMMISSIONER'S TRACY HATCH WAS
OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
ENERGY OPERATING OFFICER IS WITH
US TODAY AND TO ME IT WAS
IMPORTANT WE HAVE A FINANCIAL
OFFICER BE ONE OF THE PRIME
LEADERS OF OUR AGENCY I WILL GET
TO THAT IN A MOMENT. OUR CHIEF
ENGINEER SOULE MULVEHILL WHO IS
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IS
PROBABLY THE BULK OF EMPLOYEES
THE DISTRICT ENGINEERS THE
OPERATIONS, OUR TECHNICAL AND
ENGINEERING SERVICES AS WELL AS
THE STATE AID SYSTEM. WE HAVE
WHAT I CALL THREE STAFF LEADERS
WHO REPORT DIRECTLY TO ME ONE
OUR CHIEF COUNSEL WHO NOT ONLY
MANAGES OUR LEGAL TEAM BUT IS IN
CHARGE OF ENSURING WE HAVE
COMPLIANCE AND MANAGES OUR CIVIL
RIGHTS OFFICE OF COURSE THERE IS
A STRONG BOTTOM LINE FROM THE
HEAD OF OUR OFFICE OF CIVIL
RIGHTS DIRECTLY TO ME AS IS OUR
OFFICE OF EQUITY AND DIVERSITY
ALSO HAS STRONG DOTTED LINE
DIRECT ACCESS TO ME AS WELL.
ERIC DAVIS WHO IS OUR CHIEF OF
STAFF MANAGES A LOT OF OUR
OUTREACH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
PROCESSES AS WELL AS OUR MAJOR
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION EFFORTS
AND THEN SEAN RON WHO IS NO
STRANGER TO THE CAPITAL IS OUR
ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF
POLICY WHO MANAGES POLICY
ACTIVITIES AND OUR GOVERNMENT
RELATIONS. WE HAVE AS A SAID A
WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES, WE ARE
MANAGING MORE THAN JUST ROADS
AND BRIDGES BUT WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT ROSEANNE BRIDGES THEY'RE
NOT IN ART OBJECTS ACTUALLY HAVE
CONTINUING TO BE MANAGED ON A
DAILY BASIS IF YOU'RE AROUND
THIS WEEKEND WE SAW A LOT OF OUR
TRUCKS THERE ARE ALSO
MAINTENANCE WORKERS THEY ARE WE
HAVE PLANNERS, WE HAVE A STRONG
KIND OF SEAMLESS PROCESS FOR
BOTH PLANNING AND BUILDING AND
MAINTAINING THESE SYSTEMS WE
HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH
COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL ENGINEERS
THROUGH THE LOCAL ROAD STATE
PROGRAMS. THAT ARE MULTI MODAL
SYSTEMS THAT IS A SEPARATE
DIVISION FOR AERONAUTICS I WILL
GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT,
CERTAINLY TRANSIT ROUTE THE
STATE OF MINNESOTA AND WHAT IS
OFTEN NOT APPRECIATED IS FORMER
SYSTEM THE STATE EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATIONS ELECTRONIC
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM ALL THE
TOWERS THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAVE
AUTHORIZED THE THROUGHOUT THE
STATE. I WILL GIVE YOU A SENSE
OF THE SCALE OF ALL OUR SYSTEM
AND MANY BE NO THIS WE HAVE OF
THEIR ROBUST ROADWAY NETWORK IN
THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 12,000
MI. OF TRUNK HIGHWAYS
APPROXIMATELY THAT SOME OF THEM
ARE ACTUALLY IN THE
CONSTITUTION AND ARE REALLY KIND
OF EVERY PART OF THE STATE WHICH
INCLUDES OUR INTERSTATE SYSTEM.
IF YOU ADD THE MUNICIPAL STATE
AID STREETS THERE'S AN
ADDITIONAL 3,700 MI. AT THAT IS
NOT ALL OF THE CITY STREETS
THERE ARE MANY STREETS IN THE
MUNICIPAL SYSTEM SETTER NOT PART
OF THE STATE MEETING THEIR NOT
PART OF THE FORMULA FOR FUNDING
BUT ARE IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE
SYSTEM. THEN IF WE ADD ALL THE
COUNTY ROADS AND THE COUNTY
STATE AID SYSTEM THAT'S AN
ADDITIONAL 31,000 MI. OF ROADS
SO THAT IS ACTUALLY A BULK OF
THE COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM AND IF
YOU'RE CLOSE TO YOUR DISTRICT
AND YOU WILL SPEAK TO YOUR
LOCAL COUNTY ENGINEERS AND OUR
OWN DISTRICT ENGINEERS YOU WILL
KNOW SOME OF THESE COUNTY ROADS
ARE VERY ROBUST KIND WITS FOR
TRAVEL WITHIN AND AMONG OUR
CITIES. IF WE LOOK AT TOWNSHIP
ROADS THESE ARE ALSO. 
>> EXCUSE ME COMMISSIONER,
SENATOR THE PLAN IS SENATOR
DIBBLE IS WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW
THE COMMISSIONER TO PROCEED WITH
HIS PRESENTATION FOR ABOUT HALF
OF THE TIME THE THEN THE SECOND
HALF OF THE COMMITTEE HEARING
TIME WILL BE DEVOTED TO ASKING
WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU WISH. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. I WILL
KEEP MOVING ALONG QUICKLY WE CAN
ALWAYS GO BACK AND GO OVER SOME
SUBJECTS IF YOU WISH. AS YOU CAN
SEE TOWNSHIP ROADS 55,000 MI.
QUITE A BIT MORE IF YOU TAKE ITS
ENTIRETY 143,000 OR 144,000 MI.
OF ROADS REPRESENTS THE FIFTH
LARGEST SYSTEM IN THE UNITED
STATES MAYBE IT'S OUR
AGRICULTURAL BACKGROUND MAY BE
AS WE LOVE ROSE BUT WE DO HAVE A
VERY ROBUST ROADWAY SYSTEM. OF
COURSE THERE'S DIFFERENT
COMPONENTS TO THAT SYSTEM, WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF
TRAFFIC 33 BILLION OF THE 59
BILLION IS ON OUR TRUNK HIGHWAY
SYSTEMS THAT IS THE BULK OF THE
ACTUAL VEHICLE MILES WE HAVE
ROUGHLY 20,000 BRIDGES IN THE
STATE OF MINNESOTA AND BOUGHT
ROUGHLY A LITTLE LESS THAN 5000
ACTUALLY CARRY OR CROSS A TRUNK
HIGHWAY SO WERE VERY ENGAGED IN
MAINTAINING A SMALLER PERCENTAGE
OF THOSE BUT WE INSPECT ALL
BRIDGES WE HAVE 135 AIRPORTS IN
THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND, WE
OF COURSE KNOW ABOUT THE MAC
SYSTEM BUT THERE ARE A VERY
COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK OF
AIRPORTS WHICH ARE THE LIFEBLOOD
FOR COMMUNITIES AND GREATER
MINNESOTA BUSINESSES. NINE OF
THOSE AIRPORTS ACTUALLY HAVE
COMMERCIAL PASSENGER SERVICE,
SOME OF THEM NOT ALL ARE
SUPPORTED BY THE CENTRAL AIR
SERVICE THE FEDERAL FUNDS. OF
COURSE THE MAC SYSTEM
ENCOMPASSES MORE THAN JUST THE
MS P INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS A
RELIEVER AIRPORTS IN THE METRO
AREA AS WELL. WE HAVE A VERY
LUCKY IN MINNESOTA WE HAVE A
DEEP WATER PORT IN DULUTH WE
HAVE VERY STRONG RIVER PORTS
THAT MAKES ITS A VERY IMPORTANT
PART OF OUR FREIGHT CONNECTIVITY
TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. WE
ACTUALLY WHEN YOU THINK OF THE
PORT OF DULUTH ON ONE SIDE OF
THE GREAT LAKES SYSTEMS AND ST.
LAWRENCE SEAWAY ON THE OTHER IF
YOU LOOK AT ONE OF THE FRENCH
NAMES OF OUR STREETS IN DULUTH
AND IN MINNESOTA IT GOES BACK
TO THE FUR TRADE AND THE FRENCH
BOYS JURORS WERE THE INITIAL
TRADE CAME THROUGH THE GREAT
LAKES FOR OUR REGION AND
CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. WE HAVE A
VERY ROBUST RAIL NETWORK IN THE
STATE OF MINNESOTA AND WE HAVE
19 ROSE INCLUDING FOR CLASS
ONES BUT WHAT A FEW SHORT LINE
RAILROADS WHICH ARE OF COURSE
THE REALLY IMPORTANT CONNECTION
FOR OUR MINNESOTA MANUFACTURERS
AND AGRIBUSINESSES IN GREATER
MINNESOTA. I MENTIONED GREATER
MINNESOTA TRANSIT, WE HAVE
ACTUALLY A TRANSIT SYSTEM IN
EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF
MINNESOTA. 12 MILLION TRANSIT
TRIPS AND THAT REPRESENTS 47
PUBLIC BUS SYSTEMS WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING AND MAKING THOSE SYSTEMS
MORE EFFICIENT AND COMBINING A
FEW OF THEM WITH AN ULTIMATE
GOAL OF CREATING GREATER ACCESS
IN GREATER SERVICE TERRITORIES
A. WE HAVE A BICYCLE AND
PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES THROUGHOUT
THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WE'RE
ACTUALLY HAVE TO U.S. BIKE
ROUTES WHICH NOT EVERY STATE
HAS A U.S. BIKE ROUTE BUT WE HAD
ONE ALL ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER TRAIL FROM LAKE ITASCA
OUT TO THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF
THE STATE AND WE'RE JUST OPENING
NOW A BIKE ROUTE FROM ST. PAUL
TO CANADA ON AND WILL ACTUALLY
CELEBRATING THAT MORE IN MAY. WE
HAVE BEEN PROUD OF THE FACT WE
HAVE BEEN PAYING BIKE FRIENDLY A
STATE AND AGAIN THAT GOES BEYOND
THE METRO AREA. FREIGHT AND RAIL
AND TRUCK TRAFFIC IS THE REAL
AREA OF FOCUS IS CLEARLY AN AREA
WHICH IS GOING TO BE SEE
CONTINUING INCREASES AND THAT IS
SOMETHING I WILL GET INTO IN A
MOMENT IN TERMS OF OUR
CHALLENGES IT'S AN AREA WE HAVE
BEEN THINKING MORE CAREFULLY
ABOUT. THEIR 850 BRIDGES THAT
WILL REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT WORK UP
A HAD A IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS AND
ALL THAT IS ANTICIPATING
ADDITIONAL POPULATION COMING TO
OUR STATE. WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT
THE FUNDING SHORTFALL FOR OUR
STATE HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE SYSTEM
THAT'S THE 12,000 MI. THAT WE
MAINTAIN AS AN AGENCY. OFTEN
LOST IN THE CONVERSATION ON THAT
AT BUT IS WELL KNOWN TO ALL OF
YOU IS THE LACK OF FUNDING FOR
THE LOCAL ROAD SYSTEMS ARE NEAR
A TESTAMENT IS BEEN THAT THAT
GAP IS ROUGHLY $18 BILLION AGAIN
OVER 20 YEARS SO WE'VE BEEN
IDENTIFYING IN BEING MORE
EXPLICIT ABOUT THE PROJECTS AND
INDEED THAT IS GOING CURRENTLY
ON FUNDED. YOU'LL HEAR ME SAY ON
EVERY STREET CORNER OF 50% OR
STATE HIGHWAY PAVEMENT ARE OVER
50 YEARS OLD AND 20 PERCENT
ACTUALLY THERE SHALL HAVE LESS
THAN THREE YEARS OF USEFUL LIFE
OF COURSE WE HAD MANY ROADWAYS
THAT HAVE GONE BEYOND USEFUL
LIFE AND WE KEEP THEM GOING BY
FILLING POT HOLES OR SOMEHOW
KEEPING THEM GOING. WE ARE
CLEARLY I WILL GET INTO IN A
MOMENT FACING A FUNDING
SHORTFALL 40 PERCENT OF OUR
BRIDGES ARE OVER 40 YEARS OLD
AND 40 OR 50 YEARS AGO WHERE
SOME OF US FOR OUR OLDER DON'T
THINK IT SEEMS LIKE THAT LONG
AGO WHEN MORE OPENING UP
INTERSTATES AND BUILDING
BRIDGES, BUT THEY WERE NEVER
INTENDED TO LAST MORE THAN 40
YEARS WE ARE BUILDING BRIDGES
NOW BELGIUM LAST 100 YEARS SO
WE'VE GOTTEN SMARTER ABOUT OUR
MATERIALS AND DESIGN BUT
NONETHELESS WE ARE FACING A KIND
OF IT GENERATIONAL BUBBLE OF
AGING INFRASTRUCTURE. WHEN WE
THINK ABOUT OPERATIONS SNOW AND
ICE IS WHAT COMES TO MIND, YOU
WILL SEE THIS GRAPH FOUR YEARS
AGO WE ACTUALLY HAD UNDERGONE A
MILD WINTER OF COURSE THAT WAS
THE NEXT TWO YEARS WE SPENT A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT ON SNOW AND
ICE WE'VE HAD A PHILOSOPHY AT
MNDOT OF WHATEVER IT TAKES WE
GET IT DONE BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW
ESSENTIAL KEEPING MOBILITY GOING
THROUGHOUT THE WINTER IS TO
MINNESOTA OF. WE SPENT ON ONE
THAT WEEKEND I REMEMBER IN THE
2014 WINTER WE SPENT $20 MILLION
ON ONE WEEKEND BUT THERE WAS
ALSO THE SAME WEEK WHERE THERE
WERE HEADLINES OF CARS BEING
PARKED IN THE MIDDLE OF GEORGIA
ON INTERSTATES AND WALKED AWAY
AND A PRIVILEGE CLOSE DOWN THEIR
STATE FOR A WHOLE WEEK NO ONE
REALLY TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT
MONDAY MORNING WE WERE JUST
GOING JUST LIKE WE USUALLY DO.
WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF BEING
TAKEN FOR GRANTED BUT OF COURSE
MY JOB IS TO SAY THIS DOESN'T
JUST HAPPEN WE'VE BEEN SMART
ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT
WE MAKE IN TERMS OF MAINTAINING
OUR WINTER MOBILITY WE HAVE BEEN
DOING THAT AND ACTUALLY USING
LESS SALT JUST A SIDE NOTE OR
GETTING SMARTER WITH TECHNOLOGY
AND PRUDENT PRACTICE IS TO MAKE
SURE WE'RE NOT OVERUSING
CHLORIDE IT USING IT WHEN WE
NEEDED AND UNFORTUNATELY
SOMETIMES WE GET THESE PERFECT
STORM'S LIKE THE SMELL THE ICE
THOUGHT AND FREEZE CYCLES LIKE
EXPERIENCED THE LAST TWO DAYS
WHERE I SLID RIGHT DOWN MY
DRIVEWAY BECAUSE GUESS WHAT THAT
SLUSH TURN TO ICE OVERNIGHT SO
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR
CHALLENGES BUT AS YOU CAN SEE
FROM THIS GRAPH THE TREND IS
GOING UP THE AVERAGE IS NOW
ROUGHLY $80 MILLION A YEAR WHICH
IS WHAT WE BUDGET BUT OF COURSE
THAT IS HARD TO KEEP TRACK OF
WHEN WE CURRENTLY ARE SPENDING
MORE MONEY THAN WE HAVE BUDGETED
IT DOES TAKE AWAY FROM SUMMER
MAINTENANCE AND GUARD RAIL
REPAIRS AND SOME OF THE OTHER
WORK ON THE SIGNS THAT WE NEED
TO DO. JUST A BIT ABOUT THE
BUDGETS, WE HAVE A PRETTY
DIVERSIFIED SOURCE OF FUNDING.
PEOPLE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE
GAS TAX WELL THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT AND ACTUALLY IT
PROVIDES 27 PERCENT OF OUR
OVERALL TOTAL BUDGET. THE
BUDGET $3.3 BILLION ON AN ANNUAL
BASIS IS SIGNIFICANT BUT WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE THE
FUNDING THOSE IT IS ALSO A VERY
DIVERSIFIED THE STATE ROAD AND
BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION THE CAPITAL
BUDGET IS ONLY 34 PERCENT OF THE
OVERALL PIE THAT IS OFTEN WHAT
WE THINK OF OUR CAPITAL BUDGET
THAT WE ANNOUNCE EVERY YEAR
THERE WERE GOING TO SPEND AND
WORK ON MINNESOTA ROADWAYS.
QUITE A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE
GOES TO OUR STATE AID PROGRAM SO
BY FORMULA OF AND ACTUALLY OF
GET INTO THIS IN A MOMENT
THROUGH THE CONSTITUTION
FORMULAS BUT MUCH OF THAT
FUNDING COMES TO COUNTIES AND
CITIES. WE ALSO HAVE OTHER
SPENDING CATEGORIES INCLUDING
SOME THAT GOES TO THE PUBLIC
SAFETY SUMMIT GOES TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
RESOURCES, I WOULD SAY ROUGHLY
8% SAYS CATEGORY NAME THAT IS
LOWER RIGHT IS FOR OPERATIONS
AND MAINTENANCE. ROUGHLY 6% IS
FOR DEBT SERVICE FOR PREVIOUSLY
ISSUED TRUNK HIGHWAY BONDS, THAT
6 PERCENT IS ACTUALLY CLOSER TO
17% OF OUR STATE RESOURCES
DEDICATED TO THE TRUNK HIGHWAY
SYSTEM. WE HAVE A DEBT SERVICE
POLICY LIMIT OF 20% NO MORE THAN
20% OF OUR STATE RESOURCES FOR
THE TRUNK ALWAYS SYSTEM BE
DEDICATED TO DEBT SERVICE WHICH
IS BEEN A PRUDENT AND
APPROPRIATE KIND OF MEASURE WE
ARE CREEPING UP TO THAT DEBT
LIMIT UNDER OUR CURRENT
FORECAST. HERE IS THE MAGICAL
FORMULA OF ITS NOT SO MAGICAL
IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD,
HIGHWAY USER TAX DISTRIBUTION
FUND AS A MENTIONED IT IS
OUTLINED IN THE CONSTITUTION AND
AGAIN IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE
DIVERSITY OF RESOURCES THAT ARE
DEDICATED BY CONSTITUTION TO
THE. HIGHWAY AND THE . GAS
TAXES TAFFIES MOTOR VEHICLE
SALES TAX AND THERE ARE SOME
OTHER VERY SMALLER FEES BUT MOST
OF THOSE RESOURCES CURIOUSLY THE
REGISTRATION FEES AND MOTOR
VEHICLE SALES TAX ARE NOW A
BIGGER PERCENTAGE THAN THE FUEL
TAXES. FROM THAT 95 PERCENT OF
THAT FUND IS DISTRIBUTED IT TO
ROUGHLY 62% TO THE TRUNK HIGHWAY
FUND THAN THE REMAINING 42
COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
THERE IS A 5% FLEXIBILITY
ACCOUNT WHICH PROVIDES SOME
SOURCES NOT MUCH TO TOWN ROADS
AND DOWNED BRIDGES AND SOME
OTHER GRANT PROGRAMS. AS I
MENTIONED THERE'S A VARIETY OF
HIGHWAYS INTERSTATE SYSTEM AND
UNDOUBTEDLY YOU ARE FAMILIAR NOT
JUST WITH THE STATE HIGHWAY
ROADS BUT MANY OF THE COUNTY
TOWN ROADS ARE THE MAIN STREETS
OF MANY COMMUNITIES. HERE IS A
GRAPH I WOULD WANNA CALL SPECIAL
ATTENTION TO, THAT IS NOT JUST A
OUR FORECAST BUT THE ACTUAL
FUNDING OF THE STATE ROAD
CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM AGAIN THAT
IS THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN THE
SPRING WHEAT USUALLY ANNOUNCE
THE LIGHTING'S OF WHAT IS BEING
BUILT DURING THE CONSTRUCTION
SEASON NOW MIND YOU THERE'S
OFTEN 12 MONTHS TO OUR
CONSTRUCTION SEASON BUT THE BULK
OF OUR WORK STARTS IN APRIL AND
MAY AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
THE WARM WEATHER. WE HAVE HAD A
VARIETY OF FUNDING FOR OUR
CAPITAL PROGRAMS AND THOSE HAVE
NOW BEEN DIMINISHED OR HAVE BEEN
USED OUT OF THE GREEN PART OF
THE BAR CHARTS IS THE TRUNK
HIGHWAY BONDS ASSOCIATED WITH
CHAPTER 152 THAT WAS FROM THE
2008 LEGISLATURE WHICH
AUTHORIZED THE SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENT IN BRIDGES. WE HAVE A
FEW MORE BRIDGE PROJECTS TO DO
THIS NEXT YEAR AND THEN THAT
WILL BE DONE SO OUR NORMAL KIND
OF ONGOING SOURCES OF REVENUE IS
REALLY NOW DOWN TO $700 MILLION
AND WILL BE FLAT AND THAT IS
AFTER A NUMBER OF YEARS WHERE
WE'VE BEEN OVER $1 BILLION AS
YOU CAN SEE AND WHEN I HAVE AND
USE THE WORD CLIFF BUT I WILL
USE THE WORD LOWER AMOUNT, BY
ABOUT 30 OR 40% WHICH IS WHY WE
ARE NOW KIND OF EVERYONE SEEMS
TO BE APPRECIATING THE ONGOING
REVENUE STREAM NOT JUST ONE TIME
MONEY BUT REVENUE STREAM IS
HAMPERED IN. WE THINK ABOUT GAPS
IN FUNDING THIS SLIDE SHOWS WHAT
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AT AND WE
BELIEVE IS THE SHORTFALL OVER
THE NEXT 10 YEARS WE HAVE A
FIGURE OUT WHAT WE HAVE A 20
YEAR AND PLAN BUT THE NEXT 10
YEARS THAT THE GETS VERY REAL.
WE WILL BE SPENDING UNDER
CURRENT FUNDING APPROXIMATELY
$8.5 BILLION ON PRESERVATION AND
PRESERVATION IS MAINTAINING THE
PAVEMENTS AND BRIDGES IN GOOD
CONDITION IT'S NOT EXPANDING WE
DO HAVE FUNDING FOR SPENDING WE
WILL BE ACTUALLY NOT BE DOING
ANY MORE EXPANSION THAT MEANS
NEW LANES OR NEW INTERCHANGES
AFTER 2023 JUST ANOTHER SIX
YEARS ANOTHER FIVE YEARS AND
THAT IS BECAUSE TO MAINTAIN THE
SYSTEM WE HAVE IS REALLY TAKING
ALL THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES WE
CURRENTLY CAN PROJECT. WHEN WE
TALKED ABOUT $6 BILLION GAP IN
THE TRUNK HIGHWAY SYSTEM, $4
BILLION OF THAT IS NECESSARY FOR
THE PRESERVATION MAINTENANCE OF
OUR SYSTEM AN ADDITIONAL $2
BILLION WE SEE IS A STRATEGIC
NEED FOR EXPANSION THAT IS OFTEN
WE TALKED ABOUT CORRIDORS OF
COMMERCE I COULD TALK MORE ABOUT
THAT IN A MOMENT DEATH IS AREAS
WHERE ADDITIONAL BOTTLENECKS
INTERCHANGES AND LANES CAN MAKE
A DIFFERENCE FROM OUR MOBILITY
AND $2 BILLION IS NOT A WORLD-
CLASS SOLUTION IS WHAT I WOULD
CALL A STRATEGIC KIND OF BARE
BONES I WILL GET INTO THAT IN A
MOMENT THOUGHT. THIS FIGHT HAS
BEEN TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE
THE PERFECT STORM MINUTE YOU MAY
HAVE SEEN THIS SLIDE I WON'T GO
INTO EACH REASON WHY WE ARE
SUFFERING IN TRANSPORTATION BUT
AS I MENTIONED THE GAS TAX IS A
SMALLER PART OF THE SYSTEM
FORMULA IT IS BECAUSE IT REALLY
IS PEGGED TO CONSUMPTION NOT
PRICE OF OUR NEEDS. AS WE THINK
ABOUT THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE
AND FRANKLY THE WEATHER OF OUR
AREA AND WE HAVE CHALLENGES
AHEAD. WE WOULD EXPECT REALLY IN
THE NEXT 10 YEARS WITHOUT
ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS MUCH AS
2,800 MI. OF STATE ROADS THAT
WILL BE KIND OF THAT IT IS ZERO
REMAINING SERVICE LIFE FIGURE I
DESCRIBED. HERE IS OUR
DIRECTIONAL PLAN FOR 20 YEARS I
WILL STEP BACK TO A 20 YEAR
PLAN, WE HAVE $21 BILLION OF
INVESTMENT THAT WE ARE
FORECASTING FROM CURRENT
SOURCES AND WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER
WE'VE JUST ISSUED A MINNESOTA
STATE HIGHWAY INVESTMENT PLAN.
THIS IS NOT A LIST OF PROJECTS
BUT IT IS MORE THAN A DIRECTION
AWAY WHERE THE CATEGORIES OF
INVESTMENT CAN GO AND YOU CAN
SEE BIG GREEN PORTION IS
PAVEMENTS AND PAVEMENTS CONTINUE
TO BE THE SINGLE CATEGORY THAT
CONSUMES SO MUCH OF OUR CAPITAL.
WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB IN TERMS
OF OUR OUTREACH A NUMBER OF
HEARINGS LISTENING SESSIONS AND
INPUT FROM ALL PARTS OF THE
STATE AND ALL CONSTITUENCIES
INTO THIS PLANNING PROCESS. IT
IS SHORT WE SEE A $39 BILLION
WORTH OF NEED TO KEEP THE SYSTEM
AND ITS CURRENT STATE AND TO DO
THAT ADDITIONAL MOBILITY THAT I
THINK MINNESOTANS WILL COUNT
ON. TO GIVE YOU A SENSE IF WE
WERE TO KEEP THE PAVEMENTS IN
THEIR CURRENT CONDITION
OTHERWISE THE SAME PERCENTAGE
OF A DRIVABILITY THAT WE HAVE
TODAY AND WE WERE TO PROGRAM A
$21 BILLION TO IN A SENSE HOLD
PAVEMENTS CONSTANT, IT WOULD
ABSORBER 80% OR 78% OF THE
BUDGET OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS
AND OBVIOUSLY WE OF OTHER NEEDS
BESIDES PAVEMENTS NOT THE LEAST
OF WHICH IS BRIDGE CONDITION BUT
IT SHOWS WHERE THE CHALLENGE WAS
IN HELPING PROGRAM OUR NEXT 20
YEARS BECAUSE THE REALITY HAS
THE PAVEMENTS UNDER OUR CURRENT
FORECAST WILL SUFFER ALL
CATEGORIES WILL SUFFER. I WAS
VERY CHAGRINED WHEN MY FRIEND
AND COMPATRIOT SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION FROM WISCONSIN
GAVE THIS SAME PRESENTATION
ABOUT THE FUTURE OF WISCONSIN
AND SAID UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S
WISCONSIN'S PLAN THE CONDITIONS
ARE GOING TO ERODE. I'M NOT
BEING BOLD TO STATE THE FACTS
BECAUSE GOVERNOR DAYTON
UNFORTUNATELY HAS BEEN
FORTHRIGHT AND HAS ENCOURAGED ME
TO THE VERY TRANSPARENT, BUT
SECRETARY GOTTLIEB WAS RELIEVED
OF HIS DUTIES LAST WEEK SO HE'S
ACTUALLY NOT THE SECRETARY OF
WISCONSIN TRANSPORTATION
ANYMORE SOMETIMES I FEEL VERY
FORTUNATE IN MINNESOTA WE HAVE A
TRADITION OF SAY WHAT THE FACTS
ARE WE CAN ALL DISCUSS HOW WE
DEAL WITH THEM, BUT THE FACTS
ARE WHAT THEY ARE. WE DO HAVE
SOME CLEARLY SOME FUNDING
CHOICES AND THE REASON WE HAVE
BEEN CONSISTENT WITH THAT $6
BILLION HAS BEEN IN NEW REVENUE
REQUIRED TO BE ECONOMICALLY
COMPETITIVE AND KEEP THE SYSTEM
IN GOOD SHAPE BECAUSE IT HAS
REAL RESULTS. IF WE DON'T MAKE
THE FUNDING YOU CAN SEE WE WILL
HAVE AS A MENTIONED
DETERIORATING BRIDGES RAILROADS
AND BUT IF WE DO HAVE THAT
FUNDING WILL BE ABLE TO DO A
NUMBER OF THINGS KEEPING THE
SYSTEM IN GOOD REPAIR BUT ALSO
EXPANDING IN CERTAIN AREAS WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT THE CORRIDORS OF
COMMERCE PROGRAM WHICH WAS
INSTITUTED ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO
BY THE LEGISLATURE IT'S ALLOWED
US TO TAKE PROJECTS THAT WEREN'T
PART OF OUR NORMAL PROGRAM AND
TO PROVIDE FOR SOME MOBILITY AND
EXPANSION THAT HAD SIGNIFICANT
POSITIVE IMPACTS WE KNOW IN THE
THE STATE ECONOMY IN BOTH PERMIT
TRACKING BUSINESSES AND HELPING
COMMUTERS AND IT ACCESS NOT
JUST INGESTION ITS HELP WITH
SOME VITAL FOR EIGHT CORRIDORS
IT IS OFFERED SOME INTERCHANGES
AND OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO BEEN BUILT AND OF
COURSE SAFETY WHICH IS
PARAMOUNT AND ONE OF OUR TOP
CRITERIA OF WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
MAKE MORE SAFETY INVESTMENTS
LIKE YEN TO LANE SEPARATIONS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT PAVEMENT
CONDITIONS YOU CAN SEE THIS AS
MORE OF A KIND OF OVERVIEW OF
WHAT A BAD ROAD LOOKS LIKE I
THINK MOST EVERYBODY HAS THEIR
OWN STORIES BUT UNDER OUR
CURRENT FUNDING LEVEL TO SHOW
MOST ROADS EVEN ROSA LOOK PRETTY
GOOD TODAY IN 50 YEARS THEY WILL
LOOK LIKE THIS. LIKEWISE WITH
BRIDGES HERE IS CAN ABOUT BEFORE
AND AFTER OF NOT A BEFORE AND
AFTER THESE ARE BOTH BRIDGES
THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED, WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT BRIDGE
DETERIORATIONS IT DOES HAPPEN
OVER TIME WHAT OUR GOAL IS TO BE
ABLE TO REFURBISH A BRIDGE AT
THE RIGHT TIME TO BE ABLE TO
EXTEND THE ASSET LIFE IN A
SUFFICIENT WAY AS POSSIBLE IF WE
JUST WAIT UNTIL IT GETS TOO
DETERIORATED AND WE HAVE TO
REPLACE THE OLD BRIDGE WHICH IS
MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE. THIS GRAPH
SHOWS OUR MODEL OF BEING ABLE
TO REFURBISH A BRIDGE AT THAT
REICHSTEIN AND TO SAVE STATE
FUNDS BY EXTENDING THE LIFE SO
THAT TIME YOU DO HAVE TO REPLACE
A BRIDGE IT'S DONE MUCH LATER.
LIKEWISE WE INSPECT BRIDGES
EVERY YEAR WE WASH BRIDGES FROM
ASSAULT AND WHEN WE FIND
SOMETHING AND THIS HAPPENS WE
HAVE TO GO IN THERE AND REPAIR
IT SOMETIMES ITS GRINDING THE
IRON DOWN SOMETIMES FILLING IN
CONCRETE SOMETIMES IT'S THE
SCOURING HAPPENING UNDERNEATH
THE BRIDGE. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT
CHAPTER 152 I MENTIONED THE
AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT WE HAVE
MADE IN BRIDGES THIS SHOWS WE'VE
DONE OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS
THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
BE DONE WITHOUT THE $2.1 BILLION
OF FUNDING THE TRUNK HIGHWAY
BONDS THAT HELPED BRING A BRIDGE
CONDITIONS BACK I THINK OUR
BRIDGES ARE IN PRETTY GOOD
SHAPE THERE ARE SAFE NOW I CAN'T
SAY YET ENTIRELY FOR SOME OF THE
LOCAL BRIDGES WE HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF LOCAL
BRIDGES WHICH ARE STRUCTURALLY
DEFICIENT. STATE BRIDGES ARE IN
GOOD SHAPE WE WILL POST BRIDGES
TO RESTRICT GOOD DRIVING AND
EVEN CLOSE THEM WHEN WE NEED TO
WE ACTUALLY CLOSE EYE 35 NEAR
DULUTH A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO
BECAUSE WE FOUND SOMETHING THAT
WE DIDN'T HAVE DIDN'T EXPECT
PART OF OUR FUNDING AND PART OF
THE FLEXIBILITY WE REQUIRES TO
MAKE SURE WE GET RESOURCES WHEN
WE FIND ON ANTICIPATED TO CARRY
RATION. THERE ARE A NUMBER
BRIDGES BETTER IN THE PLANT FOR
THE NEXT 10 YEARS AND MANY OF
THOSE ARE IN YOUR DISTRICTS.
SOME HAVE BEEN WORKED ON IN THE
PAST BUT THEY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL
WORK PART OF OUR ABILITY TO BE
EFFICIENT IS TO ENSURE THAT WE
DO THE WORK OF THE RIGHT TIME
AND BE AS I SAY ABOUT SKYPE
PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE IS
CHEAPER THAN PREVENTIVE
MAINTENANCE THE AND IT'S CHEAPER
THAN JUST REPAIRING SOMETHING SO
WILL TRY TO GET SMART ABOUT WHEN
TO DO THE WORK IN ANTICIPATION
BEFORE IT BECOMES TOO MUCH OF A
PROBLEM. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW
EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS
HAVE AN PRETTY MUCH A FOCUS FOR
THE AGENCY OVER THE PAST FOUR
YEARS I THINK WE'VE DONE A GREAT
PROGRESS IN BOTH PERFORMANCE
MEASURES AND A WAY TO REALLY IS
SAVE FUNDS AND TO MAKE SMART
INVESTMENTS TO SAVE MORE MONEY
OVER THE PAST NUMBER OF YEARS
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FREE FUNDS
HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO OTHER
PROJECTS ALSO WE BEEN ABLE TO
FREE FUNDS TO HELP COVER SOME
AREAS WHICH HAVE BEEN OVER
BUDGETED TO BE HONEST.
UNANTICIPATED COSTS AND COSTS
CAUSED BY WEATHER WILL LIMIT IT
JUST TO CAPITAL INVESTMENTS OUR
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FOR
EXAMPLE BY HAVING TOLD PAUL
BLADES BINES NO TRUCKS SAVES US
BUYING ADDITIONAL SNOW TRUCKS
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FREE CAPITAL
INVESTMENT FROM LESS NO TRUCKS
TO PUT IN SOME OF THE OTHER
CAPITAL FLEET INVESTMENTS THAT
HAVE BEEN LACKING AND IS IT SOME
OF THIS AND DOESN'T ALWAYS SURE
WHAT IN LINE ITEMS BUT ITS
ABILITY FOR US TO GET AN
EXTENDED EFFICIENCY OF OUR
OPERATIONS. I WANT TO MENTION
THE FAST ACT I JUST RAN INTO
CONGRESSMAN NOLAN IT WAS A GREAT
HONOR IN THE LOBBY, OUR
MINNESOTA DELEGATION HAS BEEN
FROM THE ENTIRE STATE HAS BEEN
UNIFIED IN HELPING ADVANCE INTO
STRUCTURE INVESTMENTS FEDERALLY
THE FAST ACT DOES PROVIDE MORE
FUNDING FOR THE STATE OF
MINNESOTA AND MOST IMPORTANT
THING IS WE ANTICIPATE TO BE
CONSISTENT FUNDING. IT IS NOT
FULLY BEEN APPROPRIATED THAT'S
BEEN AUTHORIZED BUT THE
AUTHORIZATION PROVIDES AS MUCH
AS MUCH AS 50 MILLION MORE
DOLLARS FOR THE STATE OF
MINNESOTA WE A PROGRAM THAT INTO
OUR PLANNING SO IT'S NOT NEW
MONEY IN TERMS OF OUR PLANTS BUT
IT'S MONEY THAT WILL MAKE A
DIFFERENCE. ACCORDING MILLION
DOLLARS OF THAT IS FOR OUR
FREIGHT NETWORK AND WE HAVE BEEN
VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE MORE
ROBUST FREIGHTS NETWORK AND A
FREIGHT PLANNING PROCESS THAT IS
ACTUALLY REQUIRED UNDER THE
FAST-TRACK BUT WE CAN'T ALONG IN
MINNESOTA SO WERE IN POSITION
WITH OUR FREIGHT ADVISOR
COMMITTEES AND OUR STUDY ABOUT
HOW BOTH HIGHWAY AND RAIL AND
OBVIOUSLY SHIPPING ALL THE MODES
FIT TOGETHER FOR AN OVERALL
TRADE OUTLOOK. THE FASTER ACT
DOES PROVIDE FOR SOME REAL
INVESTMENTS MOST OF THAT IS THE
EAST COAST BUT SOME OF THAT WILL
ACTUALLY IMPACT AND HELP OUR
BOTH FREIGHT AND PASSENGER
NETWORKS THERE'S NO FUNDING
FEDERALLY IT I SEE COMING FOR
OUR PASSENGER PLANTS BUT WE DO
HAVE A PASSENGER OFFICE AT LEAST
READY SHOULD THAT EVER BECOME
INFRASTRUCTURE STIMULUS IN THE
FUTURE. JUST A QUICK WORD ON OUR
PLANNING PROCESS BEFORE I
REACHED THE LIMIT OF OUR TIME
FOR ME TO PRESENT, AGAIN I
TALKED ABOUT THIS 50 YEAR
VISION IT'S A FAMILY OF PLANTS
THAT COMES DOWN TO A VERY
OPERATIONAL LEVEL. YOU MIGHT BE
MOST FAMILIAR WITH A STAB THE
STATE HIGHWAY INVESTMENT PLAN
THAT IS REALLY A SERIES OF
PROJECTS BUT IT'S A FOUR YEAR
OUTLOOK WHICH IS UPDATED EVERY
YEAR SO THE ONE THING I WOULD
SAY ABOUT THE STATE HIGHWAY
INVESTMENT PLAN IS THAT IT
CANNOT CONTINUALLY STUDIED AND
EVOLVES IF WE HAVE ADDITIONAL
FUNDING FROM EFFICIENCIES WERE
ACTUALLY IN THE PROJECT THAT
SHOW READY WE CAN MOVE THAT UP A
YEAR OR TWO BUT GENERALLY AT THE
IDEA OF HAVING A PLANT PROJECTS
OVER TIME REALLY HELPS US TO BE
EFFICIENT AND TO BE SMART ABOUT
HOW WE DEPLOY OUR RESOURCES. I
MENTIONED THE MAIN SHIP A 20
YEAR PLAN THAT I DISCUSSED
BEFORE MORE POLICY DIRECTION,
AND JUST A WORD ON OUR PEOPLE
OFTEN ASK HOW WE SELECT
PROJECTS? I WILL SAY IT'S A
BALANCE BETWEEN OUR STATEWIDE
EXPERTS WHETHER IT BE ASSET
MANAGEMENT USING PERFORMANCE
MEASURES OUR PLANNERS AND THEN
WORKING WITH LOCAL DISTRICTS THE
ENGINEERS TO THE VARIOUS
ADVISORY COMMITTEES HAVE GREAT
ACCESS TO WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO
EACH AREA AND WE TRIED TO
BALANCE DISTRICT PLANS WITH
STATE PLANS TO MAKE SURE IN ONE
SENSE WERE CONSISTENT IN TERMS
OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES SHARING
EXPERTISE BUT ALSO BEING REALLY
IN TUNE WITH LOCAL NEEDS AND
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE. THAT'S LIKE WAS
TRUE IN THE METRO AREA OF AS
WHERE WE WORK WITH THE MET
COUNCIL AND THEN OF COURSE
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY
GROUPS. THAT IS MY I LIKE TO BE
ON TIME AND ON BUDGET BEING
ABOUT SKY WITHIN 30 SECONDS AND
I'M READY FOR WHATEVER QUESTIONS
YOU HAVE NOT I PROBABLY GLOSSED
OVER A LOT QUICKLY THANK YOU MR.
CHAIR. 
>> COMMISSIONER YOU DID A GREAT
JOB WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE
THAT I REALIZE WE PUT YOU ON THE
FAST TRACK AT THIS POINT WE WILL
ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS FROM THE
VARIOUS MEMBERS. SENATOR DIBBLE.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. I WAS
WONDERING IF I COULD ASK A
SERIES OF QUESTIONS CORRECTLY
VERY SMALL QUESTIONS LITTLE
POINTS OF FACT NOT
EXTEMPORANEOUS THEORETICAL SOLD
IN THE WORLD PROBLEM QUESTIONS
IF I COULDN'T? FIRST JUST TO
PUT INTO CONTEXT AND
PERSPECTIVE ON THE RELATIVE
SIZE THE SERIES OF SLIDES AND
OTHER RELATIVE SLIDE OUR
ROADWAYS SYSTEM, I THINK IT'S
INTERESTING TO ALSO KNOWN MAY BE
SAID AS IF I MISSED IT PLEASE
FORGIVE ME. BACK AND SLIDE 8, 9,
IT CAN, THROUGH 12 BUT 12,000
MI. ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE STATE OF
THE SYSTEM ETC. DO YOU HAVE
OFFHAND THE RELATIVE PERCENTAGE
OF TRAFFIC IN EACH OF THOSE
SYSTEMS THERE I HAVE A ROUGH
KNOWLEDGE OF THAT MYSELF I'M
ASKING FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE
COMMITTEE? 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR DIBBLE
ACTUAL STATISTIC IS A FEW SLIDES
BACK IN TERMS OF OR FORWARD IN
TERMS OF THE ACTUAL VEHICLE
MILES. IT IS ON SLIDE 13 WHERE
$33 BILLION OF THE ROUGHLY $60
BILLION IS ON THE TRUNK HIGHWAY
SYSTEM I'VE ALWAYS SAID IT'S
MORE THAN 50 PERCENT I THINK
THIS IS CLOSER TO 54% BUT IS
MOST OF THE TRAFFIC AND ALSO I
WILL POINT OUT MUCH OF THE
FREIGHT AND HEAVY TRAFFIC DESIGN
THE STATE SYSTEM EVEN THOUGH
IT'S A SMALLER PERCENTAGE IT'S
A GREAT POINT THAT IS THE LARGE
SHARE THE BIGGEST SHARE. 
>> SENATOR? DIBBLE SENATOR? 
>> THE POINT BEING ABOUT 5
PERCENT OF THE MILES MORE THAN
HALF OF THE TRAFFIC IS CARRIED
BY THE STATE OWNED SYSTEM. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR THANK YOU
SENATOR DIBBLE IT IS WHY WE HAVE
A MUCH HIGHER STANDARD WHERE SO
MUCH OF THE FUNDS REALLY ARE
THERE TO PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN
THE SYSTEM THAT TAKES THE
BIGGEST AMOUNT OF SERVICE. 
>> MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD, I WILL
HAVE TO PICK, ONE PICK ON THE
DEBT SERVICE QUESTION I THINK
YOU SHOW UP IN THE BIG PIE
CHART DEBT SERVICE IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR A 6% OF THE
OVERALL EXPENDITURES MADE BY THE
AGENCY BUT WHAT IS THAT RELATIVE
TO I BELIEVE MOST OF THE DEBT
SERVICE ALL IT IS OUR TRUNK
HIGHWAY FUNDS AND SO IS PROBABLY
JUST AS USEFUL TO UNDERSTAND
RELATIVE TO THE TRUNK HIGHWAY
FUND ITSELF THE 62% OF A 95
PERCENT GOES INTO THE HIGHWAY
USER TAX DISTRIBUTION FUND WHAT
IS THE PERCENTAGE OF OUT OF THE
TRUNK HIGHWAY FUND THAT WE
EXPAND IN DEBT SERVICE THAT OF
COURSE GETS TO THE DEBT
LIMITATIONS AND CAPACITY TO
ISSUE ADDITIONAL DEBT WITH OUR
EXISTING SIZE OF THE FUND? 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR WHEN WE
LOOK AT ACTUAL DEBT SERVICE IT
IS SURELY AN IMPORTANT POINT TO
KNOW THAT TRUNK HIGHWAY BONDS
ARE RESTRICTED TO THE TRUNK
HIGHWAY SYSTEM WHICH IS THAT
ROUGHLY 12,000 MI. THE 5 PERCENT
OF ALL ROADWAYS. IT IS A LITTLE
CONFUSING TO SEE ONLY 6% BECAUSE
IT IS THE FUNDING THAT HELPS
SUPPORT THE DEBT SERVICE IS
REALLY A THE FUNDING THAT IS
RESTRICTED TO THE TRUNK HIGHWAY
SYSTEM. IF YOU THINK ABOUT OUR
DEBT SERVICE LIMIT OF 20% WE
ACTUALLY HAVE OF WERE NOT AT 20%
WERE BELOW AND WE ANTICIPATE TO
BE I FORGET SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 17
AND 18% BUT THE SOURCE OF THE
FUNDING IS ONLY THOSE STATE
FUNDS REALLY DEDICATED TO THE
TRUNK HIGHWAY SYSTEM AS YOU
POINT OUT SENATOR THE 62% OF THE
OF STATE SOURCES. 
>> SENATOR DIBBLE A FOLLOW-UP? 
>> NO MR. CHAIR. 
>> SENATOR KIFFMEYER. 
>> HELLO COMMISSIONERS ZELLE
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. MY
QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH SLIDE 21
ABOUT THE DNR TRANSFERS. I
NOTICED ON THE OTHER BOXES THERE
SPECIFIC ROAD THINGS THE DNR A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT CAN YOU
GIVE US A BIGGER BREAK DOWN OF
WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE DNR
TRANSFERS? 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR
KIFFMEYER IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU,
I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT FIGURE I
CAN GET IT TO THERE IS SOME OF
THE FUNDS THAT GO TO THE DNR I
THINK THE RATIONAL THE PAST HAS
BEEN THERE IS THE FUEL THAT
ACTUALLY IS EXPENDED IN STATE
PARKS THROUGH EITHER OFF-ROAD
VEHICLES OR SNOWMOBILES AND THAT
MAYBE THEY ARE GENERATING SOME
OF THE FUNDS FOR THAT USE I KNOW
THAT'S PART OF THEIR RATIONALE.
BUT I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE TOTAL
HISTORY I CAN GIVE YOU THE EXACT
AMOUNT IS NOT A HUGELY
SIGNIFICANT BUT IT IS FUNDS THAT
COME OUT OF THE FORMULA. 
>> SENATOR KIFFMEYER IF FOLLOW-
UP? 
>> MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IS A
LITTLE BIT OFF TO THE SIDE, ON
SLIDE 35 THERE'S A FAST-TRACK
THE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR
FREIGHT, HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR
ANY OF THOSE GRANTS PLAN TO ANY
PROJECTS YOU CAN NAME THAT
YOU'VE DONE THAT WITH? 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR WE HAVE
AN DAUDT IN MY HASTE I DIDN'T
MENTION THE GRANT PROGRAMS THIS
ROUGHLY $900 MILLION PER YEAR
HAS BEEN DEDICATED AS GRANT
PROGRAMS THERE'S ONLY BEEN ONE
RUN OF FUNDING THERE'S BEEN A
SECOND WHERE WE APPLIED FOR BOTH
AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ON
THE SECOND I'M NOT SURE THE NEXT
TWO DAYS OF THIS DID
MINISTRATION OR GOING TO HEAR
BUT IT'S PART OF THE FEDERAL
HIGHWAY CONSIDERATION WE HAVE
IDENTIFIED AT LEAST THREE WERE
ALLOWED UP TO THREE PROJECTS WE
THINK THERE ARE THREE VERY
COMPETITIVE PROJECTS A WE HAVE
ADVANCED ONE IS FOR THE AREA
WHICH RECALL THE CAN OF WORMS A
THING AS AN OFFICIAL NAME IS
REALLY THE ACCESS TO THE DULUTH
PORT IS BOTH A FREIGHT IN IMPORT
FREIGHT NETWORK BUT INVOLVES A
LITTLE ABILITY OF THE AREA AS
WELL AS THE TRAFFIC MOBILITY FOR
RESIDENTS AND IT'S A PROJECT
THAT IT JUST NOT HAVE ENOUGH
FUNDING TO BE ABLE FOR US TO
ADDRESS THERE'S ANOTHER PROJECT
IN THE NORTH METRO AREA OF
FREIGHT CORRIDOR ALONG 35 W WE
THINK ADDITIONAL CAPACITY WOULD
MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER AND PROJECT IN
MORE HAD TO DO SOME GRADE
SEPARATIONS BECAUSE OF ROBUST
REAL TRAFFIC THAT'S BEEN IN PART
COMPETING LOCAL TRAFFIC IN THE
FOR MOREHEAD AREA AND BY HAVING
SAID THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
PROJECTS LOCAL PROJECTS THAT
SCORES WELL BUT NOT AT THE TOP
THREE AT THIS POINT, I 94 WHICH
WE CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN WRITING
LETTERS OF SUPPORT SO THIS BEEN
A NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS NOT
JUST FROM THE STATE BUT FROM
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT WE'VE
BEEN VERY ENGAGED WITH AND IT I
SHOULD SAY WE'VE BEEN VERY
SPECIFIC ABOUT THE SCORING AND
TO NOT MAKE IT DONE,
CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN VERY
TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE PARTICULAR
RETURN ON INVESTMENTS OTHER
FUNDING SOURCES AVAILABILITY NOT
JUST OF OTHER SOURCES BUT OF
PROJECT READINESS TO GET IT
GOING. CLEARLY THERE ARE MANY
MORE PROJECTS AND NOT JUST IN
MINNESOTA THAT WOULD BE GREAT
PROJECTS TO EXTEND THIS PROGRAM
WILL CONTINUE I'M HOPEFUL
MINNESOTA WILL SEE A SHARE OF
THAT. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. 
>> SENATOR ANDERSON. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. THANK
YOU MR. ZELLE FOR BEING HERE
THIS MORNING, A QUESTION FOR YOU
BACK IN I'M NOT SURE I KNOW I
WAS IN JAPAN AT A TIME WHEN THE
BRIDGE FELL HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS
AND THERE WAS A LISTING THAT
CAME OUT OF THE NUMBER BRIDGES
THAT WERE IN NEED OF DIRE
REPAIR. I KNOW YOU'VE LISTED
MANY BRIDGES WITHIN YOUR
PRESENTATION OF BEING WORKED
UPON OR WORKING ON THE BRIDGES
ARE LEFT ARE THEY BECAUSE THEY
WERE RECOGNIZED AT THAT TIME ARE
THEY STILL ON A HIGH PRIORITY
LIST TO GET DONE HOW'D YOU TAKE
THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION BECAUSE
YOU'VE ALREADY SAID 40 PERCENT
OF OUR BRIDGES RIGHT NOW ARE
OVER 40 YEARS? IF I COULD GIVE A
LIST OF THOSE BRIDGES AND WHERE
THEY ARE AND OUR PRIORITY LIST
GOING FORWARD I DO A FOLLOW-UP. 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR
ANDERSON THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION I THINK WHEN THE BRIDGE
FELL IRONICALLY IT WAS FROM THE
THE DESIGN FLAW BUT THE IDEA OF
HAVING AN INDUSTRY AVERAGE FALL
IN AMERICA CAPTURED EVERYONE'S
IMAGINATION ESPECIALLY
MINNESOTA. IT MAY HAVE BEEN ONE
OF THE POINTS THAT URGED US TO
INVEST IN THAT $2 BILLION
TOWARDS BRINGING BRIDGES
PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT WERE
DIDN'T HAVE REDUNDANT DESIGN
THERE WERE FRACTURE CRITICAL
MEANING ONE ERROR COULD CAUSE
LOW BRIDGE TO GO DOWN AND WE
IDENTIFIED THOSE AND THAT IS WHY
THAT LIST OF THOSE BRIDGES THAT
WERE IN CRITICAL SHAPE NEEDED TO
BE ADDRESSED. BRIDGES LIKE THE
LAFAYETTE BRIDGE WHICH I HEARD
RUMORS I NEVER TALK TO ANYONE
WHO SAID I NOTE TO MUCH I'M NOT
DRIVING ON THAT BRIDGE BUT THAT
BRIDGE WAS MUCH LIKE THE I 35
BRIDGE AND OF COURSE NOW IT'S
COMPLETELY NEW AND REDUNDANT AND
REPAIRED. WE HAVE LISTED THE
BRIDGES THAT WERE ADDRESSED I
WILL SAY OUR BRIDGE CONDITIONS
ARE GENERALLY IN GOOD SHAPE NOW
THAT THEY'RE SAFE IF THEY
WEREN'T SAFE AND WE HAVE
PROBABLY MUCH MORE ROBUST
INSPECTION PROGRAM IN THE STATE
OF MINNESOTA AFTER THE I 35
TRAGEDY AND UP TO AND INCLUDING
NOT JUST REGULAR SPOT
INSPECTIONS BUT WITH EVERYTHING
FROM DRONES CHECKING AREAS THAT
WE HARDLY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET
TO AND THEN AS WELL AS MORE
ADVANCED METHODS OF BRIDGE
CONDITION HAVING SAID THAT
BRIDGES DON'T STAY IN GOOD SHAPE
WE KNOW THEY ERODE OVER TIME.
WHEN I SAY THERE ARE 40 BRIDGES
OR 40 PERCENT OVER 40 YEARS OLD
IT DOESN'T MEAN THOSE SUDDENLY
BECOME WEEKEND BUT THAT OVER
TIME AND THEY WILL REACH THAT
STAGE AND I DON'T HAVE WE HAVE A
DON'T HAVE WITH ME BUT I WILL BE
HAPPY TO SHARE OUR NEXT 10
PROGRAM THAT IS MORE SPECIFIC
ABOUT PROJECTS MANY AND BRIDGES
THAT WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE
IDENTIFIED IN OUR NEXT 10 FUNDED
PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL I
DON'T HAVE A LIST OF BRIDGES
WITH THE TODAY BUT I WILL ASSURE
YOU WE HAVE BECAUSE OF THE
CHAPTER 152 PROGRAM WE'VE
IDENTIFIED THOSE THAT AT THE
TIME KNEW NEEDED TO BE REPLACED
OR SIGNIFICANTLY REFURBISHED
BRIDGES THAT ARE ON OUR LIST
GOING FORWARD ARE ALSO ONES THAT
WE KNOW WE HAVE TO DO AND ONE
THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS BRIDGES
ARE JUST BRIDGES THAT OVER
RIVERS OR STREAMS MILLER BRIDGES
THAT ARE IN MANY LOCAL BRIDGES
GO OVER INTERSTATES OR OTHER
HIGHWAYS OR RAILWAYS SO WE HAVE
A NUMBER OF NEEDS AND I THINK WE
WILL BE HAPPY TO SHARE WE
BELIEVE OUR ANTICIPATED GOING
FORWARD BUT I DON'T HAVE A LIST
OF THOSE BIG HIGH-PROFILE ONES
LIKE WE DID SIX YEARS AGO. 
>> COMMISSIONER I WILL INDICATE
YOUR PRETTY POPULAR GUY I HAVE A
LONG LIST OF FOLKS WHO WANT TO
ASK QUESTIONS. IF YOU COULD MAKE
YOUR ANSWERS SUCCINCT WE WOULD
APPRECIATE IT SENATOR ANDERSON
YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW? 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. ZELLE
I'M GUESSING WE OF MONEY COMING
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR
THESE BRIDGES THAT HELP IN
GETTING THOSE PROJECTS GOING.
YOU MENTIONED TOWARD THE END THE
FAST TRACK AND HOW MANY DOLLARS
WERE THERE, I'M GUESSING AGAIN
WE HAVE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT ARE
COMING FOR SOME OF OUR OTHER YOU
ALSO MENTIONED THE 50 YEAR
VISION FOR THE STATE OF
MINNESOTA AS FAR AS THE PAST
THIS SATURDAY CORRIDORS OF
COMMERCE OR I 94 LEGISLATIVE
PANEL COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WHAT
IS THE LONG-RANGE GOAL FOR
RELIEVING TRAFFIC REMEMBER
TALKING ABOUT THIS WHEN
REPRESENTATIVE HOLBERG WAS THE
CHAIR IN THE HOUSE ABOUT HAVING
AN HOUR RING OUTSIDE OF THE
494694 IS THAT STILL A PART OF
YOUR VISION? 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR THAT
WAS A VISION SOME YEARS AGO THAT
WAS ALSO AND $80 BILLION VISION
AND TO BE HONEST THAT HAS BEEN
SCALED UP TO A POINT WHERE IT TO
BE COMPETITIVE AND TO BE
PRUDENT WITH IDENTIFIED THE
IMPORTANCE AND INTERRELATIONSHIP
OF CORRIDOR TRANSIT CORRIDOR AND
HIGHWAY CORRIDORS TO BE WORKING
IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH OTHER
SO OUR MEN PASS LANES THAT ARE
UNDERFUNDED BUT REALLY COULD
PROVIDE GREAT CAPACITY BOTH FOR
CARS AND TRANSIT BUSES AND
OTHERS COULD REALLY BE ABLE TO
KEEP THE METRO DRIVING WITHOUT
GRIDLOCK WITHOUT BUILDING A
THIRD RING WHICH WE'VE NOW
DETERMINED TO BE COST
PROHIBITIVE. 
>> SENATOR CARLSON. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR, AND
COMMISSIONER I HAVE SOME
QUESTIONS I THINK I KNOW THE
ANSWER TO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
THE ANSWER AT COMMISSIONER
LEVEL. THE FIRST ONE IS HOW
MUCH WHAT PERCENT OF THE GAS
TAX AND LICENSE TABS IT GOES IS
DIVERTED AND GOES FOR LIGHT
RAIL? THE SECOND QUESTION IS FOR
TRANSIT THE THIRD QUESTION FOR
BICYCLE TRAILS? 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR, THERE
WOULD BE A GOOD JEOPARDY
QUESTION THE ANSWER IS WHAT IS
NOT FUNDED WITH GAS TAX. THERE
ACTUALLY IS ZERO FUNDING BY THE
CONSTITUTION FOR TRANSIT FROM
THE HIGHWAY TRUNK FUND AND IT OR
EVEN THE STATE AIDS SO NO GAS
TAX, OR REGISTRATION FEE FUNDS
GOES TO TRANSIT WHEN I SPEAK
ABOUT HOW WE MANAGED IN AS A
SYSTEM IT'S MORE ABOUT AT THE
PLANNING LEVEL AND MORE ABOUT
HOW BOTH ROADWAYS AND TRANSIT
CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BE MORE
EFFICIENT BUT THERE FUNDED
SEPARATELY AND THERE ARE A BIKE
LANES AND PLANNING AS PART OF
STATE HIGHWAYS BUT ONLY TO THE
EXTENT IT HAS A GREAT VALUE
ADDED AS PART OF THE GOALS OF
THE STATE HIGHWAY GOING THROUGH
A SMALLER TOWN AND WE THINK
ABOUT WAYS TO USE THE RIGHT OF
WAY EFFICIENTLY. 
>> SENATOR JENSEN. 
>> THANK YOU, MR. ZELLE JUST A
QUICK ANSWER THIS IS REALLY MORE
FOR TALKING POINTS FOR A LOT OF
MY CONSTITUENTS. WE'RE BUILDING
A NEW TWO-LANE ROAD IN A COUNTY
CARVER COUNTY OR WHATEVER WHAT
IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
BID PRICE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE
LINEAR MILE VS ONE LINEAR MILE
PLUS A DETACHED BIKE OR WALKING
PATH THAT'S MAYBE SIX OR 8 FT.
WHATEVER YOU NORMALLY HAVE THE
QUESTION COMES UP WHAT WE BUILD
A ROAD ANYMORE THAT DON'T HAVE A
BICYCLE WALKING PATH THAT'S THE
ATTACHED IS IT COST PROHIBITIVE?
CAN YOU HELP ME OUT THERE
PLEASE. 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR COST IS
ALWAYS AN ISSUE IN A MATTER WHAT
WE ARE DOING, I THINK IT DEPENDS
ON THE AIR YET AND URBAN MILE OF
ROAD IS DIFFERENT THAN THE
GREATER MINNESOTA MILE OF ROAD
AND HALT A BIKE LANE OR PATH
FITS INTO THE OVERALL
CONNECTIVITY FOR BIKES. WE
ACTUALLY DO BELIEVE STRONGLY IN
A BICYCLE PLAN FOR THE WHOLE
STATE PART OF THAT IS TO ENSURE
WE'RE NOT PUTTING PEOPLE IN
DANGER AND OFTEN TIMES IN THE
CASE OF A RURAL HIGHWAY A ROBUST
SHOULDER WHICH IS THERE FOR SOME
NO MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY ALSO
CAN ACCOMMODATE BIKES SO THERE'S
USUALLY MULTIPLE USES SO IT'S
HARD TO SAY WHAT THE ADDITIONAL
COST IS FOR A PARTICULAR STRESS
THROUGH SMALL TOWN THAT MIGHT BE
PART OF A PROJECT WHICH INCLUDES
THE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS PAID
BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND A BIKE
PATH ISN'T NECESSARILY THE STATE
RESPONSIBILITY. 
>> THE QUESTION NATURALLY-ASK
FOR A NUMBER CAN YOU TAKE A GAS?
>> MR. CHAIR SENATOR
UNFORTUNATELY I CAN GET BACK YOU
ALL DID A NUMBER FOR YOU I
OFTEN AM WILLING TO MAKE THINGS
UP BUT THAT PROBABLY WOULD NOT
BE A GOOD IDEA. 
>> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, IT
DRAWS BACK. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND
COMMISSIONER ZELLE, TO
QUESTIONS. ST. CROIX BRIDGE
CROSSING SEEMS TO BE A
CHALLENGE CAN YOU PROVIDE SOME
INFORMATION AS FAR AS HOW WE'VE
GONE TO THE POINT AND WHAT
CHALLENGES WE'RE SEEING AS WELL
AS WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE TO
COMPLETE THE PROJECT? THE OTHER
QUESTION I HAVE RELATES TO
HIGHWAY 12 DID YOU HAVE INPUT
INTO THE GOVERNOR'S BONDING BILL
CERTAINLY THERE PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS IN
THEIR AND THE GEVONEE
INFORMATION AS TO WHY THE
GOVERNOR DECIDED PROJECT THAT
WAS ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY DEEMED
IMPORTANT BY THE SENATE LAST
SESSION WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE
BONDING BILL? 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR AT THE
ST. CROIX CROSSING IS AS WE ALL
KNOW VERY LARGE PROJECT, IT HAS
HAD SOME SLOWDOWNS EARLY IN THE
CONSTRUCTION PHASE OVER THE
RIVER WHICH WAS CERTAINLY IN THE
PRESS AND WE'VE BEEN OPEN ABOUT
THE FACT OUR CONTRACTORS OR
HAVING SOME CHALLENGES. A NUMBER
OF CHALLENGES WERE OUT OF THEIR
CONTROL LIKE TO SUBCONTRACTORS
THE FOLKS WERE MAKING THE
CONCRETE FORMS DOWNRIVER THE
OWNER DIED ADD TO READ FIND A
NEW MANAGER AND RECONSTITUTE
THAT COMPANY ID B E WAS
UNDERCAPITALIZED AND STILL HAVE
CHALLENGES THEIR THAT A STEP IN
AND WITH THEIR OWN NEW
SUBCONTRACTOR. I THINK AT THAT
TIME THERE BECAUSE OF THAT AND A
TOUGH WINTER IT SLOWED UP THE
SCHEDULE THAT HAS SINCE CAUGHT
UP SIGNIFICANTLY THE CONTRACTORS
JOINT VENTURE PUT A LOT OF
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES BROUGHT IN
BIG GIANT CRANE FROM RUMMEL
WORLD TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR ANGER
CRANES THERE LIFTER CRANES THEY
ADD AND BROADENED HANGAR CRANES
IF YOU'D SEEN IT OVER THE PAST
18 MONTHS THEY REALLY STARTED
PICKING UP THE PACE I'M REALLY
PLEASED TO SEE THE BRIDGE IS
ACTUALLY FROM BANK TO BANK
PRETTY MUCH THE HARDEST PART IS
DONE IT'S REALLY FINISHING WORK
I CALL IT FINISHING WORK THE
ENGINEERS WOULD CALL IT DOING A
LOT OF IMPORTANT WORK BUT YOU
COULDN'T HAVE WALKED ACROSS AND
I THINK THE RISK OF THE
SCHEDULE IS A LOT LESS THAN WHAT
WAS BEFORE WE ANTICIPATED TO BE
DONE THIS YEAR. 
>> JUST. HIGHWAY 12 QUESTION 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR THE
HIGHWAY 12 WE HAVE MADE A GREAT
IMPROVEMENT TERMS OF PUTTING IN
THAT MEDIAN TIME PRETTY THRILLED
ABOUT THAT WE FOUND MONEY TO GET
THAT DONE WE DIDN'T WAIT FOR AN
APPROPRIATION WE KNOW THERE'S A
LOT OF ADDITIONAL WORK SOME OF
IT INVOLVES HENNEPIN COUNTY AND
BUT NOT JUST THE STATE TO GET
THAT INTERCHANGE OR INTERSECTION
FIGURED OUT. IT IS COMPLICATED
WE SEE IT AS OF THIS IS
SOMETHING I WOULD BE IMPORTANT
TO HAVE BUT I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHY
IT DID MEET THE GOVERNOR'S
PRIORITIES AT THIS POINT WE KNOW
WE HAVE A LOT OF LOCAL INTEREST
WE DO OF A LOCAL ROAD TO A LOCAL
BRIDGE CATEGORY WHICH WOULD BE
OPEN TO MORE OF A GRANT SCORING
PROCESS. 
>> SENATOR KENT. 
>> THINK MR. CHAIR AND THE
COMMISSION FOR BEING HERE FOR OF
HELPFUL PRESENTATION ON, WAS
INTERESTED TO SEE THE STATISTIC
ON SLIDE 16 AT THREE TRUCK AND
RAIL TRAFFIC IS EXPECTED
INCREASE BY 30% BY 2013. IT'S
THE FIRST TIME NOT TO SEE NOT
QUALIFIED IN THAT WAY AND ALL
THAT COMES ON THE HEELS OF
ADDITIONAL SUBMITTED INCREASES
WE'VE SEEN IN RECENT YEARS I
BRING THIS UP TO REFER TO AN
ISSUE IN MY PARTICULAR DISTRICT
THAT I ALSO KNOW IS A CASE STUDY
FOR SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES
STATEWIDE THAT'S WHY I'M
BRINGING UP BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE ON THE TABLE EVERYONE HAS
SOMETHING IN THEIR DISTRICT AND
THE SAME THING CAN BE SAID FOR
EVERY MEMBER OF THE SENATE. I AM
REFERRING TO THE INTERCHANGE OF
HIGH 94 AND 494 AND 694 AND AT
THIS MOST OF US I THINK DRIVE
THROUGH IT IF WE EVER GO TO
WISCONSIN OR POINTS EAST. AS
DOES OUR FREIGHT WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT THE PORT AND WE TALK ABOUT
FREIGHT COMING IN FROM THE WEST
AND COMING ACROSS THE NORTHERN
SIDE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT OF
SENATOR KIFFMEYER DISTRICT TO
COME TO MIND TO LET INTERCHANGE
IT'S A TIGHT LITTLE CLOVERLEAF
AND 80 M HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH
IT AND THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF
18 WHEELER IS COMING THROUGH
THERE I WILL ALSO ADD FOUR HONOR
OF SENATOR LIMMER THE STRETCH OF
694 FROM 61 ALL THE WAY DOWN TO
94 IS STILL TWO LANES WITHIN THE
MAIN 94 SYSTEM WE STILL HAVE A
CHUNK OF ITS TWO LINE AND THAT
IS EXACERBATING SOME OF THE
PROBLEMS. IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY
PROBLEM IT IS A CONGESTING
PROBLEM WE HAVE TONS OF TRAFFIC
COMING IN FROM OUR NEIGHBORS TO
THE EAST IN WISCONSIN FOR RUSH-
HOUR AND GOING BACK, THEN WE
HAVE THIS GREAT IMPLICATION.
UNDERSTANDING IS WERE LOOKING AT
ABOUT A $30 MILLION BAND-AID TO
DO SOME EASEMENTS OF PLANES SO
PEOPLE CAN'T MERGE AND GET ON
AND OFF OR SAFELY AND WE WILL A
GEOMETRIC THING ON THE
CLOVERLEAF TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR
THE 18 DEALERS. PEOPLE KEEP
ASKING WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE
TO FIX THE S AND THE ANSWER I
KEEP GETTING WHEN I SPEAK TO
PEOPLE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND
ELSEWHERE THERE SO MANY MORE
SERIOUS PROBLEMS AND BE AS BAD
AS THIS IS AND AS WORSE AS IT'S
GOING TO BE AND IS NOWHERE NEAR
THE HORIZON TO TAKE CARE OF
THESE PROBLEMS BECAUSE OUR
BUDGET IS SO INADEQUATE TO DEAL
WITH THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH
MUCH MORE SERIOUS ISSUES IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE METRO AND
OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE. AS BAD
AS THIS ONE IS AS IMPORTANT AS
IT IS AS MUCH AS THESE PROBLEMS
ARE GOING TO GET ADDED TO CAN
YOU SPEAK TO THE CHALLENGE OF
HAVING TO FRANKLY FOR A 20 YOUR
TIME TO IGNORE SOMETHING AS
SIGNIFICANT AS THIS AND WE ALL
ARE DEALING WITH IN OUR
DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE'S? 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR YOU AND
TO GIVE A GREAT TESTIMONY AND
YOU REALLY SAD THAT WE'RE
UNDERCAPITALIZED IN TERMS OF
WHAT IS EFFICIENT AND WHAT IS
PRUDENT AND WE END UP WITH HIGH
RETURN FIXES WHICH MEANS IF $30
MILLION NOT $100 MILLION WE FIND
THAT A LOT OF FREIGHT AND TRUCKS
ARE BYPASSING THE CENTRAL CITIES
THEY'RE GOING RIGHT THROUGH YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD AND GOING AROUND
THE 694 LOOP GOING NORTH THE
THAT IS PROBABLY WILL GET MORE
CONGESTED. 
>> SENATOR PAUL. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND
COMMISSIONER ZELLE, 
>> ALL I JUST WANTED TO MENTION
ONE THING I MADE A PROMISE TO
THE COMMISSIONER WERE GETTING
AUDITED FIVE MINUTES UNTIL 12:00
HE HAS ANOTHER COMMITMENT SO I
WOULD ASK MEMBERS TO KEEP THAT
IN MIND AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
MEMBERS WHO STILL WANT TO ASK
QUESTIONS JUST KEEP IN MIND. 
>> MR. CHAIR WAS THAT BECAUSE I
WAS SPEAKING NEXT? 
>> KNOW IT IS NOT SENATOR. 
>> COMMISSIONERS ZELLE I'M 
ON THE COMMITTEE HERE THIS IS
WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU I
THINK IT GOES ALONG WITH THE
SENATOR CAN'T THOUGHTS AND THAT
IS I THINK WE WOULD ALL HAVE THE
GOAL THAT WE WANNA MAINTAIN
EVERYTHING WE HAVE RESPONSIBLY
BEFORE WE EXPAND. WEATHER IS
PAVEMENT LIGHT RAIL BY DRILLS
BEFORE WE EXPAND AND WE NEED THE
ESSENTIALS TAKEN CARE OF I DON'T
SEE THAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IF
WE TALK ABOUT A $6 BILLION NEED
THAT IS WAY BEYOND US AND WERE
NOT LIVING WITHIN OUR BUDGET SO
IS IT WE ARE NOT PUTTING THOSE
INTO THE FRAMEWORK OF OUR BUDGET
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO
NEED WHAT IS OUR PROBLEM? 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR THANK
YOU FOR HAVING THAT PLANE
QUESTION. YOU KNOW THE GOVERNOR
ASKED ME TO CONSIDER RUNNING
AGENCY LIKE MY OWN BUSINESS AND
I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES ASSET
INTENSIVE BUSINESS NOT LIKE THIS
BUT A BUNCH OF BUSES THAT DO
WELL AND THEN THEY NEED
REFURBISHMENT AND AN IMMENSELY
BOSSES NEED TO BE PUT TO BAD AND
TRADED IN FOR NEW ONES. I THINK
THE HARDEST THING FOR BUSINESS
IS TO BE UNDERCAPITALIZED TO NOT
HAVE THE RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN
THE BUS SYSTEM IF MY BUS
COMPANY AND DIDN'T REPLENISH ITS
CAPITAL ASSETS WE WOULD BE OUT
OF BUSINESS. WE ARE
UNDERCAPITALIZED IS JUST NO
QUESTION BECAUSE SOMETIMES
INVESTING EVEN IN CAPACITY HAS
MUCH HIGHER RETURNS MUCH MORE
PRUDENT FOR TAX PAYERS THAT IT
IS TRYING TO NOT MAKE THE
INVESTMENTS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE
DONE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
FINANCIAL QUANTIFIABLE RETURN
AND RETURN CAN BE MEASURED NOT
JUST IN SAVINGS AND FUTURE COSTS
BUT ALSO THE MOBILITY THAT
AFFECTS THE INDUSTRY ACCESS TO
JOBS AND ACCESS TO EDUCATION. IT
IS COMPLICATED SYSTEM AND WE
KNOW WE'RE LIKE RUNNING MY BUS
COMPANY I OCCASIONALLY RAISED
TICKET PRICES BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE
WILLING TO PAY BECAUSE THEY GET
A VALUE FOR TAKING THE BUS. I
THINK THIS HOW'D YOU BE AS SMART
AS POSSIBLE NOT JUST ABOUT
CUTTING A COST BUT BY INVESTING
WISELY AND KEEPING THE COST AS
EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE I THINK
THAT SYSTEM HERE WE HAVE IS OUR
ACTUAL CAPITAL ASSETS ARE
GETTING TO A POINT WHERE IT'S
COSTING US MORE TO FILL THE
POTHOLES WHEN IT IS TO DO IT
RIGHT AND MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS
AT THE RIGHT TIME. 
>> I WILL GO TO SENATOR SENJEM
AT THIS POINT I'VE INDICATED
SENATOR SENJEM AND FRENTZ BOTH
HAVE QUESTIONS SENATOR CARLSON I
WILL TRY TO GET BACK TO IF WE
HAVE TIME. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND
COMMISSIONER THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE TODAY IF YOU CAN ANSWER
THIS QUESTION BRIEFLY. ON PAGE
3, THE QUESTION THIS YOU HAVE
BIDS ALL OVER THE STATE IN TERMS
OF EVALUATING THOSE BIDS
WHATEVER IT IS IS THAT
EVALUATION TAKEN NONE OF THE
CENTRAL OFFICE IS IT DONE
INDIVIDUALLY WITH THE DISTRICT
OFFICES? I'M THINKING ABOUT THE
CONSISTENCY OF THE BEST VALUES. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND
SENATOR MY SENSE SAYS IT IS A
COLLABORATION THE DISTRICT
OFFICE IS VERY MUCH INVOLVED
WHEN IT COMES TO BEST VALUE OR
ANY CREDIBLE ALTERNATIVE
CONTRACT THINK WE HAVE EXPERTS
WITHIN OUR CENTRAL OFFICE IN
FINANCE AND ENGINEERING
DIVISIONS WERE VERY MUCH ENGAGED
IN ENSURING WE HAVE A
CONSISTENCY IN TERMS OF
PRACTICES. 
>>. . . [INAUDIBLE]. . .
[INAUDIBLE]. . . 
>> SENATOR FRENTZ. 
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. CHAIR
AND COMMISSIONER ZELLE I THINK
THAT COMPOSE THE QUESTION THAT
HAS A ONE WORD ANSWER AS
EVERYONE ON THE COMMITTEE KNOWS
HIGHWAY SAFETY IS A PRIORITY WE
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF FATALITIES
ON MINNESOTA ROADWAYS PER
PASSENGER MILE DRAMATICALLY
SINCE 1970. THE HARD PART FOR US
IS THE PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE SAVED
DON'T KNOW THEIR LIVES ARE SAVED
SO IT WILL CALL YOU BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T GET A CALL AT 2:00 IN THE
MORNING MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE
CAN YOU SURE EVERYONE ON THIS
COMMITTEE THAT SAFETY REMAINS
THE SAME LEVEL OF PRIORITY AS IT
ALWAYS HAS AS WE GO FORWARD? 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR YES. 
>> ENGINEERING EDUCATION THE
ENFORCEMENT ARE CRITICAL AND NEW
TECHNOLOGIES LIKE HYPERTENSION
CABLE MEDIAN IS SAVE LIVES A
LOT AND WE HEAR ABOUT. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. 
>> SENATOR CARLSON SENATOR
WESTROM DOES HAVE A QUESTION
ALSO. 
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR AND
COMMISSIONER, EITHER QUESTION
THAT CAME UP PROBABLY A YEAR-
AND-A-HALF FOR TWO YEARS AGO IT
RELATES TO THE 35 W BRIDGE
COLLAPSE THAT CAME DOWN ON
AUGUST 1ST OF 2007. IN ABOUT
THREE OR FIVE DAYS I HAD PULLED
OFF OF THE MNDOT WEBSITE ALL OF
THE INSPECTION REPORTS GOING
BACK AS FAR AS THEY EXISTED. NOW
YOU CAN'T GET THOSE THE PUBLIC
IS NOT ABLE TO GET THOSE I THINK
THEY'RE BEHIND A LOGIN IF I
REMEMBER CORRECTLY I'VE TRIED TO
GO IN THERE COUPLE OF TIMES AND
IT'S I'VE NEGLECTED TO CONTACT
THE OFFICE TO FIND OUT HOW THAT
CAN BE MADE ACCESSIBLE AGAIN?
IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOSEY I'M AN
ENGINEER AND I LIKE TO LOOK AT
THINGS LIKE THAT AND I LEARNED A
LOT BECAUSE I PULLED OFF THE 35
W ONCE I PULLED OUT AND THE
BRIDGE LIST BY THE WAY SENATOR
ANDERSON AND THE LAFAYETTE AS
WELL AS THE WINONA BRIDGE LATER
ON. I LOOKED AT EXACTLY WHAT THE
INSPECTORS WERE FINDING AND A
MAID NAMED COMFORTABLE AND
UNCOMFORTABLE WITH OUR BRIDGE
PROGRAM AND IT HELPED TO SUPPORT
MORE INSPECTION AND SOME OF THE
REMEDIATION THAT WE NEEDED TO
DO. WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THOSE
AVAILABLE IF POSSIBLE. 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR I WILL
INQUIRE AS TO WHAT THE STATUS OF
THE DISCLOSURE IS. I DON'T HAVE
AN ANSWER FOR YOU BUT WE CAN GET
BACK TO YOU I DO KNOW AFTER THE
35 W BRIDGE COLLAPSED AND AS YOU
CAN IMAGINE THERE WAS A VERY
COMPLICATED SET OF LITIGATION
THAT INVOLVED A LOT OF PARTIES
AND INCLUDING THE ULTIMATE
STUDIES THAT SHOWED IT HAD A
NUMBER OF REASONS WHY THAT
HAPPENED ON THAT DAY. I KNOW
EVEN TODAY THERE'S A NUMBER OF
INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN
SEQUESTERED FOR THAT PURPOSE I
DON'T KNOW THAT'S THE REASON WE
WILL FIND OUT I DO THINK
TRANSPARENCY IN TERMS OF WHAT
WE'RE DOING AND TRY AND GET AS
MUCH ON A WEBSITE IS POSSIBLE. 
>> MR. CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER,
THANKS FOR COMING HERE AND I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YEARS
LATER OR THREE YEARS LATER AND
FOR WORKING OUT THE SPEED LIMIT
INCREASE TO 60 MI. AN HOUR I
DON'T BUT WE FORGOT ABOUT
CONSTITUENTS IN MY AREA
APPRECIATE IT AND WERE
FRUSTRATED WHEN YOU'RE STILL ON
THE ROSETTE OR 55. IT'S NOT MY
QUESTION, TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING
ISSUE AND KIND OF BEEN BOTTLED
UP FOR A FEW YEARS WITH SOME
REFORMS. ONE OF THEM BEING
ALLOWING CONTRACTORS TO CALL
WEIGHTS THAT WE ALLOW OTHER
INDUSTRIES TO CALL ON OUR ROADS
IT'S SOMETHING MORE ABOUT 80 OR
90,000 THAT HAVE A THIRD AXLE ON
THEIR TRAILER AND IT SEEMS LIKE
THAT'S BEEN RESISTED YET THERE
IS SAVINGS THAT IT WOULD RESULT
IN THE BIDS THEY GIVE US
ACCORDING TO THEIR INFORMATION.
I'M JUST INTERESTED IN YOUR
PERSPECTIVE OR WILLINGNESS TO
LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE REFORMS
WITH OR WITHOUT NEW DOLLARS
INJECTED INTO THE CURRENT GAS
TAX IT STRUCK ME ALL THE TIME
THAT WITHOUT MAKING EFFICIENCY
REFORMS IT DOESN'T USUALLY HELP
TO RAISE THE TICKET PRICE WHEN
YOU HAVE REAL OTHER AREAS OF
REAL SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES AT
THE SAME TIME OR FIRST. I WOULD
LIKE TO HAVE YOU ADDRESS THAT
BRIEFLY. 
>> MR. CHAIR AND SENATOR WESTROM
THANK YOU. I REALLY DEFER TO
OUR SAFETY AND ENGINEERING
EXPERTS I CERTAINLY A BAD
PHILOSOPHY OF FLEXIBILITY AND
BASE GOOD DECISIONS ON FACTS I
THINK IN THIS CASE THE FACTS
THERE SOME CONTRADICTORY FAX
THERE'S SOME STUDIES TO SHOW
THIS GREAT EFFICIENCY AND WITH
ADDITIONAL AXLE MAYBE AT THE
WEIGHT PER AXLE WHAT REALLY
MATTERS EXCEPT THAN AVERAGE
ENGINEERS SAYING NOT SO FAST AND
THE STATE PATROL AND SOME LOCAL
SHERIFFS AND COUNTIES HAVE
STRONG OPINIONS SAYING THERE IS
A MAJOR SAFETY RISK WITH HEAVY
VEHICLES. I THINK IT'S
COMPLICATED IT'S BEEN
COMPLICATED POLITICALLY IT'S
COMPLICATED IN TERMS OF THE FAX
I THINK WE WERE RELYING FOR A
WHILE ON THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY
STUDY THAT WOULD GIVE MORE
GUIDANCE SO THERE WOULD BE
CONSISTENCY AMONG STATES AND I
THINK THAT STUDY CAME OUT WITH
ANY GREATER CLARITY THAN WAS
THERE BEFORE I THINK IT SERVES
AS ONE THAT SHOULD CONTINUE AND
IS GOING TO BE CONTINUING TO BE
PART OF THE CONVERSATION HERE I
CERTAINLY OFFER OUR EXPERTS TO
THE EXTENT WE CAN HELP KIND OF
GIVE YOU A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT
THE FACTS WE DO KNOW ARE ON BAD
BUT I HAVE LEARNED IT'S NOT
QUITE AS CLEAR ONE WHERE THE
OTHER S I INITIALLY HAD
THOUGHTS. 
>> COMMISSIONER I WANT TO
EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR
YOUR COMING IN TODAY, AND
ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT AND PUT
YOU AS BEST YOU CAN I WISH YOU A
SAFE JOURNEY BRITISH YOU'RE
GOING IN A HURRY. 
>> I'M GOING TO ROSEVILLE AND I
WILL DRIVE SAFELY I APPRECIATE
THE TIMING AND ALSO YOUR
WONDERFUL QUESTIONS AND MYSELF
AND OUR DEPARTMENT WE DO WANT TO
STAND AS WONDERFUL WILLING
PARTNERS OF BOTH INFORMATION AND
POLICY IDEAS WHATEVER QUESTIONS
YOU HAVE OF ITS A GREAT HONOR TO
SERVE YOU AND THE PEOPLE OF
MINNESOTA. 
>> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ONE
ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE WE ADJOURN,
SENATOR DIBBLE HAS REQUESTED I
INDICATED THAT HE HAD A NUMBER
OF QUESTIONS THAT HE FEELS IN
ALL LIKELIHOOD WILL BE ADDRESSED
AT THE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE
MEETING THAT'S IN THE BASEMENT
8:03 A.M. IN THE SENATE OFFICE
BUILDING TOMORROW MORNING IF
FOLKS WANT TO GO TO THAT I
WANTED TO MAKE THAT
ANNOUNCEMENT. I'VE BEEN
CORRECTED ITS IN THE STATE
OFFICE BUILDING. IT IS WITH THE
TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE HAD A 30
IF YOU WISH TO GO AND WITH THAT
ANY ELSE ANYONE WANTS TO BRING
UP OTHERWISE WE ARE GOING TO
ADJOURN? WE ARE ADJOURNED.
