TRANS. ASSET MANAGEMENT H.B. 4979 (H-1): COMMITTEE SUMMARY
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House Bill 4979 (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Hoon-Yung Hopgood
House Committee: Transportation
Senate Committee: Transportation
Date Completed: 11-27-07
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Transportation Fund law to do the following:
-- Require the development of a pavement management system for each mile of roadway on the Federal-aid eligible highway system in the State, rather than on the National Highway System, as currently required.
-- Transfer the responsibility for developing the pavement management system from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to the Transportation Asset Management Council, in conjunction with MDOT and local governments.
-- Require MDOT and each local road agency to submit to the Transportation Asset Management Council an annual report containing its multiyear program, rather than develop and publish an annual multiyear program, as currently required.
-- Require each multiyear program to be consistent with MDOT's or the local agency's asset management process, and to be reported consistent with categories established by the Council.
Pavement Management System
Currently, the law requires MDOT, in conjunction with counties and municipalities, to develop and implement a pavement management system for each mile of highway on the National Highway System (NHS) in Michigan. Under the bill, the Transportation Asset Management Council would have that responsibility in conjunction with MDOT, counties, and municipalities, and the pavement management system would have to cover each mile of roadway on the Federal-aid eligible highway system in Michigan, rather than the NHS. (Please see BACKGROUND for information on the NHS and the Federal-aid eligible highway system.)
The Transportation Asset Management Council would have to provide local road agencies with the training needed to use the pavement management system in accordance with these provisions.
(The law defines "federal-aid eligible" as any public road or bridge that is eligible for Federal aid to be spent for the construction, repair, or maintenance of that road or bridge.)
Multiyear Program
The law requires MDOT, each county road commission, and each city and village annually to prepare and publish a multiyear program based on long-range plans and developed through the use of the asset management process required under the law.
Under the bill, those entities instead would have to submit to the Transportation Asset Management Council an annual report that included a multiyear program developed through the asset management process. The bill would remove the reference to long-range plans.
The bill would require MDOT's and each local road agency's annual multiyear program to be consistent with the Department's or agency's asset management process, and to be reported consistent with categories established by the Transportation Asset Management Council.
Currently, projects contained in each local road agency's annual multiyear program must be consistent with the goals and objectives of the agency's long-range plan. The bill would remove that provision.
Under the law, "multiyear program" means a compilation of road and bridge projects anticipated to be contracted for by MDOT or a local road agency during a three-year period. The bill would require the multiyear program to include a listing of each project to be funded in whole or in part with State or Federal funds.
The law specifies that a project funded, in whole or in part, with State or Federal funds must be included in any local road agency's multiyear plan. The bill would remove that provision.
MCL 247.651g & 247.659a
BACKGROUND
The National Highway System was established in 1995, and includes the Interstate Highway system and other key transportation routes across the country, designated because of their strategic or commercial importance. According to MDOT, there are about 4,720 miles of highway in Michigan that are part of the National Highway System, including 1,241 miles of Interstate highway, 3,207 miles of other state-owned routes, and 305 miles of roads under the jurisdiction of local governments.
There are about 33,504 miles of Federal-aid eligible highway in Michigan, consisting of 9,681 miles of State trunkline highways and about 23,823 miles of roads under the jurisdiction of local governments.
Legislative Analyst: Curtis Walker
FISCAL IMPACT
The Department notes that any increase in expenditures due to the expanded training requirements in the bill could be funded within the existing budget.
Fiscal Analyst: Debra Hollon
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4979/0708