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able to use county municipal accounts <br />and the 5 percent account of the HUTDF. <br />Uses of county municipal accounts should <br />be statutorily modified so counties can <br />dedicate these funds for local arterials <br />and collector streets within cities under <br />5,000 population. In addition, the 5 <br />percent set -aside account in the highway <br />user distribution fund should be used to <br />meet this funding gap. <br />Finally, state leaders should equitably <br />distribute transit resources so that <br />residents of small cities have adequate <br />access to transit services. <br />LE-37. Complete Streets <br />Issue: There is increasing public support <br />for the reform of local street design policies <br />to make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists <br />and neighborhood residents. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities supports reforms in state design <br />guidelines for local streets that would give <br />cities greater flexibility to safely <br />accommodate all modes of travel, <br />including walking and biking. The state <br />should also provide incentives such as <br />grants to local units of government <br />working to advance complete street <br />projects. Crosswalks and Safe Routes to <br />School projects should be eligible for <br />incentives. <br />The League opposes state imposed <br />unfunded mandates that would increase <br />the costs of building streets in contexts <br />where facilities for cyclists and <br />pedestrians are unnecessary or <br />inappropriate. <br />LE-38. Railroads <br />Issue: Railroads impose far-reaching and <br />long-term impacts on communities. The <br />impact of railroads on communities has <br />become more pronounced in Minnesota as <br />the number and length of trains have <br />increased due to frac sand and crude oil <br />entering the state by rail to and from North <br />Dakota. While railroads often support <br />economic activity and can relieve pressure <br />on roadway and bridge infrastructure, they <br />also bring noise, environmental impacts and <br />safety challenges. Below are some of the <br />concerns cities have raised about railroads: <br />a) Local public safety personnel are <br />underequipped to respond to a potential <br />derailment of a train carrying hazardous <br />materials such as crude oil or nuclear <br />products. <br />b) The cost -share ratio related to roadway <br />crossing improvements is borne <br />disproportionately by the public sector. <br />Some estimates are 80 percent public to <br />20 percent private funding, regardless of <br />the public entity's ability to pay or <br />whether service is provided within the <br />community. Funding has not kept pace <br />with the growing need for grade <br />separations. <br />c) Legislation brought by the railroad <br />industry that would exempt railroads <br />from stormwater fees and assessments <br />and shift the cost of complying with <br />stormwater management to other <br />property owners. <br />d) The financial burden is faced by the <br />public sector to deal with mitigation <br />improvements, a cost that the Surface <br />Transportation Board (STB) is not <br />requiring the private sector to pay. <br />e) At -grade crossings are blocked by both <br />long moving trains and by trains that <br />stop and remain stopped, sometimes for <br />hours at a time. Blocked crossings delay <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2015 City Policies Page 70 <br />