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o <br /> <br />Projects with an assured local (non federal funds) match of at least <br />20 percent of the estimated total cost of the proposed project. <br /> <br />Discussion...The ISTEA requires a non federal match of at least 20 percent of project <br />costs. Assurance of this required local match by the proposer at the time of <br />application indicates a necessary level of support by the proposer to immediately <br />proceed with project development and implementation. <br /> <br />Projects for which the proposer assures it will operate and maintain <br />the property and facility for the useful life of the improvement and <br />not change the use of any right of way acquired without prior <br />approval from the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the <br />Federal Highway Administration. <br /> <br />Discussion...The Federal Highway Adminisn-ation (FHWA) requires that states agree to <br />operate and maintain facilities constructed with federal transportation funds for the <br />useful life of the improvement and not change the use of any right of way acquired <br />without prior approval from the FHWA. For projects implemented with Enhancements <br />funds this requirement should be applied to the project proposer. <br /> <br />Projects submitted through/by: 1) cities over 5,000 population, <br />2) counties, or 3) state agencies. <br /> <br />Discussion...State statutes require that all federal funds received in the state of <br />Minnesota be received and disbursed by the designated state agency. Under current <br />designation the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) must function as <br />the administrator of these funds. Federal transportation funds, even though destined <br />for county or municipal projects, have been disbursed through the Mn/DOT Division <br />of State Aid. State Aid has historically worked exclusively with cities over 5,000 <br />population and counties, because federal aid routes were only located there. With <br />ISTEA, projects within smaller cities and townships may now be eligible for <br />federal-aid. However, State Aid is not staffed to handle the increased volume of <br />federal-mid projects that may result from the Transportation Enhancements program. <br />Also, financial accounts and procedures are not established for smaller cities and <br />townships, and the Attorney General believes it is inappropriate to use the State Aid <br />Accounts for processing projects from non-state mid agencies. Therefore, for the <br />duration of this interim program, all projects must be submitted through a <br />state-aid-eligible agency (cities over 5,000 or counties) or through a state agency. <br />This requirement limits proposers to a discrete number of responsible parties and still <br />allows reasonable access to Enhancements funds throughout the state. Cities under <br />5,000 population, townships, neighborhood organizations and others witl need to work <br />with and through larger cities, counties, or state agencies to propose projects. <br />Enhancements funds are available as a reimbursement program administered by the <br />FHWA. This reimbursement program requires that the state front end all eligible <br />project costs. The state is then reimbursed with federal highway funds for the federal <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br /> <br />