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the costs of building streets in contexts <br />where facilities for cyclists and <br />pedestrians are unnecessary or <br />inappropriate. <br />LE-38. Safe Routes to School <br />Grants Management <br />Issue: The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) <br />Program provides funding support for <br />capital projects that promote and encourage <br />more students to walk or bicycle to school <br />by making the school routes safer and more <br />accessible. <br />The following are some types of SRTS <br />infrastructure improvement grants that are <br />provided by the state and offered through <br />the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation <br />(MnDOT): <br />• School site improvements: secure <br />bicycle parking facilities, traffic <br />diversion improvements, and <br />Americans with Disabilities Act <br />(ADA) improvements; <br />• Pedestrian facilities: new sidewalk, <br />sidewalk gap closures, and related <br />ADA improvements; <br />• Bicycle facilities: bicycle trails, <br />separated multi -use or shared paths <br />and related ADA improvements; and <br />• Traffic calming and crossing <br />improvements: curb extensions, <br />speed humps, median refuges, <br />enhanced crosswalk markings, timed <br />on/off beacons, vehicle feedback <br />signs (dynamic speed signs), and <br />other traffic control devices. <br />Cities that receive municipal state aid <br />(MSA)--those with populations above <br />5,000--may apply for and administer their <br />own SRTS grants. Non-MSA cities, even <br />those with a city engineer on staff or <br />contract, must rely on the county to manage <br />any grant funds secured as well as to <br />approve the project design. In some cities, <br />this requirement has led to project delays <br />and disputes with counties over project <br />design and delivery. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities supports changes to MnDOT rules <br />to allow small cities that have the capacity <br />to manage SRTS grants and projects to <br />do so without county approval. <br />LE-39. 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 />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2018 City Policies Page 77 <br />