Senator Draheim supports comprehensive transportation plan to improve roads and bridges without a gas tax increase

St. Paul – On Thursday, the Minnesota Senate approved a comprehensive, bipartisan transportation budget that invests billions over the next two years in the state’s transportation infrastructure without a gas tax, mileage tax, sales tax, or license tab fee increase. 

“We should be constantly looking for ways to improve the safety and functionality of our infrastructure,” said Senator Rich Draheim (R-Madison Lake). “This bipartisan legislation will let us to continue to fund our infrastructure, while allowing us to study new and better ways to improve what we currently have without a gas or mileage tax.”

The transportation budget provides $3.03 billion for state road construction, development, and maintenance; $2.25 billion for County and Municipal State Aid Roads; and $334 million for Corridors of Commerce. The bill also provides $60 million for local and small bridges and $18.5 million for the Local Road Improvement Program. The bill also provides unprecedented levels of new, ongoing funding for small city and township roads.

The transportation budget will improve convenience and ease stress for Minnesota drivers by allowing Minnesotans to purchase their license tabs and replacement license plates from fully-automated kiosks; by allowing third-party locations to offer road tests in order to clear out the backlog of students waiting to take their driver’s test; by permitting driver’s education students to take the classroom portion of their instruction online; and by creating a pilot program where Minnesotans could receive their standard driver’s license card the same day they renew their license or pass their driving test.

A number of other key provisions are included in the legislation:

  • $35 million to protect children at school bus stops by equipping every school bus in Minnesota with cameras to catch stop-arm violators.
  • $1 million dollars for the successful Safe Routes to Schools program, which aims to improve student safety and reduce traffic near schools.
  • Protects statewide taxpayers by shifting the responsibility for funding current and future light rail development to counties instead of the state of Minnesota.
  • $267 million over the next two years for the state patrol, including $9.1 million to hire 25 new troopers and $6.3 million to meet their request for body cameras.
  • Shifts essential programs, such as emergency 9-1-1 radio communications, to the general fund.