Florida Senate - 2014                                    SB 1622
       
       
        
       By Senator Abruzzo
       
       
       
       
       
       25-01467-14                                           20141622__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to municipal road projects; providing
    3         a short title; creating the Disadvantaged Cities Road
    4         Assistance Program within the Department of
    5         Transportation to provide funding for certain road
    6         projects; defining the term “disadvantaged city”;
    7         providing criteria for selection of municipalities to
    8         receive funding; authorizing the department to
    9         administer contracts on behalf of a municipality;
   10         requiring funded projects to be included in the
   11         department’s work program; providing an effective
   12         date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Disadvantaged cities road improvement.—
   17         (1) This section may be cited as the “Disadvantaged Cities
   18  Road Improvement Act.”
   19         (2) The Legislature recognizes that it is in the public
   20  interest to provide a source of funding for disadvantaged cities
   21  to resurface or reconstruct municipal roads. The Legislature
   22  finds that investment in disadvantaged cities that meet the
   23  criteria in this section has a high probability of creating
   24  jobs, increasing economic activity, improving safety, and
   25  increasing property values to assist disadvantaged cities to
   26  achieve and maintain economic sustainability.
   27         (3) There is created the Disadvantaged Cities Road
   28  Assistance Program within the Department of Transportation. The
   29  purpose of the program is to assist disadvantaged municipal
   30  governments in resurfacing or reconstructing municipal roads.
   31         (4) As used in this section, the term “disadvantaged city”
   32  means a municipality:
   33         (a) That has a population of 40,000 or less according to
   34  the most recent federal census;
   35         (b) With at least 25 percent of its population below the
   36  poverty level; and
   37         (c) That has a combined millage rate exceeding 8.5 mills in
   38  its most recent fiscal year.
   39         (5) Beginning with fiscal year 2014-2015, up to $25 million
   40  annually from the State Transportation Trust Fund may be used
   41  for the purposes of funding the Disadvantaged Cities Road
   42  Assistance Program.
   43         (6) Disadvantaged cities may compete for funds that have
   44  been designated for the program for resurfacing or
   45  reconstruction projects on roads that were part of the municipal
   46  road system on January 1, 2010. Capacity improvements on
   47  municipal roads are not eligible for funding under the program.
   48         (a) In determining a municipality’s eligibility for funds
   49  under the program, the department may consider whether the
   50  municipality has attempted to keep its roads in satisfactory
   51  condition. The department may also consider the extent to which
   52  the municipality has offered to provide a match of local funds
   53  for the state funds provided under the program. To receive funds
   54  under the program, a municipality must provide at least 25
   55  percent of the total project cost.
   56         (b) The following criteria must be used to prioritize road
   57  projects for funding:
   58         1. The primary criteria are:
   59         a. The physical condition of the road as measured by the
   60  department.
   61         b. Whether the road is to be resurfaced or reconstructed as
   62  part of a municipality’s comprehensive resurfacing or
   63  reconstruction of the road, including whether the municipality
   64  will contemporaneously install or repair utilities related to
   65  the road, including water, sewer, drainage, or sidewalks.
   66         2. The secondary criteria are:
   67         a. Whether the road is used as an evacuation route or leads
   68  to an evacuation route.
   69         b. Whether the road is within a 1-mile radius of a school.
   70         (7) The Department of Transportation may administer
   71  contracts on behalf of a municipality selected to receive
   72  funding for a project under this section. All projects funded
   73  under this section shall be included in the department’s work
   74  program.
   75         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.