11-17-2008 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Road Advisory Minutes-November 17, 2008 ROAD ADVISORY COMMITTEE NOVEMBER 17, 2008-2:00 PM 1. MEETING TO ORDER Commissioner Vern Bennett called a meeting of the Road Advisory Committee to order at 2:00 PM on Monday November 17, 2008, in the Commission Room, Cass County Courthouse. Members were present as follows: Vern Bennett, Ken Pawluk, Scott Wagner, Darrell Vanyo, Keith Berndt, Robyn Sorum, Rich Sieg, Jurgen Suhr and Mark Johnson. Scott Saewert was absent. 2. 2009 LEGISLATIVE ISSUES, Discussion Mr. Berndt distributed a handout outlining three legislative issues, including Highway Funding, Side Path Law and Power Distribution. These will be addressed at the 2009 Legislative Session. Mr. Berndt outlined Highway Funding using graphs which illustrated that in the last three years asphalt bid prices increased 71 %. An additional graph showed a 162% increase between 1998 and 2008. He stated that buying power of the Highway Distribution fund has diminished. He is recommending seeking more state funding into the fund and is requesting the committee's support on this matter. NDCC 39.10.1-05.3 addresses a Side Path Law, which states wherever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and may not use the roadway. The law has been repealed by other states in response to cyclist objections and liability exposure. There may be difficulties with Federal Aid project funding if jurisdictions wish to construct on road bicycle provisions and sidewalks. Mr. Berndt recommends that Cass County advocates repealing the Side Path Law. Mr. Pawluk asked if the Side Path Law has to potential to lessen dollars for roadways. Mr. Berndt replied that, if a road was built with a widened lane to accommodate bikes on the road it would result in that project being more expensive, but would not result in fewer federal dollars. Mr. Berndt also spoke about Power Distribution and presented some research as completed by Tim Solberg, County Planner. North Dakota has a tremendous potential for wind energy. Transmission capacity is a significant constraint. Improving transmission may require efforts at Federal, State and Local levels. The largest issue facing Cass County is the impact transmission lines to distribute wind power would have on the landowner and regulating authorities and how this impact may affect future development in the state. A recent case of a transmission line which was pursued and constructed by Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc. and Otter Tail Power Company connecting a wind farm project located around Luverne and Pillsbury, ND to the Maple River Substation in Fargo, in which landowners and townships of Cass County were faced with an unfamiliar and burdensome situation. This included easements and conditional use permits in which landowners and townships supervisors were unaware of how neighbors and neighboring townships may be affected. The results were less than ideal. As a result of these issues a more centralized siting process for energy transmission in North Dakota was indicated. As the current trend is leaning toward more renewable energy, the state may need to be responsive in a timelier manner. The