Governor Signs Landmark $1.35 Billion Transportation Funding Bill

Press Release

Governor Signs Landmark $1.35 Billion Transportation Funding Bill

Provides Disaster Assistance Funding for Cities, Counties and Townships

Gov. John Hoeven today signed SB2012, a $1.35 billion landmark transportation funding bill that includes an unprecedented $138 million in state General Fund dollars on top of $176 million in one-time federal stimulus funding for a total of nearly $315 million. The legislation will fund maintenance and enhancements of the state's infrastructure, as well as grants for immediate assistance to cities, counties and townships working to address weather- and flood-related damage to their roads.

Joining Hoeven for the signing were Sen. Majority Leader Bob Stenehjem; House Majority Leader Al Carlson; Senate Minority Leader Dave O'Connell; House Minority Leader Merle Boucher; Sen. Rich Wardner; Sen. John Warner; Rep. Jeff Delzer; and Rep. Lee Kaldor; Senate Transportation Committee Chair Gary Lee; House Transportation Committee Chair Dan Ruby; and Director of the North Dakota Department of Transportation Francis Ziegler.

"With the impacts of heavy snowfalls and subsequent widespread flooding this spring, it is clear that we need to make more funding available to cities, counties and townships," Hoeven said

Cities and counties will get their relative portion of the additional $120 million in general fund dollars Hoeven proposed in his executive budget prior to the legislative session, plus a similar share of the $43 million extra to help cover the local share for both snow removal and flood recovery activities in the aftermath of severe winter weather and subsequent statewide flooding. Townships will receive fully double the amount that they previously received. Overall, local subdivisions will see a nearly 83 percent increase in funding.

"This is a comprehensive package for transportation and disaster assistance. In addition to increases in our normal highway funding, which is based on the state gas tax plus federal matching funds, we have added nearly $180 million in fiscal stimulus funding and almost $140 million from the general fund," Hoeven said. "That will take us from about $903 million in the current biennium to about $1.35 billion. Combine that with the estimated $150 million in federal disaster aid we are pushing for, and we will be devoting about $1.5 billion to transportation, including almost $600 million more to rebuild our roads and help cities, counties and townships recover from statewide flooding. "

"Few things are more important this session than addressing the highway needs caused by the excess snow, and spring floods," said House Majority Leader Al Carlson. "This bill is a great effort toward that end. The need was now and we stepped up and delivered a great bill for the citizens of North Dakota."

"Cities, counties and townships clearly demonstrated the need for enhanced infrastructure funding," said Senate Majority Leader Bob Stenehjem. "Now is the time to leverage fiscal stimulus funds, general funds, and disaster funds, along with our normal transportation funding, to help the entire state recover from a very difficult winter and spring."

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