On February 22, 2024, Associate Policy Director Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in support of SB 514- State Highways- Sidewalks and Bicycle Pathways- Maintenance and Repair. This bill removes the requirement that local governments must maintain and repair sidewalks on state-owned and constructed roads.
"Great Recession" era cuts to highway user revenues (the share of state transportation revenues sent for local roadway maintenance) have left local transportation infrastructure far underfunded for 15 years. Properly aligning the burdens of repair and maintenance of sidewalks and bicycle pathways constructed along state highways, ultimately provides counties more flexibility and allows for resources to be redirected to services that benefit our mutual constituents.
From MACo Testimony:
SB 514 addresses a longstanding quirk in state law, where the State designs, builds, and maintains its own network of highways across the State, but the local government has the odd duty to maintain sidewalks adjacent to these roads it does not control. Proper care of the roadway should include its full scope, from the surface itself, to underground conduits, to amenities like bicycle lanes and sidewalks. SB 514 brings this responsibility under the entity who built, owns, and maintains the road itself.
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