Transportation Committee

Regarding Policy Statements . . .

Committee policy statements are a compilation of various issues/beliefs that members have identified as major concerns and goals of county government. A “policy statement” provides guidance to staff, legislators, and the public on MACo’s position regarding possible legislation and/or issues that may arise during a legislative session and the Interim.

Transportation Committee Policy Statements

1. MACo promotes, offers suggestions and new ideas, investigates methods, and researches costs of providing improved and economical transportation for the public.
2. MACo advocates for coordination of transportation planning between units of local government.
3. MACo supports using and planning county roads as tools to encourage proper land use to include a primary focus on farm-to-market activities. The location of roads is a major factor in the pattern of controlled land development. Carefully planned road locations and reconstruction may promote proper land use as well as economic efficiencies in the use of limited transportation funds.
4. MACo urges legislation or policy aimed at placing disposition of road funds at the county level.
5. MACo supports individual counties developing road and bridge standards applicable to the county situation.
6. MACo works with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) on the maintenance responsibilities.
7. MACo supports legislation to secure state and federal assistance in the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges used for recreational purposes or for access to public lands while granting counties greater discretion in determining road status and funding priorities.
8. MACo supports uniform procedures for posting private land. Such posting procedures are warranted due to their applicability to gas tax revenue determination.
9. MACo supports any state effort on behalf of infrastructure funding.
10. MACo supports allocation of and efficient utilization of state and federal funding to provide technical assistance, safety and operator training, and risk management to local government employees across the state and opposes using these resources to grant writing and research, believing that such diversion weakens the level of services provided to Local Governments.
11. MACo supports airport infrastructure funding that addresses the needs of both primary and non-primary airports due to the economic importance of a strong system of airports.
12. MACo supports the reasonable development and long-term availability of sites for public source materials for use in public projects.

Guidelines for Selection and Development of Pavement
Treatments on the Secondary Road System

System Responsibility

MDT assumes responsibility for all paved roads on the approved Secondary System.  Responsibilities include:

• Day-to-day maintenance of paved surface and its appurtenances;
• Pavement preservation;
• Rehabilitation and reconstruction;
• Plowing and sanding (county and state partnership); and
• Counties will maintain gravel surfaces.

(These guidelines for secondary roads were implemented under SB 333, 1999 Session of Montana Legislature.)