§ 32-5-27 - Allocation formula development and implementation - Georgia Statutes

O.C.G.A. 32-5-27 (2010)
32-5-27. Allocation formula development and implementation

(a) The Planning Division of the department and the director of planning shall develop an allocation formula for:

(1) A state-wide transportation asset management program;

(2) A state-wide transportation asset improvement program; and

(3) A local maintenance and improvement grant program.

Funds from the State Public Transportation Fund shall be allocated by the department pursuant to such formula as further defined in subsections (b) through (d) of this Code section and as appropriated by the General Assembly. Every four years, concurrent with the renewal of the state-wide strategic transportation plan, the division and the director shall update the data used in the allocation formula and shall review the distributional components of the formula and at such time may amend the formula as necessary to support implementation of the plans provided for in Code Section 32-2-22.

(b) Funds appropriated for the state-wide transportation asset management program shall be allocated pursuant to the long-range state-wide strategic transportation plan and shall be available for administration, maintenance, operations, and rehabilitation of infrastructure.

(c) (1) Funds allocated for the state-wide transportation asset improvement program shall be allocated for capital construction projects, which may include new capacity, expansion of current infrastructure, safety improvements, or completion of, additions to, and capital improvement of state strategic corridors and economic development highways, including but not limited to those identified pursuant to Code Section 32-4-22. Recommendations for appropriation to the state-wide transportation asset improvement program shall include consideration of current and future regional population and regional employment. Local funding matches may be required.

(2) A portion of this allocation shall be a specific itemized and prioritized project list and such portion shall be not less than 10 percent nor more than 20 percent of the aggregate allocation from the State Public Transportation Fund, subject to and consistent with the provisions of the state-wide transportation improvement program, for such fiscal year. In developing such project list the division and the director may accept project recommendations from the Transportation Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Governor, metropolitan planning organizations, and nonmetropolitan areas. Such projects shall be prioritized in accordance with the state-wide strategic transportation plan. The division and the director shall submit such prioritized capital construction projects to the Governor for consideration in advance of the legislative session each year. The Governor shall submit all or a portion of such capital construction project requests as part of the Governor's budget recommendations to the General Assembly. The General Assembly may appropriate funds to any project on the prioritized project list.

(3) In addition to the portion of the state-wide transportation asset improvement program subject to the 10 percent limitation in paragraph (2) of this subsection, additional funds from the State Public Transportation Fund may be allocated to the state-wide transportation asset improvement program that are not subject to specific project selection.

(d) Funds allocated for the local maintenance and improvement grant program shall replace funds formerly available under the local assistance road program and state-aid program and shall be allocated by the Local Grants Division of the department to local governing authorities as grants or otherwise according to a funding formula developed by the division and the director. Such formula shall include considerations of paved and unpaved lane miles and vehicle miles traveled and may include population, employment, and local funding matches available, as well as other factors as may be determined by the division and the director. Funds allocated each fiscal year for the local maintenance and improvement grant program shall be not less than 10 percent nor more than 20 percent of the money derived from motor fuel taxes received by the state in the immediately preceding fiscal year, less the amount of refunds, rebates, and collection costs authorized by law and shall be used only for the purposes available for the proceeds of such taxes. Grants of such funds shall include provisions requiring adherence to adequate roadway standards, accounting practices, and applicable transportation plans. Additional allocations to this program from other funding sources shall be allocated subject to the requirements for usage attached to such funds.

(e) Funds allocated or appropriated pursuant to the provisions of this Code section shall not be subject to redirection or reservation pursuant to Chapter 12 of Title 45 or to budgetary reduction except as provided by subparagraph (b) of Paragraph VI of Section IX of Article III of the Constitution.

(f) Information pertaining to all funds received and expended by, through, or from the department, including but not limited to project numbers, let dates, estimated costs, actual costs, estimated completion date, status, priority ranking, congressional, House, and Senate districts, vendor names, contract amounts, and other pertinent contract information, shall be published on the website of the department as data in structured format. As used in this subsection, 'structured format' means data that is presented in machine readable format.