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DOT omnibus bill would tweak local road aid and trigger debate over rail preservation language
Summary
The Department of Transportation’s omnibus bill (L.D. 154) would revise local road assistance eligibility and remove an unused secondary‑roads fund; stakeholders praised LRAP clarifications but rail‑preservation advocates warned that a proposed change could weaken review requirements before removing state‑owned rail.
Representative Lydia Crafts presented L.D. 154, a MaineDOT omnibus bill, on April 1, 2025. The bill proposes multiple changes to statutory transportation language: it would repeal an unused Secondary Road Program Fund, allow Local Road Assistance Program (LRAP) funds greater flexibility (including use for maintenance as well as capital projects), add major collector roadways to LRAP eligibility, and codify a long-standing practice of transferring unallocated highway-fund balances to the department’s capital program.
MaineDOT testimony: Megan Russo, director of government affairs at MaineDOT, said the changes reflect current practice and program structure. She told the committee the department’s preliminary review…
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