New bill would add state support for township roads and bridges; sponsor says rural townships are underfunded

ST. PAUL — Representative Keith Allen introduced House File 1463, a proposal to increase state support for township roads and bridges. The committee laid the bill over for further consideration and received testimony from the Minnesota Association of Townships about the scale of the need.

Allen, a former township supervisor, described a bridge in his township that failed inspection and was closed unexpectedly, creating “a very large hardship on our community.” He said township roads handle first-mile access for emergency services, agricultural commerce and residents traveling to schools and recreation sites.

Graham Moberg of the Minnesota Association of Townships testified that the association represents nearly all of Minnesota’s 1,776 townships and that townships oversee roughly 55,000 miles of road. He told the committee that inflation and underinvestment have left more than 350 bridges on a deficiency list, citing local projects that were stalled for lack of funds. Moberg said some townships lack staff and a robust tax base and warned of severe consequences for rural residents and local economies if underinvestment continues.

Representative Tabke and others questioned whether statewide revenue should be routed to local road projects and cautioned about trade-offs in the transportation budget. Representative Cagle offered an amendment to add a reporting requirement so local recipients compile and submit reports on how interest earnings or related funds are used.

Why it matters: Township roads and bridges provide critical first-mile access for emergency services, agriculture and tourism in rural Minnesota. Testimony highlighted structural underfunding and the effect of inflation on bridge projects.

Action: House File 1463 was laid over for further consideration; Representative Cagle’s reporting amendment was discussed and retained for future work.