28-6308. Regional planning agency transportation policy committee; regional transportation plan; plan review process; committee termination

A. The regional planning agency in the county shall establish a transportation policy committee consisting of twenty-three members as follows:

1. Seventeen members of the regional planning agency, including one member of the state transportation board who represents the county, one member of the county board of supervisors and one member representing Indian communities in the county.

2. Six members who represent regionwide business interests, one of whom must represent transit interests, one of whom must represent freight interests and one of whom must represent construction interests. The president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall each appoint three members to the committee pursuant to this paragraph. Members who are appointed pursuant to this paragraph serve six-year terms. The chairman of the regional planning agency may submit names to the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives for consideration for appointment to the transportation policy committee.

B. Through the regional planning agency, the transportation policy committee shall:

1. By a majority vote of the members, recommend approval of a twenty year comprehensive, performance based, multimodal and coordinated regional transportation plan in the county, including transportation corridors by priority and a schedule indicating the dates that construction will commence for projects contained in the plan.

2. Develop the plan in cooperation with the regional public transportation authority in the county and the department of transportation and in consultation with the county board of supervisors, Indian communities and cities and towns in the county.

3. Submit the plan for review by the regional public transportation authority in the county, the state board of transportation, the county board of supervisors, Indian communities and cities and towns in the county at the alternatives stage of the plan and the final draft stage of the plan. After reviewing the plan, the regional public transportation authority in the county, the county board of supervisors and the state board of transportation, by majority vote of the members of each entity within thirty days after receiving the plan, shall submit a written recommendation to the transportation policy committee that the plan be approved, modified or disapproved. Within thirty days after receiving the plan, Indian communities and cities and towns in the county may submit a written recommendation to the transportation policy committee that the plan be approved, modified or disapproved.

4. Consider plan modifications proposed by any of the entities as prescribed in paragraph 3 of this subsection.

5. By majority vote, approve, disapprove or further modify each proposed plan modification.

6. Provide a written response to the regional public transportation authority, the state board of transportation, the county board of supervisors and the entity that submitted the proposed modification within thirty days after the vote on the proposed modification explaining the affirmation, rejection or further modification of each proposed modification.

7. Recommend the plan to the regional planning agency for approval for an air quality conformity analysis.

C. The regional transportation plan:

1. Shall include the following transportation mode classifications with a revenue allocation to each classification consistent with section 42-6105, subsection D:

(a) Freeways and other routes in the state highway system.

(b) Major arterial streets and intersection improvements.

(c) Public transportation systems.

2. Shall provide a suggested construction schedule for the transportation projects contained in the plan.

3. May be annually updated to introduce new controlled access highways, related grade separations and transportation projects or to modify the existing plan.

4. Shall be developed to meet federal air quality requirements established for the region in which it is located.

D. Transportation excise tax revenues that are distributed pursuant to section 42-6105, subsection D shall not be redistributed or used for other transportation modes. Except as provided by section 28-6353, subsections D, E and F, transportation excise tax revenues that are dedicated in the plan to a specific project or transportation system may only be redistributed to or otherwise used for another project within the same transportation mode if approved by a majority vote of the transportation policy committee.

E. The committee established pursuant to this section ends on July 1, 2024 pursuant to section 41-3103.