Andrea Mansfield, MACo Legislative Director, testified to the House Environment and Transportation Committee on March 12, 2015 to support HB 762, State Highway Administration- Entrance to State Highway- Permit Process. This bill clarifies the process which State Highway Administration grants entrance permits to certain highways for commercial and industrial properties. Specifically, this bill would require the State Highway Administration make a decision to grant or deny an entrance permit within 45 days of the receipt of the request.

The written testimony explains:

As the bill’s fiscal note indicates, SHA responds to most permit applications within a reasonable amount of time. However, there are circumstances where a response seems unnecessarily delayed or it is not clear why a permit was denied. This can cause both local governments and developers to expend needless time and resources while waiting for an answer that is often not accompanied by any explanation. HB 762 would address these concerns in a reasonable manner.

 For more on MACo 2015 legislation, visit the Legislative Database.