Section 6.04. Distribution of federal aids.

 

(1)  The state's annual apportionment of federal section 18 funds shall be distributed as follows:

(a) Up to 10% will be reserved by the department for administrative and technical assistance purposes. Such technical assistance may include project planning, program development, management development, coordination of public transportation programs and research the department deems appropriate to promote effective means of delivering public transportation services in areas other than urbanized areas. Any uncommitted balance of the state's apportionment of administrative funds from a preceding project year may be used during subsequent years until the balance is depleted.

(b) Apportionments are initially available for operating assistance grants to eligible applicants, but when combined with state s. 85.20 , Stats., operating assistance funds are limited to the lesser of either 70% of the total eligible operating expenses or the operating project cost. No city or village shall be appropriate for a municipal bus transportation system for purposes of receiving federal section 18 funds unless the system is approved by action of its governing body and by referendum vote of its electorate pursuant to s. 66.0803 (2) (a) , Stats.

(c) Any balance remaining in the apportionment referred to in par. (b) after operating assistance limits are met under par. (b) shall be available to all eligible applicants for capital grants awarded in accordance with criteria set forth under s. Trans 6.06 .

(d) Any balance remaining in the apportionment after capital assistance needs are met under par. (c) shall be available to all eligible applicants for operating assistance beyond the 70% limitation initially imposed in par. (b) , not to exceed 50% of the operating project cost.

(e) Not less than 5% of the apportionment made available to the state shall be used for the development and support of intercity bus service. Eligible activities under this program may include planning and marketing, capital grants for intercity bus shelters, joint-use stops and depots, operating grants through purchase-of-service agreements, user-side subsidies and demonstration projects, and coordination of rural connections between small transit operations and intercity bus carriers. This requirement is effective unless the governor certifies that the intercity bus service needs of the state are adequately being met.

(2)  Any uncommitted balances of the state's apportionments or any unexpended balances from previous obligations shall be carried forward to the following year.

History: Cr. Register, April, 1984, No. 340 , eff. 5-1-84; emerg., am. (1) (c), eff. 2-12-85; emerg. am. (1) (c), eff. 6-5-85; am. (2), Register, November, 1985, No. 359 , eff. 12-1-85; am. (1) (c), cr. (1) (d), Register, December, 1989, No. 408 , eff. 1-1-90; emerg. r. (1) (b), renum. (1) (c) and (d) to be (1) (b) and (c) and am., cr. (1) (d), eff. 2-20-92; r. (1) (b), renum. (1) (c) and (d) to be (1) (b) and (c) and am., cr. (1) (d), Register, June, 1992, No. 438 , eff. 7-1-92; cr. (1) (e) Register, January, 1993, No. 445 , eff. 2-1-93; am. (1) (e), Register, July, 1996, No. 487 , eff. 8-1-96; correction in (1) (b) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7. , Stats., Register March 2012 No. 675 .