The Florida Senate

¹339.2818  Small County Outreach Program.--

(1)  There is created within the Department of Transportation the Small County Outreach Program. The purpose of this program is to assist small county governments in resurfacing or reconstructing county roads or in constructing capacity or safety improvements to county roads.

(2)  For the purposes of this section, the term "small county" means any county that has a population of 150,000 or less as determined by the most recent official estimate pursuant to s. 186.901

(3)  Funds allocated under this program, pursuant to s. 4, ch. 2000-257, Laws of Florida, are in addition to any funds provided pursuant to s. 339.2816, for the Small County Road Assistance Program.

(4)(a)  Small counties shall be eligible to compete for funds that have been designated for the Small County Outreach Program for projects on county roads. The department shall fund 75 percent of the cost of projects on county roads funded under the program.

(b)  In determining a county's eligibility for assistance under this program, the department may consider whether the county has attempted to keep county roads in satisfactory condition.

(c)  The following criteria shall be used to prioritize road projects for funding under the program:

1.  The primary criterion is the physical condition of the road as measured by the department.

2.  As secondary criteria the department may consider:

a.  Whether a road is used as an evacuation route.

b.  Whether a road has high levels of agricultural travel.

c.  Whether a road is considered a major arterial route.

d.  Whether a road is considered a feeder road.

e.  Other criteria related to the impact of a project on the public road system or on the state or local economy as determined by the department.

(5)  The department is authorized to administer contracts on behalf of a county selected to receive funding for a project under this section. All projects funded under this section shall be included in the department's work program developed pursuant to s. 339.135

(6)  Funds paid into the State Transportation Trust Fund pursuant to s. 201.15(1)(d) for the purposes of the Small County Outreach Program are hereby annually appropriated for expenditure to support the Small County Outreach Program.

History.--s. 19, ch. 2000-257; s. 33, ch. 2005-290.

¹Note.--Section 22, ch. 2000-257, provides that "[n]otwithstanding any other law to the contrary the requirements of sections 206.46(3) and 206.606(2), Florida Statutes, shall not apply to any funding, programs, or other provisions contained in this act."