The Legislative auditor released a report Monday that examines how the state chooses road projects and recommended more transparency in decisions about what does and does not get funded.
The report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor, which is an independent, nonpartisan arm of the Legislature, says the state expects to spend at least $18 billion in the next two decades on the state's highway system, with most of that on maintenance of existing infrastructure.
The auditor says the public has little information about why projects are not selected by the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation.
The report's findings also say certain alternative funding programs like the so-called "Corridors of Commerce" program are often beset with subjective decisions about what to fund.
The auditor recommends more transparency in how MnDOT chooses projects.
Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles will make a presentation about the findings to a joint hearing of the House and Senate Transportation Committees Monday.
