Requirements relating to design standards and variances in certain transportation projects modification

This bill modifies Minnesota's transportation design standards to give local governments more flexibility in requesting variances from state engineering rules for county state-aid projects. It requires the Department of Transportation commissioner to evaluate variance requests within 30 days and mandates that denials include written justification shared with legislative committees. The law specifically prioritizes variances for designs that narrow lanes in urban areas, improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists near schools and transit, or follow nationally recognized design guides. These changes apply to roadway projects approved on or after July 1, 2026.