create the county and township infrastructure fund for the accounting, safekeeping, and allocation of unobligated rural access infrastructure fund moneys.

State fund safeguards rural infrastructure money

The law creates the county and township infrastructure fund to track, safeguard, and distribute unused rural access money to counties. The Department of Revenue manages it, and spending must be budgeted through the state's general budget bill. Beginning June 30, 2029, county auditors must transfer eligible unused money to this fund every three years. This covers unspent money that is neither committed by contract nor approved under chapter 31-34. Counties can maintain rural access funds for engineering, water studies, planning, materials, and other necessary project costs. These funds also cover building, repairing, or replacing small structures in townships that meet the chapter's requirements. Small structures on county secondary highways qualify when listed in a county highway and bridge improvement plan. Funds cannot support no-maintenance roads, and the law sets no dollar amount.