Financial assistance; approval; criteria.

The commission shall prioritize the approval of applications for financial assistance based on objective criteria, including, but not limited to: (1) Economic impact and job creation; (2) Safety and system resilience benefits; (3) Readiness and financial feasibility; (4) Public benefit; (5) Consistency with statewide transportation goals; (6) Leverage of private capital or money that is not provided by the State of Nebraska; (7) Local support of the project; and (8) The ability for the applicant to repay the financial assistance according to the established terms and conditions.