Aid and contributions by governmental entities for department projects; federal aid.

(1) Any governmental entity may aid in any project or project phase included in the adopted work program by contributions to the department of cash, bond proceeds, time warrants, or other goods or services of value.

(2) The department may accept and receive any such aid and contributions and dispose of and use the same for any project or project phase included in the adopted work program. The Executive Office of the Governor is authorized to amend the department’s budget and adopted work program in the appropriate categories to utilize contributions received.

(3) In case any such aid or contribution is given or made by any governmental entity, such aid or contribution shall be used by the department only for the project or project phase included in the adopted work program as are designated and agreed upon by the department and the governing body of the governmental entity.

(4)(a) Prior to accepting the contribution of road bond proceeds, time warrants, or cash for which reimbursement is sought, the department shall enter into agreements with the governing body of the governmental entity for the project or project phases in accordance with specifications agreed upon between the department and the governing body of the governmental entity. The department in no instance is to receive from such governmental entity an amount in excess of the actual cost of the project or project phase. By specific provision in the written agreement between the department and the governing body of the governmental entity, the department may agree to reimburse the governmental entity for the actual amount of the bond proceeds, time warrants, or cash used on a highway project or project phases that are not revenue producing and are contained in the department’s adopted work program, or any public transportation project contained in the adopted work program. Subject to appropriation of funds by the Legislature, the department may commit state funds for reimbursement of such projects or project phases. Reimbursement to the governmental entity for such a project or project phase must be made from funds appropriated by the Legislature, and reimbursement for the cost of the project or project phase is to begin in the year the project or project phase is scheduled in the work program as of the date of the agreement. Funds advanced pursuant to this section, which were originally designated for transportation purposes and so reimbursed to a county or municipality, shall be used by the county or municipality for any transportation expenditure authorized under s. 336.025(7). Also, cities and counties may receive funds from persons, and reimburse those persons, for the purposes of this section. Such persons may include, but are not limited to, those persons defined in s. 607.01401(56).

(b) Prior to entering an agreement to advance a project or project phase pursuant to this subsection and subsection (5), the department shall first update the estimated cost of the project or project phase and certify that the estimate is accurate and consistent with the amount estimated in the adopted work program. If the original estimate and the updated estimate vary, the department shall amend the adopted work program according to the amendatory procedures for the work program set forth in s. 339.135(7). The amendment shall reflect all corresponding increases and decreases to the affected projects within the adopted work program.

(c) The department may enter into agreements under this subsection for a project or project phase not included in the adopted work program. As used in this paragraph, the term “project phase” means acquisition of rights-of-way, construction, construction inspection, and related support phases. The project or project phase must be a high priority of the governmental entity. Reimbursement for a project or project phase must be made from funds appropriated by the Legislature pursuant to s. 339.135(5). All other provisions of this subsection apply to agreements entered into under this paragraph. The total amount of project agreements for projects or project phases not included in the adopted work program authorized by this paragraph may not at any time exceed $250 million. However, notwithstanding such $250 million limit and any similar limit in s. 334.30, project advances for any inland county with a population greater than 500,000 dedicating amounts equal to $500 million or more of its Local Government Infrastructure Surtax pursuant to s. 212.055(2) for improvements to the State Highway System which are included in the local metropolitan planning organization’s or the department’s long-range transportation plans shall be excluded from the calculation of the statewide limit of project advances.

(d) The department may enter into agreements under this subsection with any county that has a population of 150,000 or fewer as determined by the most recent official estimate under s. 186.901 for a project or project phase not included in the adopted work program. As used in this paragraph, the term “project phase” means acquisition of rights-of-way, construction, construction inspection, and related support phases. The project or project phase must be a high priority of the governmental entity. Reimbursement for a project or project phase must be made from funds appropriated by the Legislature under s. 339.135(5). All other provisions of this subsection apply to agreements entered into under this paragraph. The total amount of project agreements for projects or project phases not included in the adopted work program authorized by this paragraph may not at any time exceed $200 million. The project must be included in the local government’s adopted comprehensive plan. The department may enter into long-term repayment agreements of up to 30 years.

(5) The department and the governing body of a governmental entity may enter into an agreement by which the governmental entity agrees to perform a highway project or project phase in the department’s adopted work program that is not revenue producing or any public transportation project in the adopted work program. By specific provision in the written agreement between the department and the governing body of the governmental entity, the department may agree to reimburse the governmental entity the actual cost for the project or project phase contained in the adopted work program. Reimbursement to the governmental entity for such project or project phases must be made from funds appropriated by the Legislature, and reimbursement for the cost of the project or project phase is to begin in the year the project or project phase is scheduled in the work program as of the date of the agreement.

(6) The department may propose and obtain the designation of any project or project phase to be constructed as a federal-aid project and obtain reimbursement from the United States in accordance with existing regulations. If federal-aid funds are used, governmental entities other than the department are prohibited from performing projects or project phases authorized in subsection (5), unless the entity is qualified and authorized by the Federal Highway Administration to perform the appropriate project phase.

(7) The federal-aid money obtained under subsection (6) shall first be applied to the completion of the project or project phase for which the bonds have been voted, if the money from the bonds is not sufficient therefor; and any residue shall be expended in the acquisition of rights-of-way or the construction of any project or project phase that the department and the governing body of the governmental entity may agree upon.

(8) The financial provisions of any agreement that are made in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be approved by the department comptroller.

(9) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, prior to commencement of the project or project phase, governmental entities are authorized to release control of such contributions to the department, pursuant to a written agreement between the governmental entity and the department.