Results from the Online Community Workshop
Summary
An Adobe Connect public webinar session was hosted by MnDOT on March 22 to obtain guidance from the public and partner agencies for the Statewide Bicycle Planning Study, and to facilitate participation from citizens and agencies who did not have a chance to travel to attend previous in-person workshops. Approximately 20 people participated in the session.
Findings
The webinar session included a presentation describing the project and provided several "chat box" interactions that allowed opportuntities for participants to submit comments using the meeting software. Participants completed a S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of bicycling facilities in our State. Comments received are provided below.Participant Locations
Participants offered the following as their locations during the webinar:
- Grand Forks - East Grand Forks
- Falcon Heights
- Scott County
- Park Rapids
- Rochester-Olmsted
- Edina
- Saint Paul
- Fergus Falls
- Ottertail
- Minneapolis
Strengths
- 2010 Minnesota Complete Streets Law
- Knowledgable staff in Bike Section
- I am new to the bicycling activities and not yet familiar with state policies.
- Great trail system - excellent for pleasure riding
- Strong and growing constituency of people who bike.
- I think MnDOT does a good job of incorporating generous shoulders for bikes in rural areas.
- It helps to have policy for complete streets.
- There are some beautiful trails in southern MN
- It's great having a bike trail part of the way along Hwy 61 north of Duluth
- Most people are open to multi modal transport
- Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP)!
- Great trail systems and great planning efforts to make key connections
- Agree on existing trail system and complete streets.
- Context Sensitive Solutions training provided by MnDOT!
Weaknesses
- Need clear and consistent process for public engagement and pr/communiations around projects.
- Lack of knowledge at District staff
- Communication with other state agencies (ie DNR), and units of gov to coordinate
- Focus on Metro Area [bike] Transit
- 60+ years of automobile-centric development and infrastructure
- Unlevel playing field for outstate transit considerations and funding
- Possible lack of set-aside of federal transportation funds
- Need more links between trails.
- Since I am new to bicycling, communication with local bike clubs and LBS about programs.
- Address conflicts between agency rules / example we ran into was between state aid roadway design rules and DNR trail design that were creating conflict in coming to a design solution due to difference in how guardrails and curbing could be used under respective guidelines
- Need better inner-city system for commuter biking. More education of the public? I ride daily - NE mpls to bloomington all on city streets - and struggle with how pedestrians and motorists treat me and bike lanes. seems like bike lanes are viewed as a valet or extra parking lane, for example
- Communication to general public for benefits of bicycling in overall transportation system
- Available $$$
- Has MNDOT been working with local bicycle groups? I don't think Bike Edina Task Force has had anyone from MNDOT come to our monthly meeting. Could someone come?
- Pervasive car-forward attitude.
- Lack of power at staff level to respond deftly to complete streets issues.
Opportunities
- There are bike runs, that use the highways, find out from those folks their reactions to the routes they take and use
- More development of multi modal transportation
- Work closer with DNR Legacy funds with the various transportation funds
- Many Greater Minnesota state roads have width that makes them comfortable (or potentially comfortable) for touring and recreational riding.
- Allow local leaders to have more control over local projects
- A major opportunity to improve conditions for cyclists in urban areas is for MnDOT to consider turning back some trunk highways in urban areas.
- More involvement of MPO plan and staff
- More communities should apply for Transportation Enhancement Grants, DNR Grants, and Safe Routes to School Grants for better bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure!
- New approaches emerging statewide to accommodate bicyclists (ie, bike lanes, bike boulevards, markings, etc)
- $6.00 Gas!
- There could be more collaboration between neighboring communities
- More events like this to allow out-state input
- Guidance with bike trails are different between DNR and MnDOT - provides for inconsistency - Meaning if it is improved it will be consistent
- March 30, 2012 meeting at Keely Inn in Saint Paul on revisions to state aid rules for bicycle infrustructure! Be there!
- Would like to see a concerted effort made to test design approaches that are not "approved" under MUTCD or MnDOT Design Guides. This is an issue because we find local traffic engineers hesitant to approve designs that have not gone through testing phase
- Get some grants!
- Excellent way to promote tourism throughout state
- Take advantage of GPS technology
Threats
- Lack of integration with bike section/central vs. district staff.
- Processes are too slow and cumbersome
- Lack of cooperation between state agencies
- Not all facilities cost a lot of $, some are low cost - people don't understand
- Public perception of bicyclists disobeying traffic laws
- Some people object to bicycle trails by their homes
- There are traffic types that are not compatible with cycling (ie trucking), farm machinery
- Accommodating on bridges easy to declare cost prohibative but very small percentage of cost compared to what is being done for other modes
- Some design standards make it cost prohibitive
- Concept that first priority (often to the exclusion of others) is large personal vehicles.
- *motor vehicles
- Conflict between motorists and cyclists in terms of use of shared roadway space not being resolved
- Small cities can not afford it without help
Opinions on webinar format, next steps
- Great format! Thank you for offering this opportunity for those unable to attend the district meetings.
- Liked it. wish i had come with more prep for thoughts, comments, ideas to share. Thanks for doing this and offering the opportunity to participate.
- Appreciated having it since I was unable to attend the other meetings in Willmar and Mankato. Will there be additional web-based input available - ie as we have been able to participate with the MnGO project?
- I had planned to listen via phone, but that did not work. It took me 25 minutes to figure that out and run around the office to find a headset that would work on the computer I was on. That said, once I could hear, I thought the meeting was useful and I will report back to Bike Edina task force
- Missed the events at Detroit Lakes and Bemidji, I am glad you had the webinar to give us a chance to learn more about the program and our comments. Would like to have had more information before hand to comment. Good session, thank you and good luck.
- Technology worked pretty well. Multiple chat boxes for SWOT analysis was useful and easy to fill in. Not much ability to communicate with other participants though. But I do appreciate the on-line opportunity.
- Glad it was offered since I missed on-site event. Doesn't replace on-site but is very beneficial alternative.
- Great way to get info out and feedback in. would not have been able to attend if had to travel. Had some technical issues.
- I think today's meeting was great, and I also attended the meeting in Detroit Lakes. I think this software would be useful for the Statewide Health Improvement Program (MDH) for some of their on-line meetings. Can you share this technology with them? Thanks!
- I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to be able to attend virtually rather than in person. I wonder if, as a supplement or replacement to this session, you could offer some sort of online survey that would be open for a certain period of time (say the whole month), rather than just during the window this webinar was live. I am familiar with the project, so may not be the best judge on the necessity of [reviewing] the ppt live, but I think it would be potentially just as useful to have background materials available for review as a stand alone.
- (I'm really glad to see the state being so technology-forward and send a sincere thanks to the staff and project team for your great work!)
Additional comments may also be provided to Greta Alquist through March 30, 2012.
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