Contacts

• J.P. Gillach
  218-828-5706

Location

MnDOT District 3

• Baxter Office
  7694 Industrial Park Rd
  Baxter, MN 56425
• St. Cloud Office
  3725 12th Street North
  St. Cloud, MN 56303

 

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Central Minnesota Area Commuter Study Final Report now available online

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Central Minnesota Area Commuter Study Final Report is now available to view or download online.

The 400-page final report presents the findings and recommendations of a detailed study of the commuter use of existing transportation services and infrastructure, potential improvements and their feasibility under current and alternative funding scenarios. The study was sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and conducted by Nelson Nygaard Associates with assistance from LSA Design Inc. and Decision Resources.

The report:

• Identifies four viable commuter transit corridors—Cold Spring via St. Joseph to St. Cloud; Buffalo to Minneapolis; St. Michael-Albertville to Minneapolis; St. Cloud to Minneapolis. All four are in Stearns, Sherburne and Wright counties, and all would require new funding.
• Finds vanpools may be among the most effective solutions for longer-distance commutes in the 12-county central Minnesota area.
• Finds commuter cost sensitivity and the price of gasoline will be a major consideration when choosing between single-passenger, rideshare or transit options.
• Recommends alternatives for improvements and expansion of park-and-rides, and includes planning guidance and prototype designs for potential new park-and-rides.
• Finds that feasible commuter travel options will be very limited in rural areas, with ridesharing the most feasible option.

 

More than 1,200 residents, 149 park-and-ride users and 119 employers were surveyed during the study.

 

Those interested in viewing or downloading the final report, including its findings and recommendations, may do so at www.dot.state.mn.us/d3/commuter/

 

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