Region 7W Transportation Policy Board for Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, Wright Counties

Transportation Policy Board

About us

Region 7W is located northwest of the Twin Cities in central Minnesota and includes the counties of Benton, Sherburne, Stearns and Wright. The region 7W Transportation Policy Board was formed in 2000 under a joint powers agreement to conduct regional transportation planning, and assist in prioritizing federal transportation funding for the region outside the St. Cloud Metropolitan area.

The area faces challenges in the future as its population continues to grow. Outside the Twin Cities, it is the fastest growing region in Minnesota.

Strong population, housing and business growth will continue to put stress on the transportation network. Its proximity to the Twin Cities and the location of the major corridors of I-94, Hwy 10 and Hwy 169, impacts this region. Given limited funding for improvements, this could mean an increase in congestion, more crashes and rougher roads in the future. More about the Region 7W Transportation Policy Board

Region 7W Transportation Policy Board

The Transportation Policy Board (TPB) members are responsible for prioritizing federally funded projects in the four counties. Only projects using Surface Transportation Program funding are their responsibility. The TPB was formed through a joint powers agreement and consists of locally elected officials.

Transportation Advisory Committee

The Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) members consists of city and county engineers and transit directors, makes recommendations to the TPB. The Region 7W Plan covers county and city roads classified as collector and above. These roads are eligible for federal funding through the central Minnesota Area Transportation Partnership (ATP).

Plans, studies, policies

Transit Plan

Local Human Service Transit Coordination Plan - Prepared by Region 7W and St. Cloud Area Planning Organization, 2011

Region 7W Long Range Transportation Plan 2005-2030

The purpose of the plan is to develop a vision for the area and implement a plan that can be utilized by Region 7W jurisdictions and MnDOT. The plan identifies transportation priorities and provides a framework for making future decisions.

Introduction

Table of Contents

Introduction

Figure 1 Region 7W

Region 7W

Demographics, Economics, Land Use

Figure 6 Land Use

Transportation System

Roadways

Figure 7 Functional Classification
Figure 8 Access Management Primary Categories
Figure 9 Access Management Subcategorizes

Interregional Corridor System, Pavement Conditions

Figure 10 Interregional Corridors and Regional Trade Centers
Figure 11 IRC System Speed Performance by IRC Segment
Figure 12 Future IRC System Speed Performance
Figure 13 PSR

Bridges, Capacity, Safety

Figure 14 Bridge Condition Rating
Figure 15 Daily Traffic Volumes
Figure 16 Local Daily Traffic Volumes
Figure 17 Projected Traffic Volumes
Figure 18 Projected Local Traffic Volumes
Figure 19 Crash Rate
Figure 20 Local Crashes

Rail, Freight, Commuter Rail

Figure 21 Railroads, Region 7W
Figure 22 Northstar Commuter Rail Route

Public Transit

Figure 23 Public Transit Systems, Region 7W

Bicycle and Pedestrian, Park and Ride/Park and Pool, Freight, Airports

Figure 24 Central MN Regional Parks and Trails Plan – Cities of Sartell, Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud, St. Joseph, and Waite Park
Figure 25 Central MN Regional Parks and Trails Plan – Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns Counties
Figure 26 Wright County Park Plan – Trail Plan with Snowmobile Trails
Table 11 Park and Ride Lots
Figure 27 Freight Data Summary
Figure 28 Airports

Financial Resources, Public Involvement, Planning Direction, Policy Recommendations, Implementation and Conclusion

Pages

Appendices

Appendix A - County Land Use Plans

Benton, Stearns, Wright, Sherburne

Appendix B County Access Management Guidelines
Appendix C Public Meeting Comments
Appendix D Customer Survey Summary
Appendix E Local Bridge Needs

Prepared by Region 7W Transportation Policy Board, 2005