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Related Studies and Plans
The Statewide Transportation Plan sets a long range vision for transportation in Minnesota and identifies transportation system needs, goals, and priorities over a 20-year period.
The Transportation Plan identifies multimodal considerations including highways, transit, freight, air, bicycles and pedestrians.
MnDOT will follow the Federal SAFETEA-LU Planning Factors as guidelines while developing the plan. Additionally, the project will be guided by the Minnesota Statewide Transportation Goals (MN Statutes Chapter 174, Subd. 2.).
State and Federal Planning Goals
Why Update the Plan Now?
Since the last Statewide Transportation Plan Update in 2003, new issues and opportunities have arisen that should be addressed in the Statewide Plan. Experience with performance based planning and investment management has increased MnDOT’s knowledge of these issues. In addition, a new revenue outlook will shape MnDOT’s future direction, requiring a more comprehensive long range planning approach to investments and decision-making.
MnDOT is required, under both state and federal law, to develop a multi-modal statewide transportation plan that identifies
Federal rules require that the Statewide Transportation Plan comply with the legislation establishing the federal transportation program, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The plan must be developed consistent with content and process provisions outlined in SAFETEA-LU. For example, the Statewide Transportation Plan must be developed in consultation with Tribal Governments. It must also coordinate with statewide trade and economic development planning activities and related multi-state planning efforts. In addition, the state plan must be coordinated with metropolitan area long range transportation plans, which SAFETEA‑LU requires to be updated every four or five years.
Performance-Based Planning
The last Statewide Transportation Plan was completed in 2003 and was one of the first performance-based statewide plans in the nation. This plan has three strategic directions, ten policy areas, and numerous performance measures. The policy plan update will maintain its performance-based orientation from the 2003 plan. Additionally, numerous plans, reports, and studies will be considered and reflected in the updated Statewide Transportation Plan. For example:
- Minnesota Statewide Highway Systems Operations Plan (HSOP): This plan supports MnDOT's Strategic Directions and Transportation Polices and provides a framework for managing key maintenance activities.
- Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP): This plan was designed to implement the vision of Toward Zero Deaths (TZD). The SHSP is an update of the Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan (CHSP) in order to meet all the Federal requirements under SAFETEA-LU.
- District 20 Year TH Investment Plans: The plans identify District investment priorities given a fiscally constrained revenue forecast and the gap between investment needs and currently projected funding levels.
As part of the Statewide Transportation Plan Update, MnDOT must coordinate metropolitan area planning activities with the State’s metropolitan planning organizations (MPO). Each MPO is required to prepare a long range transportation plan for their areas every four to five years, depending on their respective air quality conformity status. The following MPO plans will be considered in the development of the Statewide Transportation Plan relating to metropolitan area issues.
- 2030 Transportation Policy Plan (TPP): The Metropolitan Council developed this plan, which contains policies and strategies designed to slow the growth in congestion and improve mobility within the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
- Access and Mobility for People and Freight 2030: The Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council’s (MIC) Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
- Fargo-Moorhead: The Fargo-Moorhead Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
- Grand Forks-East Grand Forks: The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
- LaCrosse-LaCrescent: The LaCrosse-LaCrescent Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
- Rochester: The Rochester Plan Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
- St. Cloud: The St. Cloud Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)
Additionally, the Statewide Transportation Plan will include findings and recommendations from the four modal plans developed by MnDOT. These include:
- Minnesota Statewide Freight Plan: This plan presents a framework that includes recommended freight policies, strategies, and performance measures to address significant freight system trends, needs, and issues.
- MnDOT Bicycle Modal Plan: MnDOT developed this plan to prioritize and guide investments in safe bicycle accommodations on Mn/DOT owned and influenced facilities.
- Greater Minnesota Transit Plan: The plan is intended to translate the public transportation vision, mission and objectives set forth by Mn/DOT and its Office of Transit into an updated statewide service framework.
- Minnesota Aviation System Plan: MnDOT’s Office of Aeronautics completed an update of the Minnesota Aviation System Plan in 2006. The Minnesota Aviation System Plan provides a macro level plan for guiding airport development in greater Minnesota.
Other MnDOT plans, reports, and studies can be found at MnDOT’s Planning and Programming website.
Updated 6/23/2011