Minnesota Department of Transportation

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MnDOT Policies

Complete Streets

MnDOT Policy #OE004
Revised: February 22, 2023

View/print signed policy (PDF)

Complete Streets Handbook

Please go to the MnDOT Org Chart to find specific contact information: Org Chart.

Responsible Senior Officer: Deputy Commissioner/Chief Engineer
Policy Owner: Director - Office of Sustainability and Public Health
Policy Contact: Transportation and Public Health Planning Director, Office of Sustainability and Public Health

Policy statement

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) must follow a Complete Streets approach in all phases of planning, scoping, project development, construction, operations, permitting, and maintenance activities.

Reason for policy

This policy addresses statutory responsibilities to implement a Complete Streets policy, support the goals of the transportation system, and advance agency priorities.

Applicability

Compliance is required by all MnDOT employees and MnDOT partners working on trunk highway projects, such as local agency representatives, consultants, and contractors. This includes planning, scoping, project development, construction, operations, permitting, and maintenance for all non-exempt projects.

Key stakeholders with responsibilities under this policy include:

  • Project Sponsors (e.g., District Engineers, Assistant District Engineers)
  • Planners
  • Project Managers
  • District and Office/Modal Public Engagement and Communications Professionals
  • Office of Project Management and Technical Support
  • Office of Transportation System Management
  • Modal Offices
  • Traffic Engineers, Landscape Architects, and Designers
  • Resident Construction Engineers and Project Engineers
  • Maintenance Engineers, Maintenance Superintendents and Maintenance Supervisors
  • Director - Office of Sustainability and Public Health (Policy Owner)

Definitions

Complete Streets

Minnesota Statutes §174.75 defines Complete Streets as “the planning, scoping, design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of roads in order to reasonably address the safety and accessibility needs of people of all ages and abilities using the transportation system. Complete streets considers the needs of motorists, pedestrians, transit users and vehicles, bicyclists, and commercial and emergency vehicles moving along and across roads, intersections, and crossings in a manner that is sensitive to local context and recognizes that the needs vary in urban, suburban, and rural settings.”

Project Sponsor

The individual who supports the project manager by keeping projects aligned with business goals, communicating with stakeholder groups and senior management, gaining commitment for the project from key stakeholders, arranging resources for the project, and helping problem solve. The project sponsor is often the district engineer or assistant district engineer.

User group

A category of transportation users or modes such as people walking, bicycling, driving, or using transit; transit operators; commercial trucks drivers; etc.

Vulnerable users

Road users who are most at risk for serious injury or death when involved in a motor-vehicle related collision, including but not limited to people bicycling and pedestrians of all ages, types, and abilities.

Responsibilities

Project Sponsors (e.g., District Engineers, Assistant District Engineers)

  • Support opportunities to gather input from transportation stakeholders to advance transportation equity and identify user group needs. Consult MnDOT Public Engagement Policy.
  • Coordinate with Tribal Nations and support coordination per the MnDOT Tribal Nations Policy.
  • Apply priorities of modal plans and this policy when developing 10-Year Highway Capital Investment Plans (CHIP).
  • Review Complete Streets Project Reports at planning, project scoping, and 30% final design. Work with staff to reconcile policy noncompliance before approving.
  • Review annual Complete Streets performance measures. Work with the Policy Owner and other stakeholders to advance progress.

Planners

  • Use the MnDOT Complete Streets Handbook as a starting point to inform engagement and identify user needs during project planning.
  • Start Complete Streets Project Report during project planning and submit for Project Sponsor approval. Reconcile noncompliance issues. Note: this may be performed by the Project Manager/other at discretion of District leadership.
  • Coordinate with MnDOT communications and public engagement staff per the MnDOT Public Engagement Policy and Tribal Nations representatives per the MnDOT Tribal Nations Policy to engage transportation stakeholders to identify user group needs.
  • Identify opportunities to address the needs of all user groups when developing the 10-Year CHIP.
  • Coordinate with modal offices to align project planning with agency policies, plans, and priorities.

Project Managers

  • Use the Complete Streets Handbook as a starting point to inform project development and operations considerations during project scoping and 30% final design.
  • Update Complete Streets Project Reports at project scoping and 30% final design. Submit for Project Sponsor approval and work with Project Sponsor to reconcile any noncompliance issues.
  • Coordinate with MnDOT communications and public engagement staff per the MnDOT Public Engagement Policy and Tribal Nations representatives per the MnDOT Tribal Nations Policy to engage transportation stakeholders to identify user group needs.
  • Assess current and future needs of each user group in project scoping and design.
  • Quantify risks and opportunities of implementing complete streets when developing project budgets.
  • Coordinate with modal offices, landscape architects, and maintenance staff to align project programming, design, and operations with agency policies, plans, and priorities.
  • Remove barriers to network connectivity and crossings where users prohibited from using a roadway.
  • Coordinate with planners, landscape architects, maintenance staff, local jurisdictions, and transit providers to identify responsibilities for maintenance and snow removal on facilities such as sidewalks, shared use paths, crossings, bridges, underpasses, and transit stops and hubs.

District and Office/Modal Public Engagement and Communications Professionals

  • Engage transportation stakeholders throughout planning, project and modal program development, and delivery process to identify user group needs per MnDOT Public Engagement Policy.
  • Coordinate with Tribal Nations representatives per the MnDOT Tribal Nations Policy.
  • Engage with diverse communities who experience disparities and transportation and health barriers.

Office of Project Management and Technical Support

  • Provide technical assistance to support policy implementation that aligns with MnDOT technical guidance and policies, including, but not limited to, Facility Design Guide and Transportation Project Development Process.
  • Develop and provide training and technical assistance to MnDOT staff, local governments, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), Regional Development Commissions (RDCs), and other agencies implementing Complete Streets.

Office of Transportation System Management

  • Incorporate Complete Streets indicators in performance decision-making and reporting.
  • Manage long range planning processes to identify investment levels for Complete Streets policy implementation.
  • Maintain guidance on incorporating Complete Streets in plans and planning studies.

Modal Offices

  • Identify system users, conditions, needs, and priorities.
  • Provide technical support to planners, project sponsors, project managers, and other staff to align investments with agency modal plans and supportive priorities.

Traffic Engineers, Landscape Architects, and Designers

  • Consider all user groups in project safety reviews, road safety audits, traffic modeling, intersection control evaluations, and early notification memo comments.
  • Coordinate with Tribal Nations representatives per the MnDOT Tribal Nations Policy.
  • Include speed outcomes, safety needs, and ease of use where vulnerable users are common, especially at intersections and in urban, suburban, and recreational environments. Consider design speed as a target speed rather than a maximum safe speed.
  • Identify Complete Streets opportunities on preservation projects, including low-cost or phased improvements.
  • Consider seasonal travel on, across, and adjacent to projects including ATVs, snowmobiles, scooters and other mobility equipment, equestrian and non-motorized trails, horse and buggy, and water access.
  • Look for opportunities to address or remove barriers to network connectivity and crossings where users are legally prohibited from using a roadway.

Resident Construction Engineers and Project Engineers

  • Coordinate with project managers and maintenance engineers to provide safe and accessible alternative routes for people walking and biking among other forms of travel when closing roads, bridges, shared use paths, or sidewalks. Coordinate with the Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations to ensure oversize/overweight permitted loads are appropriately detoured.
  • Coordinate with Tribal Nations representatives per the MnDOT Tribal Nations Policy.
  • Coordinate with landscape architects, planners, project managers, and stakeholders to understand and implement construction commitments made during planning and project development.
  • Clear any field changes that could affect modal functionality with the project manager and designer.

Maintenance Engineers, Maintenance Superintendents, and Maintenance Supervisors

  • Coordinate with project managers and maintenance engineers to provide safe and accessible alternative routes for people walking and biking among other forms of travel when closing roads, bridges, shared use paths, or sidewalks.
  • Coordinate with Tribal Nations representatives per the MnDOT Tribal Nations Policy.
  • Work with project managers, local jurisdictions, and transit providers to identify maintenance and snow removal responsibilities on facilities such as sidewalks, shared use paths, crossings, bridges, underpasses, and transit stops and hubs.
  • Collaborate with planners, project managers, landscape architects, and stakeholders to implement maintenance commitments.

Policy Owner (Director - Office of Sustainability and Public Health)

  • Collaborate with District and modal office staff to define Complete Streets best practices and coordinate Complete Streets activities that support implementation of the policy.
  • Coordinate with Tribal Nations representatives per the MnDOT Tribal Nations Policy.
  • Review the policy every two years, or sooner as necessary, to ensure the policy remains current.
  • Work with the Policy Coordinator to revise the policy and/or confirm its accuracy.
  • Ensure the Complete Streets Handbook and associated training remain current.
  • Communicate policy revisions, reviews, and retirements to stakeholders.
  • Develop and track performance measures that contribute to Complete Streets targets and provide annual reports to District leadership and Senior Leadership.
  • Provide Complete Streets updates to the public, stakeholders, and advocates, as requested.

Resources and related information

Forms

Guidance

Resources

  • Business Data Catalog (BDC) – accessible from employee Intranet
  • MnDOT’s Policy Website

History and updates

Adopted

November 12, 2013

Revised

  • First Revision: May 20, 2016
  • Second Revision: August 15, 2022 (Effective October 31, 2022)
  • Third Revision: February 22, 2023 (changed ownership)

Policy Review

This policy's next scheduled review is due August 2024.