Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Project development

Functional groups

Interstate Access Request Letters, Engineering and Operational Analysis Reports Team (Metro Traffic Engineering, Program Support)

Goal

The goal of this team is to receive approval by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to make changes to the Interstate system by assisting the Project Manager in developing an Interstate Access Request letter (IAR) and Engineering and Operational Analysis report (EAOA) that ensures that the requirements in the FHWA Policy on Access to the Interstate System are satisfied.

Products the team provides

  • Information, if available, required to perform technical analysis of projects (signal timings, turn counts, detector data, etc.)
  • Microsimulation modeling acceptance letter(s) for technical analysis of consultant projects
  • Microsimulation modeling for technical analysis of projects delivered in-house
  • IAR letter

What to expect from the team

  • Review of microsimulation models for technical analysis of EAOA for consultant projects
    • This includes reviewing microscopic models for projects outside of the Metro District if requested by the outside District
  • Microsimulation modeling for technical analysis of EAOA if projects are delivered in-house
  • Review of EAOA
  • Once EAOA is finalized and ready for approval, District Traffic Engineer prepares and signs IAR letter and has District Engineer sign it

What you need to provide to the team

  • Information required to deliver technical analysis of projects (layouts, traffic forecasts, etc.)
  • Microsimulation models for consultant projects
  • Draft and final versions of EAOA

What the team expects from you

  • Scheduling early coordination meeting with FHWA to determine need and feasibility
  • Distributing draft EAOA and collect comments/corrections and send them to the appropriate group to update EAOA
  • Sending the signed IAR letter and finalized EAOA to FHWA for approval