Corridor Planning Guidebook

The questions in this section are intended to prompt input and discussion beyond the technical data considered below. People familiar with the study corridor can provide a depth of understanding that is not always captured in the technical analysis. Response themes or highlights from each should be summarized in the qualitative input section of the existing conditions report.

Agency Engagement

Coordinate with the project team to ask appropriate public agency staff questions such as these. Summarize responses as appropriate.

• Are there agricultural, timber or food/grain production areas on or served by the corridor?
• Does the corridor provide access to agricultural product destinations, such as grain elevators, canning factories, ports or similar?
• Are there locations that present safety, access, geometric, speed or other concerns with respect to agricultural vehicles?
• Are there populations that employ animal-powered vehicles being served by the corridor?
• Are there trails or areas where OHVs and snowmobiles will be adjacent to or cross the study corridor?
• Do OHVs and/or snowmobiles operate on the state highway?
• Are there current employment or commerce destinations along or served by the corridor?
• Are there proposed employment or commerce destinations that might be developed along or near the corridor in the future?
• Are there tourism destinations and/or related facilities served by the corridor?
• What areas are likely to be developed, re-developed or otherwise experience land use changes in the next 10-15 years?

Public Engagement

Coordinate with the project team to incorporate questions such as these into public engagement activities. Summarize responses or themes as appropriate.

• What types of agricultural-based destinations or terminals are located in the area (stock yards, grain elevators, shipping port, rail, timber, etc.)?
• Are there locations that present safety or other concerns with respect to agricultural vehicles in the corridor?
• In your experience using agricultural, food/grain transportation, or animal-powered vehicle(s) along the study corridor, how can the transportation network better support this type of travel?
• In your experience using snowmobile or off-highway vehicle(s) on trails that cross the study corridor, how can the transportation network better support this type of travel?
• What existing or proposed employment, commerce, or community destinations are served by the corridor?
• What tourism destinations or tourism-related facilities are served by the corridor?
• Do you have concerns about interactions with agricultural, grain, animal powered vehicles, or tourist destinations using the corridor? If so, how might these issues impact economic, job, or tourism development for the areas surrounding the study corridor?

The table below shows the technical topic measurements and data to be included in the existing and future conditions analysis for Critical Connections: Other. See Appendix C: Plan Type Data Matrix for direction on level of detail and items that may be optional based on corridor plan type. The items below also may be modified by the scope of work for an individual corridor plan.

Table13. Critical Connections: Other Technical Topics and Data 

Topic	Measurement	Data Sources
Agricultural Vehicles	Agricultural or food/grain production areas along or served by the corridor	Map of land use, farming, husbandry/cropland data from National Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS), or as provided by the community
	Access to agricultural product destinations served by the corridor	Map of grain elevators, mills, stockyards, livestock auction, or canning and freezing facilities (provided by the community or through online map review) Wholesale Directories (such as Minnesota Grown Directory)
Animal-Powered Vehicles	Presence of communities with animal-powered vehicles served by the study corridor	Location of Amish communities/other communities that use animal-powered vehicles through online maps and resources (example sources). The best resource will likely be agency and community staff.
Snowmobile and Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs)	Snowmobile and OHVs (all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles and off-road vehicles) use adjacent to or crossing the corridor	OHVs: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MnDNR) OHV Trail Atlas Snowmobile: MnDNR Snowmobile Trails Map
Airports	Location of potentially affected airports and related impacts and opportunities	MnSASP Hub tool (from the Minnesota State Aviation System Plan (MnSASP))
Economic Development and Jobs	Employment or commerce destinations served by the corridor	Location of employment or commerce destinations through the following sources: Online map lookup Review of existing and future land use Business listings
	Potential/future employment or commerce destinations served by the corridor	Land use plan to identify future land use and development goals Review of zoning map to identify areas with potential employment commerce developments
Tourism	Tourism supporting facilities served by the study corridor	Location of tourism-supportive facilities such as airports, rest stops, tourist information centers, tourist destinations, outdoor recreation (trails, parks, biking, camping) through the following sources: Online map review Other online resources (example resources)

 

Agricultural vehicles, including combines, tractors, semi-trailers hauling grains or animals to market, are important roadway users, especially in rural areas and where routes serve as access to livestock markets, grain elevators, dairies and the like. The presence of agricultural vehicles along the study corridor or on nearby corridors can influence the project purpose, design requirements, safety considerations, and outcomes. Identifying the potential or frequency of agricultural vehicles using the corridor and known or potential issues (safety, access, crossings, geometric constraints, etc.) in early stages of the project will allow the project team to consider design and operational elements that support the safe and efficient use of agricultural vehicles along the study corridor. Note that heavy commetical vehicels such as timber trucks, would typically be addressed in Step 3: Critical Connections: Motor Vehicles.

Agricultural, Forestry or Natural Resource Production Areas Served by the Corridor

Data

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistic Service (NASS) maintains an annually updated Cropland Data Layer (CDL). The CDL is a raster and georeferenced land-cover data layer specifically pertaining to crop-specific land using satellite imagery and extensive agricultural ground reference data. The project team should use the CDL (alongside data provided by municipalities along the study corridor) to identify the presence of farms and existing or potential use of agricultural vehicles along the project corridor.

Documentation

Summarize the areas of farmland adjacent to the corridor using the USDA Cropland Data Layer Viewer. Step 1 in the viewer. Step 1 (USDA NASS CDL Visualization) will allow you to select the CDL year that you want to view. Select areas along the project corridor by zooming in, after which a dashboard map pop-up will show the type of crop being farmed on the area along with crops farmed in previous years. Summarize the results obtained by indicating in the summary document "Yes, there are cropland areas adjacent to or near the study corridor," or "No, there are no cropland areas adjacent to or near the study corridor." Supplement the summary with a copy of the map showing location and noting the relationship to the study corridor.

Access to Agricultural, Forestry or Natural Resource Product Destinations Served by the Corridor

Large vehicles may travel on the corridor to transport agricultural products, timber or other natural resources, to destinations such as grain elevators, stockyards, livestock auctions, canning and freezing facilities, processing facilities, ports, or wholesale destinations.

Data 

Online maps, municipality-provided data, or resources such as the Minnesota Grown Directory may have data on the location of agricultural product destinations (see list above for examples) along or near the study corridor, which can help the project further determine the potential for agricultural vehicle use.

Documentation

Identify locations of agricultural product destinations near or along the corridor. Summarize the results obtained in a narrative format, map, or table format. An example table format is provided below. Consider this information in combination with agency and public engagement on this topic.

Example: Summary of Agricultural Product Destinations Served by the Corridor

Site Name	Site Type	General Location or Site Address

 

Animal-powered vehicles such as animal powered carriages, wagons, carts, etc., present unique design and operational requirements due to their lower speeds and potentially decreased visibility. Animal-powered vehicles are a common form of transport in some communities of Minnesota. Review of online and community resources and discussion with local agencies may help the project team identify the potential or frequency of animal-powered vehicle use.

Presence of Communities with Animal-Powered Vehicles Served by the Corridor

Data 

Online maps and resources such as Amish America is one example of a resource for identifying the location of Amish communities/other communities that use animal-powered vehicles. The project team may also encounter other resources provided by the municipality or the community.

Documentation

Summarize the information on communities with animal-powered vehicles served by the corridor using a table such as the one below.

Example: Summary of Communities with Animal-Powered Vehicles Served by the Corridor

Community Name	Community Affiliation/Type	Community Location	Corridor Segment(s) of Potential Concern

Snowmobiles and Off-Highway Vehicles (all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles and off-road vehicles) are allowed to operate on state and local grant-in-aid trails, local roadways per township regulations, or in the bottom or outside slope of a ditch of a county or state road (in the case of snowmobiles). They also may cross state highway facilities but generally are not allowed to operate on the state highway or shoulder. Identifying adjacent or intersecting roadways where the use of these vehicles is permitted can help the project team consider potential interactions between corridor users and these vehicles, improving safety for all users.

Snowmobile and Off-Highway Vehicle Use Adjacent to or Crossing the Corridor

Data 

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) maintains and provides maps of Snowmobile trails and Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) Trail Atlas.

• For Snowmobile Trails: Access the DNR Snowmobile site and use the interactive map or download the DNR Quad Map(s).
• For OHVs: Access the DNR OHV Trail Atlas to identify DNR trails where OHVs are permitted.

Consultation with local agency or public representatives may also identify routes and trails not included or that vary from official maps.

Documentation

Summarize the results obtained by creating a map highlighting the study corridor, along with corridors where snowmobile and OHV operations are permitted.

Minnesota has 132 publicly-owned public use airports, including nine commercial service airports, seven reliever airports and  116  general aviation airports. There are also smaller private airports and heliports. Publicly-owned airports serve multiple purposes in a community and in relation to the state highway system, including supporting personal and business travel, medical transport, freight, community access generally, and disaster response. While most airport planning focuses on the airport facility itself, access to and from airports bring them into connection with highway corridor planning.
Corridor planning near airports should incorporate a review and understanding of airports that could be impacted directly or indirectly by changes to a state highway. In addition to their obvious transportation role, airports also include clear zone requirements (often in a zoning overlay) that can restrict development, including roads, bridges and transitways, within the clear zone.

Data

Identify any airport or airports that could be directly or indirectly affected by the corridor by reviewing the Minnesota State Aviation System Plan (MnSASP), and specifically by using the MnSASP Hub, a GIS tool that provides detailed information airport locations and other features.
Review the roadway and any other transportation facilities that provide access to the airport.

Documentation

Document the location of potentially affected airports and describe the airport use and operations generally. Describe a) any potential adverse impacts to the airport in relation to the highway corridor and/or b) potential opportunities to improve or protect access that could be part of a highway investment.

 

Corridors support access to economic opportunity and employment destinations . By identifying and partnering with employment or commerce stakeholders, guidebook users can ensure that potential solutions incorporate community needs related to economic development and job access.

Existing Employment or Commerce Destinations Served by the Corridor

Data 

Review existing employment or commerce destinations served by the corridor. In rural areas, it may be necessary to include locations miles away that rely heavily on access via the study corridor (examples: ethanol plant, major grain terminal). At minimum, identify qualifying locations within ¼ mile of the study corridor. Potential sources include:

• Online maps
• Local zoning maps
• Business listings

Documentation

Access the cited resources to identify employment or commerce destinations and summarize the results obtained by creating a map highlighting the study corridor, along with locations the project team identified. The appropriate size of the facility or number of jobs may vary but the intent is to identify locations where use or access may influence or be influenced by the roadway facility. Depending on available information, the map may be supplemented with text documenting numbers and types of businesses, jobs, etc. At minimum, identify qualifying locations within ¼ mile of the study corridor. Cross-reference information on low-wage workers from Step 2 to identify the potential presence of workers who may be reliant on non-auto modes.

Proposed/Future Employment or Commerce Destinations Served by the Corridor

Data 

Proposed or potential future employment and commerce destinations can be identified through the following sources:

• Land use plans to identify future land use and development goals
• Zoning maps may include areas with potential employment or commerce developments

Documentation

Describe potential/future employment or commerce destinations and summarize the results obtained by creating a map highlighting the study corridor, along with locations the project team had identified. This map can be combined with the map identifying existing employment or commerce destinations. Depending on available information, the map may be supplemented with text documenting numbers and types of businesses, jobs, etc.

Corridor development efforts can impact and be impacted by tourism-related services and destinations. By identifying tourism supporting facilities served by the corridor, the project team can address design and operational challenges (such as seasonal traffic, recreational vehicles, etc.) that can impact access while also encouraging tourism activity along the study corridor.

Tourism Supporting Facilities Served by the Corridor

Data 

Tourism supporting facilities considers a wide range of facilities concerning accommodation (hotel/lodging), culture (entertainment, restaurants, parks, trails, biking, camping and other outdoor activities), supporting facilities (parking, restrooms, hygiene and safety facilities), or information services facilities (visitor centers). Identify these locations using the following sources:

• Online maps
• Minnesota tourism map: Explore Minnesota

Documentation

Summarize the results obtained in a narrative, maps, or table format. An example of a table format is shown below. A map highlighting the study corridor and facility locations may also be relevant if access management is a study priority.

Example: Summary of Tourism Supporting Facilities Served by the Corridor

Facility Name	Facility Type	Facility Address

 

This section identifies topics that are typically relevant only to select corridors or locations. They should be considered and included if determined to be relevant by the project team.

Emergency Evacuation 

While this topic is not applicable to all corridors or locations, understanding and planning for emergency evacuation routes may be relevant in locations where the roadway network is particularly vulnerable to compromise or failure in an emergency or disaster situation, where there is little or no redundancy in the roadway network, and/or where the likelihood of an emergency event is elevated. 
Emergency evacuation considerations for the existing and future conditions assessment could include the following topics: 

• Evacuation Route Preservation and Improvement: Determination of the corridor’s role within the network of emergency evacuation routes.  
• Risk of Emergency Events: Exposure of the corridor study area to events and situations that would trigger the need for evacuation. Note that flood risk is addressed in Climate Action.

Topic	Measurement	Potential Data Sources/Resources
Evacuation Route Preservation and  Improvement	Designated evacuation routes	County-level hazard mitigation plans Request from MnDOT and/or local agency staff as applicable
	Access to critical infrastructure and services (e.g., nursing homes, schools, police stations, military facilities, emergency shelters, airports)	MN Critical Infrastructure GIS Data Guide
	Locations of emergency services, health care services, schools, and shelters	State Profile | HMP - State Plan 2024
Risk of Emergency Events	Wildfire risk	Annual wildfire burn probability from the  Northeast-Midwest State Foresters Alliance Northeast Midwest Wildfire Risk Explorer
	Vulnerability to major disasters	HMP - State Plan 2024

 

Multiple strategies may be used in an analysis aimed at fostering healthy and vibrant places that reduce disparities and promote healthy outcomes for people, the environment, and the economy. Guidebook users should prepare a summary of how healthy equitable communities were considered and include it in the memorandum or report that documents the assessment of other critical connections topics.

Healthy Equitable Communities

Use a combination of demographic information (Step 2), technical input and input from community members and agency staff to provide responses or observations related to the questions below.

• Does agricultural vehicle use in the corridor present specific safety or other hazards to members of underserved communities?
• Are there intersecting vulnerabilities for community members who depend on animal-powered vehicles to meet their transportation needs?
• Are there employment or tourist facilities or destinations that disproportionately employ or otherwise draw community members who may experience transportation or other social vulnerabilities?