Complete Streets in Minnesota Julie Skallman State Aid Division Director Minnesota Department of Transportation Pre-conference Intensive 2013 Age & Disabilities Odyssey Conference Monday, June 17, 2013

MnDOT Major role in statewide planning Legal authority for many standards Bridges, interstates, interchanges and freeways … many Main Streets State Aid for Local Transportation: - Administers State Aid funding to counties and cities The goals of the state aid program are to provide users of secondary highways and streets with: Safe highways and streets Adequate mobility and structural capacity on highways and streets An integrated transportation network SALT administers funding that supports more than 120,000 miles of roadway and almost 14,700 bridges.

Complete Streets 2008 Legislation Required MnDOT to do a study on the feasibility of a statewide Complete Streets policy Delivered to the Legislature in January 2009 Provided a forum for discussion in the Legislative process

Complete Streets 2010 Legislation Defines Complete Streets for Minnesota Directs general MnDOT implementation Clarifies local encouragement, but no mandate Directs some tweaks to the State Aid variance process Requires a series of legislative reports

Goals Develop a balanced transportation system that integrates all modes via planning Include users of all types, ages and abilities Collaborate with partners to developing policy

It does not mean “all modes on all roads” Definition It does not mean “all modes on all roads”

What roads are included in the State Supported System? State Highways (Trunk Highways) County State Aid Highways (CSAH) - in all 87 counties Municipal State Aid Streets (MSAS) - in 142 cities with over population 5,000 or more Town Roads & Bridges Why is State Aid also included in the development of Complete Streets? The state aid system includes roads or streets, designated in accordance with Minnesota Statutes Chapter 162 for local agencies (TH under Chapter 161) The state aid system is comprised of Trunk highways, County State Aid Highways (referred to as CSAHs), Municipal State Aid Streets (referred to as MSASs) and town roads and bridges. Minnesota Rule Chapter 8820 www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/arule/8820/ Standards for Rural & Urban designs Complete Streets Natural Preservation Routes (NPR), Forest Highway (FH) Variance Procedures Federal Aid Projects Stewardship Plan Mileage values were set in 1959 and do not change. No later than February 1st of each year, the Commissioner certifies the apportionment to each county or urban municipality. 7

State Highways (trunk highways) = 11,878 miles This map shows the 11,878 miles of trunk highways in Minnesota. Trunk highways are also known as state highways and are managed by MnDOT. 8

CSAH = 30,609 miles MSAS = 3,597 miles Trunk Highways – 11,897 miles State Aid Routes: CSAH = 30,609 miles MSAS = 3,597 miles This map shows the CSAH and MSAS state aid routes 9

Total Miles = 137,586 State highways = 11,878 miles Trunk Highways – 11,897 miles State aid routes: CSAH = 30,609 miles MSAS = 3,597 miles This map adds the 91,502 miles of local roads. Local roads are also opportunities for Complete Streets ** Note: these are current numbers Local Roads = 91,502 miles Total Miles = 137,586 10

Complete Streets and MnDOT Snelling Avenue (Highway 51), St. Paul Highway 22 south of St. Peter I-694 Bike/walk Underpass, Fridley Minnesota Avenue (Highway 169), St. Peter

Aging Minnesotans Safe and accessible pedestrian and transit facilities, parking lots, parking spaces, and rest areas Stay in homes longer Stay active in communities Match travel options to budgets Maintain social/family connections

Young Adults Driving cars less Delaying driving license Choosing locations with more transportation options such as bus, bike and walk Avoiding cost of fuel impacts $$$$

Pedestrian travel Goal: Make pedestrian travel efficient, safe and convenient Every trip starts and ends with a pedestrian trip Many Minnesotans do not drive car Involves civil rights Quality transit service Door-to-door planning

Complete Streets in Minnesota Over 40 communities have CS or related policies or resolutions MnDOT tracks progress: www.mndot.gov/completestreets Please contact us if your community is working on a policy or resolution Complete Streets Duluth

Understanding Complete Streets Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users … motorists, transit users, freight, pedestrians and bicyclists of all ages and abilities are able to move safely along and across complete streets.

Flexibility and Options Streets and roads have different features and different uses. There are different strategies to use to improve travel for everyone. Adding bike racks to buses, striping bike lanes when a street is repaved, adding a turn lane, or adding a midblock crossing along with other road features to make a safe pedestrian crossing. These all can improve travel options and are just a few of the examples.

More of a Complete Street Rural Application Complete Streets can be applied in rural areas, too. The road design options may be different, for example, adding a paved shoulder for biking and other purposes. Not a Complete Street More of a Complete Street

Rural application Note shoulder in use by bicyclists and pedestrian with lower posted speed limit.

As in rural areas, there are challenges to urban streets and roads As in rural areas, there are challenges to urban streets and roads. What do you think? What road is better? Hard to say, depends on the context. Destinations, traffic, transit service, schools, speed. Note speed limit change, adding marked crosswalk, with signing, other changes that could be made?

Space Allocation & Flexibility in Design Is this a Complete Street? See what other changes can be made. Is this more of a Complete Street?

Common Features Sidewalks Buffer zones Paved shoulders Speed management Accessible pedestrian signals Accessible curb ramps Sidewalk “bump-outs” at intersections

Common Features Pedestrian refuges in medians Bus stops with accessible sidewalk connections Bike lanes Paths linking to state trails Car and bike parking Countdown timers Adjusting signal timing for walk phase

Before 10th avenue SE Minneapolis, 4 to 3 conversion (near U of M area)

After 4 to 3 conversion which is converting a four lane road to three lanes and center lanes is turn lane. This can work for roads to allow for bike lanes and allow for turning in center lane

The cities are building many great streets that provide access to all even though they don’t have a complete streets policy or ordinance. This example is in Osseo which has not adopted a formal policy yet is making progress. OSSEO, MN

This segment was actually built so that it can be closed off for civic celebrations. Clearly this is not a trunk highway or a state aid route, but it does show what nice things can happen if we just think a little broader.

MnDOT Actions so far Work plan in place to integrate Complete Streets into MnDOT processes and practices Clarified the State Aid variance process for transparency Modified State Aid and Trunk Highway standards to cooperatively design with local governments

MnDOT Actions so far Developing performance indicators this summer and fall Meeting with MnDOT districts to discuss CS and ADA opportunities Updating MnDOT Complete Streets website with training, resources Developed CS work plan …. Releasing Complete Streets policy tech memo soon. Working with Active Living groups Mobility for Minnesota’s Aging Population (MMAP) Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Engineer Complete Streets research and training (June 24, 25)

MnDOT actions you can influence We are looking for ways to work with external groups interested in complementary activities Participate in MnDOT Investment Plan public outreach now … contact ryan.wilson@state.mn.us Sign up for MnDOT Complete Streets updates Participate in MnDOT Bicycle System Planning public outreach: See … www.dot.state.mn.us/bike/

MnDOT Complete Streets Website Place screen capture here once website has been updated with photos, new template and latest information. See “Email updates” … that is what you can click to sign up for Complete Streets updates.

Challenges Cost participation policies Trucks use roads to move freight and need space to turn, unload freight Maintenance year round Emergency vehicles need access

Our weather always creates maintenance challenges in winter. We need to consider that cost in anything we build as well as the first cost.

It takes a team. Other state agencies Local governments Federal government Public Health agencies Medical and health industry Schools, colleges, universities Businesses Freight and Rail You!

Parting thoughts Biggest impact: working with our partners to apply CS in a region If we try to implement one construction project at a time without a overall vision we will not optimize our work or money We can make a difference working together cooperatively

Thank you www.mndot.gov/completestreets Julie Skallman State Aid Division Director Minnesota Department of Transportation Phone: 651-366-4831 julie.skallman@state.mn.us www.mndot.gov/completestreets