State Aid Publications

The objectives of this study were to assure that through critical reassessment of elements affecting width standards that the standards are indeed an up-to-date reflection of the best of available technical knowledge past and present; and to furnish the engineer facing the public a documentation of sound reasons for the standards he is called upon to observe and defend. The study involved a multi-dimensional approach including a study of present professional practice, a historical review, and an evaluation of the safety, operational environmental and cost aspects of width elements. Variables considered include human factors responses, basic driver-vehicle-road relationships, system or network considerations, costs of construction and maintenance, and environmental impacts. The project included the collection and synthesis of data, studies, information, unit values, etc. which describe each of the important variables and where necessary reflect the sensitivities of Minnesota conditions. This synthesis process enabled formal evaluation of all pertinent width elements resulting in a series of statements and recommendations concerning optimal values for input to Minnesota state aid design standards. A rational process for considering exceptional cases is suggested.

This is a summary of the engineering report, "Highway Transportation in Minnesota", which was prepared for the Minnesota Highway Study Commission by the Automotive Safety Foundation.

This section presents a listing of all segments identified as misaligned through this project process. The segments indicated with an asterisk (*) are potentially misaligned but require a detailed study before their misalignment can be confirmed.

Phase 1 of the Jurisdictional Realignment Project established guiding principles, evaluated the history and prior studies, developed an approach for identifying misalignments, piloted the approach, and defined an agreed-upon process for applying the approach. The end result of the first phase is this report.

The purpose of this document is to guide jurisdictions in Minnesota—the state, counties, cities, and townships—in identifying segments that may be misaligned. This guide is an output of the Minnesota Jurisdictional Realignment (JR) Project, a two year project which looked at current jurisdiction alignment within the State of Minnesota and developed a standard and consistent approach to identifying misaligned segments. The guide covers the entire spectrum of the segment identification process, from defining what constitutes a misaligned segment to preparing a list of misaligned segments. The misalignment list can then be used as a starting point for discussing transfers between jurisdictions.

This document presents the final report of the Minnesota jurisdictional realignment project, divided into an executive summary and a detailed report. The overall objective for this project was to ensure that Minnesota roads are owned and operated at the right jurisdictional level. This project developed and applied a methodology to identify roadway segments that are not owned by the right level of government (referred to as misaligned). This project also provides additional information that can be used as a basis from which a jurisdictional transfer process and program can be established to remedy the misalignments.

In partnership with MN2050, Wilder Research conducted an online survey for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) that included engineers from 264 jurisdictions across the state of Minnesota, including cities, counties, and two state agencies; Metropolitan Council and MnDOT. The goals of this ‘State of the Infrastructure’ survey are: 1) to learn to what degree city, county, and state agencies are using asset management practices to manage the infrastructure assets in Minnesota, and 2) to build and share collective knowledge regarding the types, condition, and value of infrastructure assets in Minnesota. This data book includes data from the first survey, which was conducted in spring-summer 2015.

The goals of the ‘State of the Infrastructure’ survey are: 1) to learn to what degree city, county, and state agencies are using asset management practices in Minnesota, and 2) to share collective knowledge regarding the wide range of infrastructure types and condition of infrastructure assets in Minnesota. In partnership with MN2050 and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), Wilder Research developed a web survey that asked about asset management practices.

This is the final report on highway funding. Implementation of this report led to the construction of interstate highways in Minnesota and the State Aid for Local Transportation program. The report contains: I. "A Compilation of Material Pertaining to the Financing of Highways in Minnesota, submitted to the Commission in October, 1953; further extended and revised and resubmitted in February 1954. 2. A series of thirteen memoranda dealing with specific highway subjects. These were issued to the Commission serially between November 1953 and March 1954. 3. A report on "Basic Considerations in Financing Minnesota's Highways," prepared for the February 15, 1954 Commission meeting.

This report on Minnesota's highway needs led to the passage of Minnesota Constitutional Amendment #2 in 1956. That amendment created the first state aid standards and regulations, and the basis for State Aid for Local Transportation (SALT) in Minnesota.