Search Content

Annually since 1987, Mn/DOT has sought public opinion about transportation through an omnibus project. Six Mn/DOT offices participated in this 2006 wave of the shared-cost Omnibus study: Communications; Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations; Office of Investment Management; Office of Maintenance; Office of Traffic, Safety and Operations; and Transit. The Metro District also participated. Historical data exist for many of the issues. Specific objectives for these tracking measures include determining: > perception of Mn/DOT's performance in providing selected maintenance services, > perception of Mn/DOT communications and traveler information tools, including reliability, use and perceived utility, > feelings of highway safety and what about the highways themselves make people feel less safe, and > satisfaction with available public transportation. In addition, this year the following objectives were added: > determining current and possible future levels of bicycle use and reasons associated with non-use, > determining preference for a significant increase in the number of large trucks on the state highways and freeways or a preference to reduce the increase somewhat by allowing trucks to carry heavier loads, and > understanding the commuting public's perceived importance of having reliable trips.

Annually since 1987, Mn/DOT has sought public opinion about transportation through an omnibus project. Seven Mn/DOT offices participated in this 2005 wave of the shared-cost Omnibus study. Historical data exists for many of the issues. Specific objectives for these tracking measures include determining: > perception of Mn/DOT's performance in providing selected maintenance services, > perceptions of Mn/DOT communications and traveler information tools, including reliability, use and perceived utility, > feelings of highway safety and what about the highways themselves make people feel less safe, > awareness and recall of work zone and snowplow safety messages, and > attitudes regarding desired option for toll lanes and rationale for building. In addition, this year the following objectives were added: > obtaining baseline perceptual measurement for the Safe Routes to School Initiative, and > determining level of support or opposition to proposal to dedicate all motor vehicle sales tax to transportation needs.

Since 1987, Mn/DOT has annually sought public opinion about transportation through an omnibus project with other government organizations. Historical data exist for issues such as satisfaction with services, safety perceptions, telecommuting and other commute behaviors and a myriad of other one-time questions on specific topics. In 2001 the omnibus questions were sponsored by the Office of Communications and Public Relations in addition to six other internal clients. The large number of questions were conducive to the study standing 'on its own' as it did in 1999. The objectives of the study were numerous, but focus primarily on the tracking of performance measures. Those particular performance measures are around maintenance activities; reliability, use of, and satisfaction with information (and specific informational tools); public confidence in Mn/DOT's ability to build and maintain roads and bridges, develop long-term plans, communicate accurately and provide alternative transportation options; satisfaction with availability of public transit; and, feelings of safety on roads (and specifically in WorkZones).

Mn/DOT has conducted an annual Omnibus Study since 1987 (except 2007) to seek out the public's opinion about transportation related projects and the department's performance of its services and activities. Nine Mn/DOT offices participated in this 2008 study. Historical data exists for many of the issues. Specific objectives for this year's survey include determining: > perceptions of Mn/DOT's ability to do a good job at selected services and activities, > perceptions of Mn/DOT's performance in providing selected services, > perceptions of the reliability in Mn/DOT's communications, > perceptions of safety on Minnesota highways, > satisfaction with availability of public transit in the community, > the frequency of riding an outdoor bicycle, familiarity with bicycle laws and perception of bicycle safety, > perceptions of pedestrian safety in Minnesota, > any potential effect of discontinuing funding for Channel 17, as well as usage assessment, > assessing awareness and attitudes towards rumble strips, > knowledge of and preference for speed limits in residential areas, > preferences for alternative sources of financing new transportation construction projects, > perceived priorities for transportation planning initiatives.

Transportation construction projects in Minnesota have wide-ranging impacts that, depending on the size of the project, can have an impact on neighborhoods, entire communities, or sometimes even broader multi-county regions of the State. All aspects of the population, including the business community, are affected by the construction of transportation projects. Often the impacts are very small and of short duration, such as during a routine maintenance project. Larger construction projects, such as complete reconstruction of an interchange or highway corridor, have several direct and long-term impacts on the daily lives of people. This report has been prepared in response to Laws of Minnesota 2008, Chapter 308, requiring the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) to prepare a report on the mitigation of construction impacts on small businesses. Mn/DOT recognizes that as construction projects become larger in size and duration, small businesses are at risk for difficulties arising from construction impacts. Working with small businesses to provide them with the information they need to understand the potential impacts of a project and the available resources to manage their business during construction is especially important.

The WorkZone Safety and Training Section of the Construction Office decided in the winter of 2000 to follow up on two market research projects that were conducted earlier in that year. The first evaluated several specific safety messages that had been used as PSAs, and the second project determined preferences of the driving public for whether or not WorkZones should be fully detoured or left partially open. One question that was asked in each of the two projects was, "What do you most fear/what makes you most nervous when driving through a WorkZone?". This question was explored briefly in focus groups that were utilized in the first study and was then quantified in the second study - The Road Closure Study. In The Road Closure Study (conducted as a telephone survey), participants were read a list of situations that occur in WorkZones and asked to rate how nervous each situation made them while driving through WorkZones where they would encounter these situations. The ratings that resulted from this question differed somewhat from expectations within the Department, about what causes the most accidents and should therefore generate the most fear. In order to help Mn/DOT personnel understand how public perceptions are so different about this issue, this third marketing research project was begun. An implementation team was created, made up of traffic/maintenance engineers who are in decision-making roles, and this team further defined other, existing informational needs.

This handbook was prepared as a product of Mn/DOT's Non-Traditional Transportation Stakeholder Dialogue Project (NTTSDP), which was conducted in 1995 and 1996. For the purposes of this study, non-traditional transportation stakeholders were defined as people of color, low-income constituencies, communities, neighborhood-based organizations, disabled individuals and civic and cultural groups. The purposes of the year and a half long project are summarized below: • To identify non-traditional transportation stakeholder groups in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. • To build better relationships with nontraditional transportation stakeholders. • To invite those groups to become involved in Mn/DOT's public participation processes. • To create a forum for dialogue and two-way learning so that: Mn/DOT is better prepared to develop and facilitate effective involvement processes that reach out to non-traditional stakeholders and Non-traditional stakeholders are better prepared to effectively participate in planning and project design processes.

This report documents findings and recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Transportation's (Mn/DOT's) Non-Traditional Transportation Stakeholder Dialogue Project. Non-traditional transportation stakeholders were defined as people of color, low-income constituencies, community and neighborhood groups, and civic and cultural groups. The definition generally included groups and constituencies without a previous history of involvement in Mn/DOT's transportation planning and design activities. The purposes of this year and a half long project are summarized below: • To identify non-traditional transportation stakeholder groups in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. • To build partnerships with non-traditional transportation stakeholders. • To invite those groups to become involved in Mn/DOT's public participation processes. • To create a forum for dialogue and two-way learning so that Mn/DOT is better prepared to develop and facilitate effective involvement processes that reach out to non-traditional stakeholders and Non-traditional stakeholders are better prepared to effetively participate in planning and project design processes.

In 1990, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, (Mn/DOT) contracted with the University of Minnesota Center for Survey Research for a survey of public attitudes and opinions concerning various transportation related issues. Two surveys were conducted. There was a Statewide Omnibus Surrey in which the transportation portion included a variety of maintenance related questions. In addition, a Twin Cities Area Survey was undertaken which focused on information and ramp metering on Twin Cities freeways.

The Minnesota Highway Department has adopted objectives to expand its efforts to inform and involve the public in the highway planning process. This article addresses the topic of citizen involvement in the project development process and the implementation of efforts to achieve the Department's objectives. The content of this article is based on a literature review, the results of workshops and conferences, the recommendations of the Citizens Action Plan Task Force and previous citizen involvement experiences. The content does not reflect official policy of the Minnesota Highway Department nor does it represent a specification or regulation.