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The District 3 I-94 and District 6 I-35 Alternate Route Signing Final Report chronicles the process of developing an alternate route system for interstate corridors. Major delays and roadway closures occur along the Interstate system as various incidents occur on the roadway. These incidents require cooperation between MnDOT, Minnesota State Patrol, and local first responders to respond to the scene and manage Interstate traffic until the corridor can be opened. These alternate routes provide guidance to first responders and MnDOT staff should an incident occur. Alternate route systems were developed for the I-94 corridor through District 3 and the I-35 corridor through District 6. The process used in developing these alternate routes is transferable to other corridors throughout the State. This research project includes the route development process and the development of two final deliverables for use by MnDOT Districts and local stakeholders. The process of developing alternate routes required field review exercises and input from the project's Technical Advisory Panel and other local stakeholders. The project resulted in the development of an Alternate Route Operations Guide and a Signing Plan. The Alternate Route Operations Guide is intended to provide a tool for first responders during an incident by providing suggested routes and temporary traffic control with an outline of the necessary actions for implementation. Suggested static signing locations are provided within the Signing Plans developed with the project.

As part of its long-range focus on planning. District Six, along with the other seven districts within Mn/DOT, has developed a long-range planning effort that extends 20 years into the future. Included within the District's plan are projects currently programmed to be undertaken during 1989-1995. The purpose of such a long-range plan is to provide the Districts a comprehensive planning base for coordination of highway improvement and maintenance programs as well as construction and maintenance activities necessary to maintain an efficient transportation system within the limits of available resources and manpower. With an identified plan. District Six Staff can identify near-term projects that are consistent with long-range goals. Contained in the document is an inventory of all highway sections within the District as well as recommended improvements over the 20-year planning period. These plans will be reviewed and updated every two years, as necessary, to reflect needs not currently identified, adjust to changes in funding levels and unexpected areawide development within the District.

The 2008-2030 Southeastern Minnesota Long Range Transportation Plan has been prepared by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) District 6 as a guide for future investments to the state trunk highway system within the eleven-county area of Southeastern Minnesota. The District 6 Long Range Transportation Plan provides a critical link in the transportation planning and investment programming process. It identifies the long-term system and corridor improvements required to achieve and maintain established performance targets. It also sets forth a general investment plan for the next 20+ years based on projected availability of future federal and state funding and the priorities identified through comprehensive analysis, cooperation, and consultation among the Department and other stakeholders.

Mn DOT District 6 has partnered with the city of Zumbrota, and Goodhue County, to guide short- through long-term transportation and land use along the Hwy 58 and 180th Avenue South corridor. The Study corridor runs from 180th Avenue South/22rd Street to MN 58/443rd Street, mostly within Zumbrota. The existing two-lane highways in Zumbrota serve through and local traffic, including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, freight shippers, agri-business, and transit users. The highway runs through commercial, residential and downtown "Main Street" Zumbrota, and heading north crosses the Zumbro River and proceeds through park, suburban residential, and agriculture areas. Destinations along and near Hwy 58 and 180th Avenue South include residences, schools, parks, businesses, and transit stops.

The mission of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is to “Plan, build, operate and maintain a safe, accessible, efficient and reliable multimodal transportation system that connects people to destinations and markets throughout the state, regionally and around the world.” Minnesota-based manufacturers ship their products using Minnesota’s roads, bridges, airports, railways, and waterways to local, state, national, and international markets. The transportation system, when aligned with shippers’ needs and priorities, plays a significant role in supporting state and regional economic vitality. MnDOT collected and analyzed information on manufacturers’ perspectives in MnDOT District 6 (southeastern Minnesota) to: •better understand their perspectives and priorities, •build relationships to better align the transportation system in the long-term with shippers’ needs, and •support continuous improvement at MnDOT with ongoing input from this customer segment.

In 1985, the 74th Minnesota Legislature directed the Commissioner of Transportation to establish and direct a series of highway jurisdictional studies at the regional and multi-county levels. These studies are to review the existing ownership of all roads, and to propose changes in jurisdiction to roads not identified as the appropriate level of governmental ownership. The Commissioner of Transportation was further directed to enter into agreements with regional development commissions to conduct studies of highway jurisdiction in each region. Each region was given the "Regional Jurisdictional Study Guidelines" by the Commissioner to ensure that all studies will be done in a somewhat similar fashion to ensure statewide consistency. The Mid-Minnesota Transportation Advisory Committee made some deviations to these published guidelines in determining what thresholds to use in determining road jurisdiction. These changes are shown by reading the explanation of thresholds within this report.

Pursuant to legislation passed by the 1985 Minnesota Legislature, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) entered into an agreement with the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission (UMVRDC) directing the UMVRDC to conduct a highway jurisdiction study for the five-county area of Region 6W including: Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Swift, and Yellow Medicine Counties. This study was undertaken based upon the "Regional Jurisdiction Guidelines" established by the Commissioner of Transportation in December, 1985.

The Highway 52 Corridor Study process was initiated as a joint effort between the Minnesota Department of Transportation's (Mn/DOT) District 6 and Metro Division in cooperation with the counties and communities along the highway. Growing concerns about the role of the corridor in the State's transportation system as well as concerns about preserving present levels of safety and mobility prompted this endeavor. A significant portion of Highway 52 was included in the project study area (see Figure 1) in order to ensure that its role as an interregional corridor connecting Rochester to the Twin Cities was recognized.

In 1983 and 1984 the Six East Regional Development Commission conducted a study on the recording of township roads. Three townships in each of the four counties of the region were chosen as study areas. These townships were selected so as to give geographical balance, as well as a contrast of topography and development.