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More than 50 percent of the road network in the United States are gravel roads, underscoring their crucial role in the transportation system. However, one of the drawbacks and biggest complaints of gravel roads is the dust they generate when vehicles pass, causing inconvenience for residents from dust that settles on homes, yards, and parked cars. Dust can also reduce the safety for drivers due to impaired vision. Recently, counties have received calls from residents inquiring about environmental, health and corrosion concerns with dust and dust control suppressants. This document investigates these additional questions as well as reviews and updates previous LRRB reports on dust control.

This research summary is part of Report 2024-18, "Pedestrian Risk on Anishinaabe Reservations in Minnesota: Overview and Phase 2 Results," published in June 2024.

This research summary is part of the final deliverable for Report 2024-23, "Re-Use Of Minnesota Waste Material In Sustainably Designed Soils: Part 2, published in September 2024

Minerals, forestry, agriculture, and industrial activities in Minnesota generate substantial by-products and waste. Strategies to reuse or recycle these can reduce landfill waste, enhance public health, conserve resources, and cut costs and emissions. Building on the frameworks by Johnson et al. (2017), Saftner et al. (2019), and Saftner et al. (2022), this project extended its scope across Minnesota to include materials like dredge sediment from Mississippi River, RCA (recycled concrete aggregate) and VersaLime. Researchers identified, selected, and characterized various waste, by-products, and commercial materials statewide, as well as tested engineered soil mixes for roadway applications, assessing their stormwater retention and support for native plants. Laboratory methods characterized these mixes, which were implemented and evaluated in situ. A preliminary environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) was also conducted quantifying the environmental impacts of the engineered soil mixtures. Results were compiled into a design guide for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) engineers.

The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed in November 2021 created the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. This new and transformative program provides funds for states to install fast chargers for electric vehicles along designated corridors. Minnesota is in the process of allocating the first phase of $68 million in federal funds from the NEVI Formula Program over five federal fiscal years (FFY22- 26). The Minnesota Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan (EV Plan) describes how Minnesota will spend the NEVI Formula Program funds. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) developed the initial plan in 2022 in coordination with the public and partners throughout the state to include nonprofits, local units of government, utilities, fuel vendors and retailers. The EV Plan builds on past efforts to advance electric vehicles (EV) and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) in Minnesota. It aligns with MnDOT’s Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan (SMTP) objectives around climate action and healthy, equitable communities. This 2024 update reflects progress towards implementation and future plans.

Many Minnesota bridges have older barriers or parapets that met the design code at the time of construction in the 1950s. Many of these bridge barriers no longer meet current strength and performance requirements of NCHRP Report 350 or the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). As the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) begins to rehabilitate older existing bridges; a determination needs to be made as to whether the existing older type of barrier can remain in place or if it should be rehabilitated or replaced with a newer style barrier. This research documented the number of bridges in Minnesota that have One-Line Rails and type G; J; and F barriers and when they were built. Evaluations were then performed for both the structural strength and crashworthiness of each type of barrier and recommended guidance and evaluation criteria were developed to determine when an existing barrier should be upgraded or replaced.

This Research Summary accompanies Report 2024-26, "Toward implementation of max-pressure control on Minnesota roads: Phase 2."

The fall report shows the estimated allocation for the next calendar year, based on the unit prices from the spring report. It must be approved before the funds are distributed in January.

The fall report shows the estimated allocation for the next calendar year, based on the unit prices from the spring report. It must be approved before the funds are distributed in January.

This report contains data about contracts that meet the definition of “Privatization Transportation Contracts” as described in Minnesota Statutes 161.3203, which is also known as the “Taxpayers’ Transportation Accountability Act.” A total of 994 contracts were evaluated since the Act took effect. The Minnesota Department of Transportation executed 113 contracts meeting the statutory definition of a privatization transportation contract during state fiscal year (FY) 2024 (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024). This report provides information on the contracts executed in FY 2024 and the 248 contracts from previous years that remained active or were in the close-out audit process at the end of the prior year. Appendix A provides a detailed breakdown for each active contract.