This document serves as a guide for the potential future design and deployment of an integrated Intelligent Transportation System along TH 7 from Hutchinson to the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The document presents a conceptual plan including a strategy for ITS deployment as recommended by the TH 7 Technical Committee. The concept study was performed to identify opportunities to apply advanced technology to address unresolved problems and needs from proposed physical roadway improvements scheduled along TH 7 over the next several years. A key goal of this study was to identify advanced technology that could cooperatively be applied to enhance transportation management and traveler information capabilities in order to increase safety and efficiency of the transportation system along the TH 7 Corridor.
This report documents and assesses a relatively new operational procedure undertaken by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) for directing traffic off Interstates and prohibiting access during unsafe driving conditions such as severe snowstorms and major incidents. This procedure involves using gates on the mainline to direct traffic off an Interstate and at entrance ramps to prohibit traffic from gaming access to an Interstate. While using gates is a relatively new technique for closing roadways to travel in Minnesota, neighboring States such as North and South Dakota have used gates for a number of years.
Gates were first used in Minnesota on Interstate 94 during the winter of1996/97 and today 65 gates are used in three of Mn/DOT's eight Districts. In Mn/DOT District 4, twenty-two (22) gates are used on portions of Interstate 94 and Highways 10 & 210 and in Districts 6 & 7, forty-three (43) gates are used on portions of Interstate 1-90.
As the use of gates has spread in Minnesota, Mn/DOT has become increasingly interested in documenting the experience to date with the gates and identifying any opportunities to enhance gate operations, particularly through the utilization of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).
As a result, Mn/DOT's Office of Advance Transportation Systems (OATS) undertook this study to document past experience, identify issues and to recommend enhancements to the current operations. Mn/DOT hired the consulting firm of BRW, Inc. to assist with the study that was conducted between March and August 1999.
This document serves as an addendum to the Trunk Highway 7 Corridor Study. The corridor study was prepared by BRW, Inc., and submitted to Mn/DOT and the TH 7 Steering Committee in February 1996. BRW, Inc./ and Mn/DOT received comments from the TH 7 Steering Committee in early March 1996 (comments / meeting minutes are included in the appendix). This addendum was prepared to respond to these comments. The addendum includes a revised Executive Summary of the Corridor Study and resolution of Steering Committee comments.
The Public Involvement Program for the West Extension of the Northstar Corridor Commuter Rail Project includes a number of strategies to receive public input and guidance on the project. An Advisory Committee was established at the beginning of the project and a Land Use/Station Area Planning Forum was held in December 1999.
The Public Involvement Program for the North Extension of the Northstar Corridor Commuter Rail Project includes a number of components to receive public input and guidance on the project. An Advisory Committee was established at the beginning of the project, a Land Use/Station Area Planning Forum was held in December 1999 and a Public Information Meeting was held in January 2000.
This report contains year 2005 traffic volume forecasts for TH 212, TH 169, and TH 5 for the build and no-build alternatives for TH 212. The specific products of the year 2005 traffic volume forecasts include the following:
o Annual Average Weekday Traffic (AAWT)
o Heavy Commencial Average Weekday Traffic (HCAWT)
o A.M. and P.M. peak hour volumes
o Turning movements at the intersections of the cross streets with TH 5, TH 212, and TH 169 for the AAWT and peak hours.
o Hourly distribution of annual average weekday traffic.
o Yearly growth factors for traffic for the period 1983-2010.
