This prospectus outlines the need for and nature of a system of freeway surveillance and control for the St. Paul-Minneapolis Metropolitan Area. Information is presented on the transportation trends in the Metropolitan Area showing heavy reliance on highway vehicular travel and indicating that capacity deficiencies will exit. The role that freeway surveillance and control may play in the development of a total transportation system is presented. Also included is information on the cost-effectiveness of various urban transportation modes.
The long-range plans and a description of the ultimate system are outlined along with a plan of implementation to develop the system in an organized manner.
This report is the result of a project initiated by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT), in which the University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies (CTS) was asked to involve key stakeholders in investigating options and making recommendations for the future governance of the MnROAD test facility. A task force appointed by Mn/DOT and CTS worked with CTS and consulting staff to develop the recommendations contained in this report.
This report summarizes the information considered by the Task Force in arriving at recommendations in response to its charge from Mn/DOT Deputy Commissioner Douglas Differt. The findings and opinions expressed are those of the Task Force and
Minnesota's Bridge Replacement Program has reached a critical juncture. Until now it has been successful in removing critical bridge deficiencies. However, without a significant influx of bridge funding, the task of preserving Minnesota's bridge system will be increasingly difficult.
This is due to a set of evolving issues, among which are included:
- By current Federal criteria, 5,281 (27 per cent) of Minnesota's 19,492 bridges are deficient. To reduce that backlog, as well as satisfy anticipated annual replacement needs would require an accelerated bridge replacement program over the next twenty years.
- Many of the bridges becoming and expected to become deficient within the next twenty years are older, larger, and more complicated than deficient bridges dealt with in the past.
- In twenty years, 61 per cent of Minnesota's bridges ..most built immediately following World War II ..will be reaching the end of their useful life.
In the past, the major determinant for spring load restrictions was the tested strength of the road. Since trucks are the stressing fraction of the traffic, and they will vary in volume from nearly nothing to many thousand trucks per day, this major aspect must be taken into account. Other diagnostic techniques developed recently (and are in common usage) can be used to aid the establishment of spring axle load.
These bridge improvement guidelines have been prepared by the Bridges and Structures Section and serve as a modification and update of the "1976 Report and Resulting Policy for Protection of Concrete Bridge Decks" and the "1977 Interim Policy for Protection of Concrete Bridge Decks". These guidelines have been formulated on a fiscal year basis to coincide with current programming procedures and project development practices.
The purpose of the Minnesota Bikeway Facility Design Manual is to provide engineers, planners, and designers with a primary source to implement the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT's) vision and mission for bicycle transportation in Minnesota. This manual also provides citizens, developers, and others involved in the transportation planning process, guidance on the critical design and planning elements to promote bicycle safety, efficiency, and mobility.
In September 1978, a Mn/DOT Task Force was established to conduct an in-depth analysis of rehabilitation measures for the 5.2 mile section of l-92 (see map, page 9) continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) located between Snelling Avenue in St. Paul and the Lowry Hill Tunnel in Minneapolis. The pavement is rapidly deteriorating due to ruptures of the reinforcing steel and spalling of the driving surface. This section of highway averages 30,000 vehicles per day. The rehabilitation of this pavement will have significant impacts. during construction in terms of social and economic cost to the traffic user and public served by the facility. In addition, the magnitude of the rehabilitation will have a major impact on the financial resources of Mn/DOT.
Because of the impacts, Mn/DOT management, felt it imperative to investigate and evaluate all possible measures in terms of design, engineering, project staging, timing, and cost. This report discusses the findings of the Task Force.
Spring is a critical period for Minnesota's roads because the roadbed soils and aggregate base materials are in a weakened state during and after the thawing process. Spring load restrictions (SLR) are used as a preservation strategy to reduce damage, thereby protecting Minnesota's investment in the infrastructure. However, the imposition of spring load restrictions impacts industry, both in their operations, and financially.
While it is clear that spring load restrictions benefit the infrastructure, there are two issues of which little is known: (1) the economic impacts that result when access to the transportation system is restricted and (2) extent of enforcement efforts.
The development of the Spring Load Restrictions Task Force was in response to 1999 legislation requiring the Commissioner of Transportation to establish a task force to study spring load restrictions and report to the legislature its findings and any recommendations for legislative action by February 1,2000. The legislation also calls for task force members that represent many interests including aggregate and readymix producers, agriculture, waste haulers, construction, and logging. Other members representing local agencies, associations, and enforcement have also been included.
The task force objectives were to study the current status of spring load restrictions in the state of Minnesota, explore the economic impacts of the load restrictions, and report the findings to the legislature.
Spring is a critical period for Minnesota's roads because the roadbed soils and aggregate base materials are in a weakened state during and after the thawing process. Spring load restrictions (SLR) are used as a preservation strategy to reduce damage, thereby protecting Minnesota's investment in the infrastructure. However, the imposition of spring load restrictions impacts industry, both in their operations, and financially.
While it is clear that spring load restrictions benefit the infrastructure, there are two issues of which little is known: (1) the economic impacts that result when access to the transportation system is restricted and (2) extent of enforcement efforts.
The development of the Spring Load Restrictions Task Force was in response to 1999 legislation requiring the Commissioner of Transportation to establish a task force to study spring load restrictions and report to the legislature its findings and any recommendations for legislative action by February 1, 2000. The legislation also calls for task force members that represent many interests including aggregate and readymix producers, agriculture, waste haulers, construction, and logging. Other members representing local agencies, associations, and enforcement have also been included.
The task force objectives were to study the current status of spring load restrictions in the state of Minnesota, explore the economic impacts of the load restrictions, and report the findings to the legislature.
High quality aggregates for highway construction are in short supply in many parts of Minnesota. Although the current total supply is adequate, the distribution of sources results in localized shortages. In some areas, it is necessary to import high-quality aggregates from distant locations. Long haul distances can increase aggregate prices substantially, add significantly to the overall project cost, and require the expenditure of sizable amounts of energy. One available source of high-quality aggregate is existing portland cement concrete pavement currently in need of reconstruction. Re-using this aggregate would conserve natural resources, result in cost savings in areas experiencing aggregate shortages and conserve natural resources, result in cost savings in areas experiencing aggregate shortages, and conserve energy in the form off fuel savings when aggregates must be acquired from distant sources. A research study was undertaken to; Determine the feasibility of recycling portland cement concrete pavement; evaluate the new recycled pavement; determine the cost effectiveness of recycling versus conventional paving; and determine the amount of energy consumed and natural resources conserved. Economic and engineering factors led to the selection of a 16-mil (25.7 km.) segment of U.S. 59 from Worthington to Fulda in Southwestern Minnesota for :his study. The in place roadway which was constructed in 1955 and consisted of a 9-7-9 inch (23-18-23 cm.) thick, 24 foot (7.3 m) wide, non-reinforced "D"-cracked concrete pavement with soil shoulders was broken, salvaged, and crushed. Material passing the #4 sieve (0.187 in., 0.476 cm) was used for base stabilization and shoulder aggregate, and material retained on the #4 sieve but passing the 3/4 in. (1.905 cm) sieve was used] as the coarse aggregate for concrete paving. Pavement removal began May 15, 1980 and concrete paving was completed September 24. 1980.
