The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is pleased to present this 2024 City Speed Limit Evaluation Report to the Legislature. As required by 2024 Laws of Minnesota, Chapter 104, Article 1, Section 106, the report summarizes a 2024 evaluation project to help determine the impact of 2019 legislation that allowed cities who met certain criteria to change speed limits within their jurisdiction without a MnDOT speed study or MnDOT approval.
Transportation safety remains both a challenge and a high priority for the state. Speeding is a significant contributing factor to fatalities and serious injury crashes, and transportation officials at all levels of government continue to look for strategies that help reduce crash numbers. This report helps identify the cities that implemented speed limit changes since 2019 and presents the results of a before-and-after comparison of speeds and crashes in cities that were included in the study. Summaries of other local, national, and international studies offer additional perspective.
In 2024, Minnesota continued to be a national leader with its connected and automated vehicles (CAV) academic research, industry work, and partnerships with state and local governments. Minnesota’s on-going AV pilot project in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, goMARTI, continues to gain national and international recognition for both its emphasis on AV technology advancements and increasing accessibility for folks with limited transportation options.
After a pause in 2023, the Governor’s Council on CAV restarted in 2024 with new members, and was a year rich in accomplishments, making progress on established recommendations. This iteration of the Council strives to be more action-focused and establish clear CAV-based recommendations for Minnesota by looking at what our state needs, where there is opportunity, and where there is risk. The members represent a variety of backgrounds, bringing valuable perspectives which enhance the discussion and provide recommendations that support all Minnesotans.
This report includes information on transit service in Minnesota as required by Minn. Stat. 174.247. In addition, it provides a comprehensive overview of the state’s public transit services by highlighting accomplishments; listing ridership, financial and performance information; and providing a snapshot of every public transit provider in the state.
Transit is a key component of Minnesota’s multimodal transportation system, contributing to the health of people, the environment and the economy. In Greater Minnesota, 40 public transit systems in 79 counties offer scheduled transportation service to the public. These transit services are funded through a financial partnership that includes local, state and federal participation.
MnDOT strives to make access to quality public transit systems available to citizens statewide. To ensure Minnesota is at the forefront of future transit strategies and financing, MnDOT will work proactively toward its mission to provide the highest quality, dependable multimodal transportation system.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is pleased to present the 2024 Transportation System Performance Report to the Legislature. As required by Minn. Stat. 174.03, Subd. 12(d), the report presents trunk highway and transportation system performance measures, describes performance gaps, and outlines the agency’s progress toward achieving the state transportation goals established in section 174.01.
Minnesota’s transportation system is complex, and to improve performance, MnDOT and its partners regularly assess the system management strategies in place, revisit current performance measures for improvement and evaluate where new performance measures are needed. Although specific performance measures and performance measurement efforts described in the report are in different stages of development – including Transportation Insecurity and those related to the reduction of Green House Gas Emissions and Vehicle Miles Traveled - MnDOT continues to make progress.
MnDOT has observed performance gains in several areas over the last year such as improved travel times on MnDOT-operated roadways and decreasing roadway fatalities. However, as use of the transportation system continues to increase following the decreases observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, roadway safety overall continues to be a challenge with the number of serious injuries on Minnesota roadways continuing to increase year-to-year and at the highest point in last five years. Additionally, while still meeting most infrastructure condition performance targets, the percentage of bridges, culverts, and pavement moving into poor conditions have slightly increased. MnDOT is actively assessing infrastructure maintenance and investment strategies to maintain performance and steward transportation resources well.
Connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology has the potential to significantly increase work zone safety. Each day, MnDOT maintenance employees and contractors are at risk of being involved in crashes when performing road work. To mitigate this risk, MnDOT uses truck mounted attenuators – or crash cushions – to help protect roadside workers)
As directed by Minnesota Laws 2024 Chapter 127, Article 3, Sec. 130, the Minnesota Departments of Transportation and Public Safety conducted a joint study on the current state of Minnesota’s commercial driver workforce.
Commercial drivers play an important role in our state and in our country; they support Minnesotans and our economy by connecting people to jobs, healthcare, education, and helping facilitate the movement of goods and freight. To support this industry, the Commercial Driver Workforce Study Group has developed eight recommendations for the Legislature to consider. This report details the study group’s process and how these recommendations emerged.
Last year, the Minnesota Department of Transportation conducted a study on dynamic transportation options in Greater Minnesota. This report fulfils the requirements laid out under 2024 Laws of Minn., Ch. 127, Art. 3, Sec. 124 providing an overview of the existing conditions in non-metropolitan areas and recommendations for a pilot program.
The transportation system in Minnesota plays an important role in supporting our state’s economy and connecting our communities to each other. Whether it’s access to work, school, shopping, getting medical care, or socializing with friends and family, everyone needs to be able to use and have access to our transportation system.
The Legislature formed the Minnesota Council on Transportation Access (referred to as MCOTA) under Minn. Stat. 174.285 in 2010 to “study, evaluate, oversee and make recommendations to improve the coordination, availability, accessibility, efficiency, cost-effectiveness and safety of transportation services provided to the transit public.” Since then, MCOTA has worked to improve mobility options for those who live and visit our state.
MCOTA is led by staff from the Department of Transportation who work with partner agencies, organizations, and stakeholders to continue to reduce barriers in the transportation system. This includes working with Transit Assistance Coordination Projects (TCAPs) in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and Regional Transportation Coordinating Councils (RTCCs) in Greater Minnesota to connect users to services throughout the state and recruit new providers, as per the 2020-2024 MCOTA Strategic Plan. MCOTA also works with partners to identify issues that can be improved upon through the legislative process, and endorsing and supporting legislation that improves access and mobility options. MCOTA members connect with existing and potential stakeholders and share educational and networking opportunities.
Information and data for this study were gathered from Mn/DOT's Aeronautics Division and Maintenance Office. Also consulted were individuals involved with travel coordination and policy from Iowa and South Dakota government agencies.
This study focuses on two primary recommendations for improving Mn/DOT's travel procedures. The first involves greatly increasing trip consolidation and coordination. This would be pursued through establishment of a travel coordinator position, development of computerized support, and the institution of "core days" for travel. A successful travel coordination program could affect reductions in travel mileage and fuel consumption that would add up to a substantial dollar savings for the Department.
The second thrust of the study revolves around increasing the utilization of Mn/DOT's aircraft, making them a primary mode of travel for outstate trips. This would be highly desirable in terms of savings in productive time on the part of the travelers.
(The dollar value of this time savings is computed by multiplying hours saved by an average salary figure.) However, it should be noted that the actual dollar cost of flying nearly always exceeds that of driving, often by a substantial amount.
