The market research effort is an outgrowth of the recommendations of the "Congestion Pricing Study" conducted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Council, under the sponsorship of the Federal Highway Administration. This effort was completed in March 1997.
One of the principal lessons learned from the public outreach effort in the Congestion Pricing study, as well as from Mn/DOT's and the private sector's experience with the TH 212 toll road initiative in 1996, was the need to develop a regional road pricing policy and plan, consistent with the Metropolitan Council's Policy Plan and with Mn/DOT's metro area Transportation System Plan.
Following the Congestion Pricing study recommendations, the Metropolitan Council and Mn/DOT modified their respective planning documents to provide for the use of alternative financing options such as tolls to be considered when evaluating future transportation system improvements. Specifically, the policy allows for the potential use of tolls to help finance the cost of lane additions identified in the 20-year system plan, intended to be constructed primarily as high-occupancy vehicle lanes.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation, along with the Metropolitan Council, initiated a market research project to monitor the attitudes, tolerance and behaviors toward congestion in the Twin Cities' Metro Area. It was hypothesized that as traffic levels increase, drivers may grow increasingly less tolerant of congestion and, subsequently, make changes in lifestyle and residence.
The primary objective of this research was to obtain a baseline measure of congestion tolerance. An additional objective was to determine how congestion impacts the decision-making process for home buyers and renters.
A first draft of the questionnaire was designed by Carolyn Olson. It was approved and pre-tested, then reviewed and necessary revisions were made. First, 300 interviews were completed, using the probability sampling method. This resulted in statistical reliability of ±5.7% at a 95% confidence level. County quotas were then implemented and an additional 390 interviews were completed for a total of 690, resulting in a margin of error of ±3.7%. Finally, 341 interviews were completed with Movers for a total of 1,031 interviews completed (500 of which were with Movers). All interviewing took place at the Olson Phone Center from June 3, 1998 to August 12, 1998. A full discussion of the methods used is provided in the Methodology section of this report.
This report documents the methods and results of the second wave of data collection for the I-394 MnPASS Evaluation Attitudinal Panel Survey (hereafter referred to as the Attitudinal Panel Survey). The Wave 2 survey, conducted during November and December 2005, occurred one year subsequent to the first wave and about six months into the implementation of the 1-394 MnPASS Express Lane project. NuStats conducted a total of 950 interviews. These data were collected to evaluate the attitudinal and behavioral impacts of allowing solo drivers to pay to use carpool lanes. NuStats conducted the survey under subcontract to the State and Local Policy Program at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
This report documents the methods and results of the first wave of data collection for the 1-394 MnPASS Evaluation Attitudinal Panel Survey (hereafter referred to as the Attitudinal Panel Survey). This baseline survey was conducted among a random sample of residents of the I-394 and I-35W travel sheds during the months of November and December 2004, prior to the opening of the I-394 MnPASS Express Lane project. A total of 1,000 interviews were conducted, with an average length of 19.5 minutes. NuStats conducted the survey under subcontract to the State and Local Policy Program at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
These are the appendices for the 2005 MnPASS System Study Final Report. The contents are:
Appendix A. Capital Cost Estimates
Appendix B. Details of Travel Demand Estimates
Appendix C. Sensitivity Analysis of Cost Recovery Ratio to Discount Rate
Appendix D. Segment Evaluation Summary
Our region is facing rapid congestion growth and extreme delays. With a projected 37% population increase in the Twin Cities metropolitan area from 2000 to 2030, the ability to deal with chronic congestion, reduced air quality, and overall quality of life issues is critical to our collective well being. Continued inadequate funding for transportation and transit will create serious economic and societal costs for all of us. MnPASS offers a tool to deal with rapidly mounting congestion problems.
The most significant finding of the Steering Committee is that a variably priced, interconnected system of MnPASS toll lanes would be an effective tool to manage congestion and provide transit advantages in the Metropolitan Area. Mn/DOT and the Metropolitan Council should actively pursue this. While the Steering Committee believes such a system should be integrated into future transportation plans, our consensus is that such a system should not displace projects currently underway at Mn/DOT.
If such an interconnected system is constructed, the State of Minnesota rather than the private sector should make the necessary public investment to launch such a system, and the revenues generated should contribute to construction and operating costs - something no traditional Minnesota roadway has done in the past.
In May 1994, the state legislature directed the Minnesota Commissioner of Transportation and the Metropolitan Council to jointly conduct a study of road pricing options with potential for implementation in the State of Minnesota and in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Two road pricing studies were conducted concurrently: a study of congestion pricing in the metropolitan area and a study of a mileage-based tax statewide. This report summarizes the efforts undertaken in response to this legislative
mandate, which required that the following elements be considered:
- Public acceptance and understanding of alternative road pricing options:
- Detailed evaluation of impacts of various road pricing options;
- Financial analysis including implementation costs, user costs, and revenue estimates;
- Identification of criteria for selecting specific options for future demonstration and testing; and
- Detailed study design, schedule, and cost estimates for a draft environmental impact statement, if necessary.
The Commissioner and the Metropolitan Council have reported the results of the study to the legislature, and have made recommendations regarding future actions needed to move toward implementation of road pricing in Minnesota and/or the metropolitan area.
