The region is busier than ever. Reliable, safe and efficient ways of getting from one point to another is a necessity. Whether driving, busing, biking, walking, or taking light rail, people need a transportation system that allows them to remain connected and reach destinations.
Many factors are involved in how the regional transportation system is structured. The Metropolitan Council is responsible for a great deal of planning and coordination to provide a transportation system that operates to benefit everyone.
Required by both state and federal law, the current 2040 Transportation Policy Plan (TPP) serves as a blueprint for growth and establishes key transportation goals that are guided by Thrive MSP 2040, the Council’s regional policy framework.
The transportation plan is developed every 10 years in conjunction with the regional planning process but under federal law must also be updated every four years. This more limited update has just begun; it is a collaborative effort between the Council, agencies and local governments, and the people of the region.
Focus on safety, cost-efficiency and maintaining/enhancing current infrastructure
The plan update will continue to focus on ways we can invest in transportation region-wide that will be cost-efficient and safe, and maintain our current infrastructure to enhance its usability and longevity. Another focus is continuing to look at all our multi-modal options on a region-wide level and how those modes can be strategically aligned with land use.
The update will highlight the Council’s work to meet the outcomes of Thrive MSP 2040 as they relate to transportation. The outcomes include: stewardship, prosperity, equity, livability and sustainability. Other highlights of the upcoming update are:
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Updating fiscal projections for the highway and transit systems
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Identifying performance measures that will guide investment
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Addressing new and emerging trends in transportation, such as autonomous vehicles and shared mobility systems
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Incorporating the results of recent transportation planning studies, such as the Regional Truck Freight Corridor study
Get involved
Opportunities to be involved in the plan update will be announced soon. The Council is slated to adopt the update in 2018. For more information, contact the Council at [email protected]