2020 update of the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan
In order to align federal and state requirements for regional transportation planning, in 2020 the Met Council will develop and adopt an interim update to the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan. This update will meet federal timing requirements and lead into the creation of the 2050 Metropolitan Development Guide (update to Thrive MSP 2040) and the new 2050 Transportation Policy Plan. These are both set to be developed and adopted in 2023-2024.
This interim update gives the Met Council the chance to talk with regional partners and stakeholders about emerging challenges and opportunities in the transportation system. These discussions will inform the planning and investment studies we will complete over the next four years – Chapter 14 Work Program. The 2050 plan will incorporate the results and recommendations from these studies.
The transportation funding picture has not changed since the 2018 plan update. Therefore, the interim update will not name newly funded, major transportation projects. The current 2040 Transportation Policy Plan highway and transit investments remain the base funding for the 2020 update.
The Transportation Policy Plan (TPP) presents the Metropolitan Council’s policies and plans to guide development of the region’s transportation system. The TPP must be consistent with the regional vision set forth in Thrive MSP 2040 and describe how the transportation system will be developed and operate to support Thrive MSP goals.
Transportation is the engine of our regional prosperity
The 2040 TPP lays out a course of action to maintain and enhance our existing facilities, better connect people and communities, and provide more transportation choices that will make the region stronger and a better place to live, through six goals:
- Transportation System Stewardship
- Safety and Security
- Access to Destinations
- Competitive Economy
- Healthy Environment
- Leveraging Transportation Investments to Guide Land Use
A focus on equity and healthy communities
In line with the equity outcome included in Thrive MSP 2040, the 2040 TPP strategies include equity among the criteria for prioritizing transportation spending across the system. Strategies also highlight the importance of healthy and livable communities for investment decision-making.
For the first time, the plan acknowledges the impact the transportation system has on global climate change. The plan calls for additional evaluation of this impact, and convening partners to discuss how the region can prepare to mitigate the effects of climate change and slow its progress.
Public participation
Transportation Public Participation Plan (18 pages, pdf)