Highway improvement projects in metropolitan areas can offer a variety of benefits, including greater safety for travelers and increased activity for businesses near the roadway. However, improved roads may also negatively impact long-standing businesses as new retailers and chain stores displace them.

A greater understanding of the effects of highway improvements on businesses in the Twin Cities’ commercial corridors will help MnDOT deliver projects more successfully.

“If we can predict how a project will affect nearby businesses, we’ll be in a better position to work with those at-risk businesses and mitigate any negative effects,” said Jason Junge, transit advantages coordinator, MnDOT Team Transit.

Objectives

As part of a new study, researchers will:

1. Identify the economic, demographic and business-related factors that have traditionally influenced whether a highway is considered for improvement.
2. Estimate the effects of highway improvements on nearby businesses.
3. Develop an interactive mapping tool to visualize the likely negative impacts of improvements on at-risk businesses.

Project Details

• Estimated Start Date: 06/04/2021
• Estimated Completion Date: 12/31/2022
• Funding: MnDOT
• Principal Investigator: Yingling Fan
• Co-Principal Investigators: Noah Wexler
• Technical Liaison: Jason Junge

Details of the research study work plan and timeline are subject to change.

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