Category Archives: Policy and Planning

Multi-modal, Policy and Planning, research

Integrating travel demand management into transportation planning

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Reprinted from Catalyst, June 22, 2026

Minnesota’s transportation landscape is rich with options designed to get travelers to their destinations safely and quickly. These modes, ranging from commuter bike trails and public transit to rideshares, buses, rail, roads, streets, and highways, are strategically interlinked; improvements or disruptions in one place reverberate across the greater transportation network.

Travel demand management (TDM) is an approach to transportation planning that encourages more efficient travel through a combination of mode choice and infrastructure design. This “big picture” approach centers the specific needs of local communities to create viable options for people to shift away from single-occupancy vehicles for at least some trips. Among the benefits of more efficient road use are improved congestion and air quality and reduced costs for road maintenance and construction.

A UMN research study led by Kaitlyn Denten, infrastructure policy researcher at the Institute for Urban and Regional Infrastructure Finance within the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and a CTS scholar, aimed to investigate how TDM strategies can best be integrated into highway construction projects.

In Minnesota, two factors are bringing the TDM approach to the forefront. The Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Impact Assessment (Minn. Stat. §161.178 [2025]) is now part of highway construction and reconstruction projects. This statute requires projects to meet state greenhouse gas (GHG) and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) goals by either modifying the project, halting the project, or offsetting the GHG and VMT created by the project. 

Additionally, the Metropolitan Council, through its 2023 Regional Travel Demand Management Study Action Plan, recommended that a study be conducted to identify how TDM strategies could be incorporated into all phases of highway construction. The Met Council’s goal is to improve commuting, meet climate objectives, and reduce or delay the need for costly highway expansion projects.

In response to the Met Council’s recommendation, the UMN research team first conducted a nationwide scan to identify best practices for integrating TDM into highway projects. Examples in Colorado, California, New Jersey, Delaware, and Washington show how local, state, and federal transportation agencies and other entities coordinated to better understand local travel patterns and solve complex challenges. The scan revealed how TDM has been used to inform planning and policy, improve design and construction, encourage mode choice, and manage demand or emergency situations.

The researchers also studied Minnesota examples. The 2007 collapse of the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis diverted 140,000 daily commuter trips. MnDOT, the Met Council, and regional stakeholders created travel alternatives from the time just after the collapse through the bridge’s reconstruction, which was completed in September 2008. TDM strategies included new transit services, fare subsidization, teleworking programs, and expanded park-and ride facilities.

In Duluth, a more northern expanse of Interstate 35W became a “mega project” between 2010 and 2012. During this time, 3 bridges and 12 miles of roadway pavement were replaced, shoulders and safety features were added, and intelligent transportation systems components were installed for emergency communications. TDM strategies helped facilitate communications between local and state entities, transit services, and the MnDOT construction teams to improve travel alternatives and ease the flow of traffic during this prolonged disruption.

TDM is becoming a more defined and important part of future transportation planning. “Ultimately, integrating TDM into highway projects enhances travel options and creates modal choices for travelers,” Denten says. “This reduces delay during peak times and improves safety and efficiency for construction crews. It can also remove the need for travel and push travel to non-peak times. Further, holistic TDM approaches for highway construction projects could lead to more efficient transportation systems and perhaps delay or remove the need for a highway project in the first place.”

The study offers best practices to help policymakers, planners, engineers, and local officials within the Metropolitan Council and beyond incorporate TDM into their projects. These strategies provide opportunities to shape policies and projects that respond to unexpected and intermittent challenges while supporting Minnesota’s long-term goals of reducing highway construction costs, climate impacts, and travel disruptions.

This research project was sponsored by the Applied Research in Transportation (ART) Program, which addresses time-sensitive research questions in a 6- to 12-month timeframe. CTS and the Minnesota Department of Transportation contributed initial funding to launch this pilot program in 2024, with the Metropolitan Council joining in 2025. To reinforce the applied nature of the program, ART projects must directly address a current process, document, or policy need with an initial focus on sustainability in transportation and climate change impacts. 

—Amy Goetzman, contributing writer

Automated Vehicle Technology, Policy and Planning, research

Webinar shares industry and international perspectives on AI integration

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May 26, 2026

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping how transportation and infrastructure projects are planned and delivered—and how information about them is shared with the public and stakeholders. A recent CTS webinar highlighted examples in these areas, from a large-scale urban development in Finland to communications and public engagement practices among U.S. agencies. 

Some transportation agencies and project teams have reported that they value AI for its ability to manage and make sense of large, complex data. Large infrastructure efforts generate massive amounts of information across design, construction, finance, safety, and public input. AI can connect and interpret this data and improve efficiency in routine tasks.

AI can also support more consistent and informed decision making. AI tools, such as project-specific knowledge networks, can make sense of scheduling risks, sustainability gaps, or recurring public concerns that might otherwise go unnoticed. These tools can improve service to the public by enabling faster responses through chatbots and translation.

Nicole Moon, strategic communications lead for engineering consultant HDR’s highways and roads division, described how AI supports transportation industry professionals in their day-to-day work. Rather than replacing human judgment, communications and public relations professionals use AI tools to draft content and streamline workflows, often improving efficiency, she said.

“Whatever day-to-day problems you have, you could probably find a way to use AI to solve it, but I would challenge people to consider whether that’s the right approach,” Moon said. “There are risks. As a communicator, I don’t want to lose the human side of what we do—that connection piece.”

To offer an international perspective, Tomi Kotala of the City of Helsinki’s public works department and Pieti Marjavaara of consulting and design firm AINS Group presented on the Infrastructure Programme Helsinki, an initiative focused on building a more sustainable city through light-rail expansion and transit-oriented development. The nearly decade-long project is set to run from 2025 through 2033.

Marjavaara introduced “Project AI,” a structured framework for integrating AI into the Infrastructure Programme Helsinki. 

“First we teach people what AI is, and then we teach AI how to build in Helsinki,” Marjavaara said. He emphasized the importance of training staff in both the ethical use of AI and the practical adaptation of tools to fit project goals.

Kotala and Marjavaara both stressed that AI should be understood as part of a broader commitment to sustainable and ethical development.

“We want to be carbon aware, nature positive, and resource wise,” Kotala said. “We want to be harm-free for people and the environment, both during construction and in the final product.”

In their daily work, staff interact with a project-specific AI chatbot embedded within a broader “context sphere,” also known as a knowledge network, that draws from live Slack conversations, formal documents, task logs, and other project data. The chatbot, nicknamed “Bob,” uses this shared context to generate informed responses in its conversations with staff.

“We want to take the next step. So that’s why we are bringing AI, and, of course, we want to be responsible … [and use] it in a sustainable way and an ethical way I,” Marjavaara said. “We want everybody to be part of our AI journey.” 

This webinar’s discussion built on CTS’s December 2025 webinar, Preparing Transportation Professionals for AI Integration.

Watch the recording.

—Olivia Hanson, CTS associate editor

Policy and Planning, research

Preparing the Transportation Workforce for Emerging Technologies: A Guide

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Transportation agencies are facing rapid technological change—from artificial intelligence and machine learning to connected and automated vehicles, data governance, cybersecurity, advanced communications, and emerging analytical tools. These technologies are transforming how transportation systems are planned, operated, and maintained, while simultaneously reshaping workforce needs. This guide from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program offers practical strategies and resources to recruit, develop, and retain a workforce capable of adopting and leveraging emerging technologies.

Industry Challenges

As new technologies proliferate, agencies struggle with a number of overlapping challenges.

  • Outdated organizational structures and siloed departments
  • Skill gaps in advanced technical areas
  • Difficulty competing with private-sector salaries
  • Limited awareness of transportation tech careers among students
  • Pipeline shortages due to retirements and evolving skill demands

The guide categorizes these challenges into three core areas: Institutional Agility, Staffing Adaptability, and Workforce Pipeline.

1. Institutional Agility

Agencies must evolve organizational flexibility to integrate new technologies into their existing practices. There are a number of steps they can take to help with this.

  • Build multidisciplinary teams to break down silos and improve collaboration across planning, operations, IT, and field staff.
  • Modernize organizational structures and culture, including job rotations, co-location, communities of practice, refreshed licensure requirements, and skills-based management.
  • Develop business cases for new positions, such as data analysts, AI specialists, cybersecurity roles, and system engineers.
  • Enhance benefits packages beyond salary—highlight flexibility, professional development, hybrid schedules, innovation opportunities, and mentorship.

2. Staffing Adaptability

While the agency must modernize its processes, it must also provide a way for staff to develop the required skills to navigate new requirements. Should they hire, contract, or provide development channels for existing staff? The report has some suggestions.

  • Identify and formalize emerging positions across traffic operations, data analysis, IT/OT, hardware maintenance, policy/innovation, and design/construction.
  • Use a decision tool to determine whether to upskill current staff, hire new staff, or outsource work based on urgency, core function, and internal capacity.
  • Develop and promote new career paths that incorporate technical and soft skills, including leadership, communication, and innovation.
  • Leverage vendor contracts to include staff training, system handoff support, and access to vendor training sessions.
  • Recruit from adjacent industries with transferable skills—IT, telecommunications, military, emergency management, gaming, and manufacturing.
  • Connect staff to professional organizations and national training programs to keep technology skills current.

3. Long-term Workforce Pipeline

In addition to responding to immediate needs in the organization, the agency should look at strengthening the long-term talent pipeline with education partners.

  • Build partnerships with K–12, community colleges, trade programs, and universities through advisory committees, career fairs, mentorship, and public awareness campaigns.
  • Expand internships, apprenticeships, faculty exchanges, and hands-on training opportunities in emerging technology areas.
  • Collaborate on curriculum modernization, integrating interdisciplinary programs that blend engineering, IT, data science, and policy.
  • Invest in or share technology labs, equipment, and research opportunities to expose learners to real-world systems.
  • Support research initiatives that incorporate workforce development, outreach, and student engagement.

Conclusion

Emerging technologies offer transformative benefits for transportation systems but realizing those benefits hinges on the workforce. Agencies must take proactive, structured steps to evolve their organizations, strengthen recruitment and retention strategies, and build sustainable talent pipelines. This guide provides a flexible, practical framework to help you look at your organization and think about how some of these ideas apply to it, and how they may help you develop your own strategy for improving how you prepare for emerging technologies.

Read the complete report:

NCHRP Research Report 1174 (website or PDF)

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Policy and Planning, research

New Project: Understanding How Parking Space Requirements Affect Vehicle Miles Traveled

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Minimum parking requirements were established in the mid-20th century to mitigate increased motor vehicle congestion but have the potential to contribute to urban sprawl, hinder development, and curb incentives for drivers to choose alternative travel modes. Eliminating or reducing these requirements can help remove excess parking supply, increase alternative modes such as transit ridership, reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and enhance economic productivity. Decreasing VMTs directly mitigates emissions by reducing car travel distances and many VMT reduction strategies hold additional benefits such as increasing accessibility and reducing traffic congestion.

To receive email updates about this project, visit MnDOT’s Office of Research & Innovation to subscribe.

VMT reduction also plays a significant role in Minnesota’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. New legislation passed in 2023 requires reducing VMT up to 20% per capita by 2050. The impacts of parking space requirements or long-term benefits and challenges associated with modifying or removing these requirements have not been studied in Minnesota. This project will investigate, document, and advance the understanding of minimum parking requirements in Minnesota and the region and their impact on VMT reduction.

Researchers aim to establish recommended values based on differing types of land use and community context, e.g., urban, suburban, and rural within Minnesota. Specifically, this project will examine the long-term benefits and challenges presented by reducing and/or removing currently established parking space requirements with new or redevelopment projects, and opportunities for parking space reallocation with existing uses.

“This research aims to fill a critical knowledge gap, will modernize minimum parking requirements reduce vehicle miles traveled, and provide communities with more flexible land‑use options,” said Mark Vizecky, state aid operations engineer, State Aid for Local Transportation at MnDOT.

The Objectives:

  1. Perform literature reviews of historical and current practices, policy and requirements regarding parking space requirements in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest and of current best practices regarding parking space requirements and the impact parking has on land use and travel behavior.
  2. Interview local agencies and the League of Minnesota Cities to gain insight into current parking space practices, policies, and requirements across Minnesota.
  3. Conduct an online survey of business stakeholders to assess the potential economic impacts of parking policy changes regarding customer behavior, business density, operating costs, opportunity cost and sunk cost, and accessibility.
  4. Conduct a travel behavior and mode choice survey using a diverse group of daily commuters from Minnesota’s urban, suburban, and rural communities to understand the influence of parking policies on traveler behavior.
  5. Analyze survey responses using discrete choice modeling to develop utility equations for different parking requirements, which will help predict mode shifts and associated VMT reductions.
  6. Utilize travel demand model data from eight metropolitan planning organizations in Minnesota to assess how changes in parking requirements could impact VMT reduction.
  7. Analyze the sensitivity and data requirements for a parking space requirement that will be effective for local use and develop a toolkit for local municipalities to assess parking needs and the economic impacts of parking policies in local communities.

Project Details

  • Start Date: 06/02/2025
  • Estimated Completion Date: 04/30/2027
  • Funding: Local Road Research Board (LRRB)
  • Principal Investigator: Kakan Dey
  • Co-Principal Investigators: Subasish Das, Ali Zockaie
  • Technical Liaison: Mark Vizecky

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

To receive email updates about this project, visit MnDOT’s Office of Research & Innovation to subscribe.

Policy and Planning, research

Addressing disparities through more equitable transportation planning

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Reprinted from CTS Catalyst April 16, 2026

Transportation capital investment planning plays a vital role in shaping the future of infrastructure—but often leaves people with disabilities, youth, older adults, people of color, and disadvantaged communities underserved. A recent UMN research project aimed to gain a better understanding of how to include equity in planning and decision making.

To gain a better understanding of how to include equity in planning and decision making, a recent research project explored this complex topic through a literature review, statewide survey, and analysis of case studies. This research, sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Minnesota Local Road Research Board, resulted in considerations and strategies, including a toolkit, to increase community engagement and guide future transportation development for Minnesota localities and Native nations.

Camila Fonseca-Sarmiento, director of fiscal research for the Institute for Urban & Regional Infrastructure Finance at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs and a CTS scholar, led a team of researchers through a review of case studies for which equity was included in capital investment planning. As in other states and localities across the United States, the team found that the definition of equity and the goals of equity-related funding ranged widely across Minnesota’s counties, cities, and Native nations.

Incorporating equity factors in transportation investment planning in Minnesota has occurred through small, incremental changes. A few jurisdictions have already integrated equity into their planning efforts, while some others are in the process of doing so. Jurisdictions with a more comprehensive equity framework are those in which equity is part of a local initiative, compared to those who mentioned equity efforts as a response to federal funding requirements, such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disability Act.+6

Minnesota brings an additional set of equity considerations through the inclusion of the state’s 11 Native nations. These Ojibwe and Dakota communities and reservations share many of the same needs and challenges as other localities but also possess unique cultural considerations, including sovereignty, sacred sites, and environmental protection. For example, on a practical level equity for Native nations means fair employment—equitable job opportunities, wages, and hiring preferences for tribal members to ensure benefits stay within the tribal nations on or near reservations. On a cultural level it means dual language signage for English and Ojibwe or Dakota on roads and highways that traverse Native lands.

“Equity is not a one-size-fits-all approach,” Fonseca-Sarmiento says. Engaging community members early in the planning process helps planners understand transportation needs beyond roadway investments—such as a community’s historical experience, culturally specific needs, and current gaps. The research findings offer guidance on how to gather local input through surveys and in-person meetings guided by trained staff. 

The transportation capital investment planning and decision-making process consists of several phases where equity could be integrated: identifying projects, prioritizing capital investment projects through multi-step processes, and selecting projects for funding through community advisory committees.

A toolkit developed by the researchers could help improve communication and engagement with underserved communities. Its two key tenets are that agencies need to proactively reach out to the community, and trust-building is essential for effective relationships.

In addition, Dillon Dombrovski, deputy public works director/city engineer with the City of Rochester and the project’s technical liaison, says the community engagement toolkit “provides effective guidance to combine community input with supporting data to invest in more equitable transportation projects.”

Fonseca-Sarmiento says it’s also critical to listen and then include diverse perspectives in the final transportation plan. “Engaging local stakeholders in the planning process but then leaving them out of the finished project decreases trust and limits future engagement,” she says. “Overall, having regular community engagement for identifying transportation capital investment projects can also help prevent perpetuating past inequities.”

—Amy Goetzman, contributing writer

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Policy and Planning

Successfully Integrating Electric Vehicles into Fleets

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While electric vehicles (EVs) provide benefits over traditional gas-powered vehicles, they also come with challenges. Investigators surveyed and interviewed staff, analyzed costs and developed an optimization model to address these challenges. Project findings will help agencies across Minnesota achieve a successful and cost-effective transition to the increased use of EVs.

Continue reading Successfully Integrating Electric Vehicles into Fleets →
electric vehicles, Policy and Planning, research

CTS Webinar: EV Infrastructure and Fuel Policy—Understanding the Transportation and Economic Impacts

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Thursday, April 23, 2026, 2:00–3:30 pm, Virtual

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About the Webinar

Transportation policy and energy markets are evolving rapidly as states explore strategies to reduce emissions and support new fuel technologies. This webinar will examine two current policy areas shaping transportation systems: electric vehicle infrastructure development and low-carbon fuel standards.

Beth Kallestad from MnDOT’s Office of Sustainability and Public Health will provide an overview of Minnesota’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program. Her presentation will discuss how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and NEVI funding have shaped the development of EV infrastructure in Minnesota, the program’s current status, and what to expect in the next phase of implementation.

Monica Haynes and Neil Wilmot from the University of Minnesota Duluth will highlight a 2025 study that examined the relationship between low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) programs and gasoline prices. They will explore how LCFS programs in other states have affected retail fuel costs and discuss the challenges of predicting the economic impacts of a potential LCFS program in Minnesota.

Through these presentations, webinar attendees will gain insights into how emerging transportation energy policies influence infrastructure planning and economic outcomes.

Speakers

Beth Kallestad is the sustainable transportation planning director with MnDOT’s Office of Sustainability and Public Health. She has a wide range of experience in the environmental field, including in the private, government, academic, and nonprofit sectors.  This experience has given her a strong background in the management and implementation of a variety of sustainability planning efforts, public and stakeholder engagement, effective communications, trust building, and collaboration. Beth joined MnDOT in June 2022 and has focused her work on the development and implementation of the EV infrastructure program with federal NEVI funding and supporting MnDOT’s internal fleet transition. 

Monica Haynes has served as the director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Minnesota Duluth since 2014, supervising a small team of student researchers and a writer/editor. During her time in this role, the department has completed more than 90 funded research projects on a wide range of topics related to current events, proposed development opportunities, and economic trends. She also serves as adjunct faculty in the Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE), as chair of LSBE’s outreach committee, and on the Duluth Workforce Development Board. 

Neil A. Wilmot is an associate professor and head of the Department of Economics and Health Care Management, Labovitz School of Business and Economics, at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He is also an associate of the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota. Wilmot’s research interests include energy economics and energy commodities, encompassing a wide range of topics including oil and gas markets, renewable energy integration, and energy pricing mechanisms. He has published numerous articles in leading energy economics journals, including Energy Economics, Resource and Energy Economics, and The Energy Journal.

Registration

This webinar is free, but registration is required. Once you have registered, you will receive an email confirmation with a Zoom link. The link should not be shared with others; it is unique to you.

Related Reading

Transitioning to EV Fleets: Best Practices and a Decision Tool | MnDOT Digital Library

Policy and Planning

CTS Webinar: Industry and International Perspectives on AI Integration

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Wednesday, April 1, 2026, 9:00–10:30 am CST, Virtual

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing how transportation and infrastructure projects are planned, delivered, and communicated. This Education and Engagement Council webinar builds on CTS’s earlier AI discussion by highlighting how AI is being used in practice, both nationally and internationally.

Speakers from outside Minnesota will share real-world examples of AI integration in infrastructure and construction contexts. Nicole Moon, Strategic Communications Highways and Roads Market Sector Lead at HDR, will discuss how AI is supporting transportation agencies and project teams through applied industry use.


Mr. Tomi Kotala, Project Director, City of Helsinki Public Works Department, and Mr. Pieti Marjavaara, Chief Innovation Officer, Construction Management, AINS Group, will discuss the Infrastructure Programme Helsinki, Finland. This strategic urban development initiative focused on designing and constructing a sustainable future for the city, including a massive expansion of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) network. They will demonstrate how their approach to Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) and alliance models optimizes infrastructure lifecycles through fair partnership. Efficiency is driven by Knowledge Management and industrial construction via data-driven, repeatable processes. The Project-AI concept evolves situational awareness into active AI-driven support for all project members, ensuring smarter, more predictable, and value-driven outcomes.

This webinar is designed to foster shared learning and discussion around how AI is being adopted today, why organizations are investing in these tools, and what lessons transportation professionals can take from industry and international experience. It is intended for practitioners, researchers, students, and others interested in the evolving role of AI in transportation and infrastructure.

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Policy and Planning, Public Transit, research

TRB Webinar: Improving Mobility in Rural and Tribal Communities

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February 25, 2025, 10-11 AM CST

More information and Registration

TRB is offering a free webinar tomorrow on rural mobility, which has been a focus of a number of MnDOT studies in the last few years. For a review of research on rural mobility in Minnesota, see the following lists of completed and active projects. To register for the webinar, follow the link above.

Continue reading TRB Webinar: Improving Mobility in Rural and Tribal Communities →