The issue of reducing speed limits to increase public safety is an emotional, political, and controversial topic that has been debated by safety advocates, engineers, politicians, transportation officials, and the public for many years. A statutory change in 2019 put a spotlight on the topic, requiring a deeper look into how speed limits are established and the effectiveness that lowering speed limits has on reducing vehicle traveling speeds, as well as the impacts on pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
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On the Road to Somewhere
Measuring access to opportunities is the future math of mobility.
In December 2022, Twin Cities policymakers and planners celebrated the opening of the D Line, the latest bus rapid transit project by Metro Transit. The new line strengthened the spine of service running north-south through the urbanized core of the region: from Brooklyn Center, following Minneapolis’ long axis to the south, through the gridded suburbs of Richfield and Bloomington all the way to the Mall of America. Largely replacing Minnesota’s single busiest bus route (Route 5), the D Line features expanded high-frequency hours, higher-capacity vehicles, and improved trip speeds. The D Line represents the best of local transit service, an undoubtable improvement for the mobility of transit riders.
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Strengthening Communities with Innovative Right of Way Projects
When urban highway projects were built several decades ago, many thriving communities were physically divided and negatively impacted, experiencing social, economic and environmental hardships from highway development. A national review of innovative projects in the transportation right of way (ROW) has identified strategies for repairing and revitalizing these communities and illustrates the potential for significant benefits within communities and the transportation network.
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Alternative Transit Approaches for Rural Communities
Meeting transit needs in rural communities can be challenging. A new pilot study demonstrated the benefits of using mobile technologies and existing assets to enhance transit services and improve local economies.
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Impacts of Lane Conversions on Level of Service
Reconfiguring roadways, also referred to as a “road diet,ˮ can be a low-cost safety solution that makes space for different travel modes in addition to motor vehicle traffic. New guidance gives local engineers an initial indication of whether a road conversion would result in a loss of capacity given the roadway motor vehicle traffic demand.
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Connecting smart vehicles with traffic signals could reduce fuel use
Originally published in Catalyst, July 18, 2022.
Green means go and yellow means go faster—so goes a wry take on driver behavior at traffic signals. But it’s not just travel time that increases when you brake for a red: Fuel consumption does, too. Could transmitting signal data to connected vehicles (CVs) reduce stop-and-go cycles and fuel use? U of M researchers say yes.
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Impacts of Autonomous Vehicles on Operation and Maintenance of Minnesota Roads
As autonomous vehicle technology evolves, transportation agencies want to understand how road maintenance and traffic operations may also need to evolve. New research begins to identify potential needs and further questions for winter road maintenance, work zones and traffic flow.
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Researchers Identify Freight Data Sources, Create Guidance to Aid Infrastructure Planning
The goods that continuously move through Minnesota by road, rail, air, water, and pipelines drive the state’s economy, making efficient freight transit—and excellent freight infrastructure—a high priority for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).
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Model Helps Identify Strategic Sites for Truck Charging Stations
An influx of electric trucks is expected on our highways, but where will they charge? Few public stations today can serve large freight vehicles. The challenge? Fast chargers are expensive, and new ones need to be placed strategically to keep pace with growing demand.
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Using Rumble Strips to Encourage Stops at Rural Intersections
Vehicle crashes in rural areas often happen at intersections. Transverse rumble strips placed before a stop sign can be an effective safety measure that warns drivers approaching an intersection. Recent research has provided an increased understanding of the most effective rumble strip designs and noise characteristics to help county traffic engineers decide when and where to deploy the strips.
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Crossroads 