Government policies often prioritize the needs of the dominant group or culture, resulting in systems and services that benefit some people more than others. To better address the transportation needs of underserved communities, transportation agencies must first understand people’s lived transportation experiences. Listening is a critical first step toward mitigating the effects of marginalization and discrimination in transportation.
Continue reading New Project: Improving Transportation Equity for All by Centering the Needs of Marginalized and Underserved Communities
New Project: Assessing the Effects of Highway Improvements on Adjacent Businesses
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.
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‘Expanding the Transportation Workforce’ project creates tools for local agencies
Local transportation agencies in Minnesota are facing a growing workforce shortage. In a recent project, Minnesota LTAP led the creation of tools to help expand the transportation workforce and fill open positions—today and tomorrow.
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New Project: Evaluation of Proprietary Rejuvenators
A wide range of proprietary spray-on asphalt rejuvenators are available on the market. A National Road Research Alliance field study has been initiated to monitor the performance of some vendors’ materials on test sections over the next five to 10 years. Local agencies are interested in learning more about the many products on the market.
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U Students Offer Ideas For Transit Changes in Carver County
This article was originally published in Catalyst, August 2021.
The transit needs of Carver County, Minnesota, are undergoing a shift driven by changes in population size and demographics. Student researchers from the U of M teamed up with county planners to identify and address these changing needs.
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Transition to Distance-Based Fees: Where do we go from here?
This article was originally published in Catalyst, August 2021.
As vehicles switch from gas-fueled to electric and revenues from the gas tax begin to decline, experts in the transportation industry are looking for alternative ways to fund roadways. Distance-based user fees (DBUFs) have been gaining political traction as a possibility.
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State-Of-The-Art Vehicle to Drive CAV Research
This article was originally published in Catalyst, August 2021.
With the arrival of its fully outfitted autonomous vehicle in July, the University’s MnCAV Ecosystem is ready to facilitate research and testing of sensing technologies, vehicle control, platooning, traffic patterns, and other topics related to connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs).
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New Project: Comparison of Compost and Proprietary Soil Amendments for Vegetation Establishment
After road construction, the adjacent disturbed soil has a diminished capacity to sustain vegetation, overall soil health is compromised from soil disturbance and there is an increased risk for erosion.
Soil quality in these areas can be replenished by importing topsoil (the preferred choice) or using organic composts. If organic compost is not available, proprietary soil amendments provide a cost-effective alternative. But information regarding the effects, mix ratios and application techniques for these products is limited. Research is needed to better understand optimal organic compost ratios and how to integrate these amendments to improve soil quality.
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New Project: Tool to Estimate the Safety Impact of Vehicle Levels of Automation on Minnesota Roads
While commercially available self-driving vehicles may still be decades away, an increasing number of vehicles on the market offer advance driver assistance systems (ADAS). For example, ADAS features include adaptive cruise control, steering automation, and hands-free steering.
Continue reading New Project: Tool to Estimate the Safety Impact of Vehicle Levels of Automation on Minnesota Roads
New Project: MnDOT Haul and Detour Routes – Impacts on Local Roads
When local roads are temporarily used as haul roads or as detour routes, MnDOT compensates local agencies. However, local agencies believe the compensation model is outdated and inadequate, especially for local roads not built for large volumes of heavy vehicles. The methodology also has not been updated to reflect that local agencies have invested more local property and sales tax revenue into their systems beyond the gas tax.
Continue reading New Project: MnDOT Haul and Detour Routes – Impacts on Local Roads
Crossroads 