Tag Archives: local government

Bridges and Structures, Policy and Planning

A Look at Local Bridge Removal Practices and Policies

April 19, 2017 mndotresearch 1 Comment

Many local agencies in Minnesota lack funding to construct and maintain all the bridges in their roadway network. One way to lower costs is to reduce the number of bridges.

In Minnesota, some township bridges are on roads with low usage that have alternative accesses for nearby residents, but local officials are reluctant to remove the bridges.

To identify possible changes to how redundant and low-use bridges are identified and removed in Minnesota, the Local Road Research Board conducted a transportation research synthesis, “Local Bridge Removal Policies and Programs,” that explores how other states make bridge removal decisions.

Fifteen state DOTs responded to a survey about their processes, with varying levels of state oversight identified for bridge removal decisions. Researchers also examined funding and incentives offered by some DOTs to local agencies for bridge removal, as well as criteria for considering bridge removal.

A literature search of bridge design manuals, inspection manuals and bridge programs was also conducted to identify related policies and programs.

Read the TRS to learn more about the various bridge removal policies and procedures in place in Minnesota and other states.

Policy and Planning

Study reveals public misperceptions about local transportation issues

July 21, 2014 Shannon Fiecke 1 Comment

Aging roads and bridges, increased traffic and persistently constrained revenues put local road systems in peril, but the public is largely unaware of the pressures facing their communities, a Minnesota Local Road Research Board study has found.

The LRRB undertook the study to identify critical gaps in public knowledge about local road system challenges and to develop communication methods and tools to address these shortfalls.

Researchers found that even elected officials are unaware of the gap in funding needed to keep the road system going — in part because county engineers have been creative in a period of dwindling resources, and the cost of deferred maintenance has not been immediately visible.

In fact, only one Minnesota news outlet specifically covered the issue of local road system sustainability in a five-year period analyzed by researchers, with media coverage focused mainly on big events, like the collapse of the 35W bridge and the federal transportation funding bill.

There are multiple challenges to road system sustainability, including rising construction costs, declining tax revenues, heavier agricultural and industrial equipment and rising public expectations.

Beltrami County roundtable disucssions helped stakeholders appreciate diverse viewpoints. — In Beltrami County, researchers facilitated focus groups and round-table discussions regarding competing alternatives for revitalizing the county’s road system. (Photo by Guillermo Narvaez)

Education needed

To help county engineers better educate the public, researchers looked at outreach strategies (such as open houses and focus groups) currently used in three Minnesota counties: Beltrami, Dakota and Jackson. The research team talked with county road managers to identify key issues and concerns and surveyed 91 residents who had participated in public engagement efforts.

The project revealed widespread confusion about local road system issues. For example, many participants erroneously believed that the gas tax covers (or was enacted to cover) the cost of maintaining local roads.

Researchers have produced a set of recommendations and tools for county engineers to use in designing effective public engagement processes that overcome confusion and a lack of information. A newly approved follow-up project will test the tools in three or four other Minnesota counties and cities.

Note: This article was adapted from the July-August 2014 issue of our Accelerator newsletter. Sign up for your free print or email subscription by clicking here.

Resources

Technical Summary (PDF, 1 MB, 2 pages)
Final Report (PDF, 8 MB, 91 pages)

Environment, Materials and Construction, Policy and Planning

New video showcases Minnesota city and county stormwater management techniques

May 24, 2013 Nick Leave a comment

Earlier this week, the Minnesota Local Road Research Board released this new video showcasing best practices for local stormwater management. Although it’s primarily a training video for engineers and other public works professionals, non-transportation geeks might also enjoy learning about some of the interesting, innovative techniques being employed in cities and counties across the state.

Those who’d prefer not to watch the whole 14-minute video can skip ahead by clicking on these highlights:

Woodbury’s stormwater ponds (1:52)
Washington County’s bioretention gardens (2:56)
“Green roof” bioretention method (4:02)
Maplewood’s underground detention system (4:39)
Greenway stormwater project in Minneapolis (6:03)
Minnetonka’s hydrodynamic separator treatment system (7:47)
Arden Hills’ infiltration (swales) system (8:26)
Shoreview’s permeable pavements (9:52)
Ramsey-Washington permeable pavement project (11:11)
Tree boxes/trenches in Ramsey-Washington (12:06)

Overall, the video gives you an appreciation for the incredible amount of planning and work that goes into managing stormwater runoff — a task that’s critical to protecting the state’s waterways from pollution (but which many people no doubt take for granted). For those who want to learn more, the best management practices showcased here are examined in greater detail in a recent LRRB report, “Decision Tree for Stormwater BMPs,” which is available for free on the LRRB and MnDOT Research Sevices websites: