Purpose

To modify how transportation planning is done in Minnesota, with a stronger focus on transit planning, performance measures, and the use of transit-oriented development. The bill aims to create new requirements for planning, funding allocations, and reporting that affect transit systems, highway projects, and related land-use rules.

Key definitions

• High frequency service: A new term defined for regular route transit where
  • on weekdays: departures/arrivals at a transit stop or station happen every 10 minutes or less for at least 12 hours;
  • on weekends: every 15 minutes or less for at least 12 hours;
  • daily: 9:00 p.m. to midnight also requires 15-minute or better intervals.

Main provisions

• Transit planning and performance

  • Establish a transit system investment framework and performance measures to guide investment decisions in transit.
  • Emphasize transit-oriented development (TOD) as part of planning and policy.

• Limits and reallocations

  • Proposes to limit certain highway projects and establish zoning requirements.
  • Provides for reallocations of funds related to transit and road projects, integrating land-use goals with transportation investments.

• Transportation policy plan (nontransit element)

  • The transportation chapter’s policy plan must include policies for all transportation modes and be designed to meet the state’s stated goals and performance measures.
  • The council must create a process to gather and evaluate public input across the metro area.
  • The nontransit portion must include:
  • a needs and problems statement for the metro area, including demand, access to major activity centers, constraints on development, and vehicle trip generation;
  • objectives and policies to be pursued;
  • a general description of facilities and services to be developed;
  • general locations for facilities and service areas;
  • a general timing and priority plan for facilities and service areas;
  • a detailed, two-year updated timing and priority plan for improvements and expenditures on the metropolitan highway system;
  • a general statement on the level of public expenditure for facilities;
  • a long-range assessment of air transportation trends and factors affecting airport development, plus policies to ensure a comprehensive review of alternatives for airport development.
  • Development of the nontransit element must be done with input from the Transportation Advisory Board, the Metropolitan Airports Commission, and cities with airports in or near their boundaries; airport plans and activities of the commission must be considered. Results must be transmitted to the state Department of Transportation.

Significance and potential impacts

• Shifts in planning emphasis: Greater focus on high-frequency transit service and TOD, aligning transit investments with land-use planning and airport considerations.
• Expanded policy plan requirements: The nontransit portion becomes more detailed and requires ongoing public input, regular updates, and coordination with airports and advisory bodies.
• Funding and project direction: Possible changes in how funds are allocated between transit and highways, with new constraints on highway projects and explicit mention of zoning changes to support transit goals.
• Reporting obligations: New duties to report findings, timing, and priority updates to the state transportation agency.

Significant changes to current law (at a high level)

• Adds a new Subd.37 defining high-frequency service within existing statute 473.121.
• Expands the transportation policy plan under 473.146(3) to require a comprehensive nontransit element with specific content, public input processes, and interagency coordination.
• Inserts requirements for consultation with the Transportation Advisory Board and Metropolitan Airports Commission and consideration of airport plans in the planning process.
• Creates expectations for reporting and transmission of planning results to the Department of Transportation.

Relevant Terms - High frequency service - Regular route transit - Service intervals - Weekdays / weekends - Metropolitan area - Transportation policy plan - Nontransit element - Needs and problems - Regional business concentrations - Activity centers - Vehicular trip generation - Timing and priorities - Metropolitan highway system - Airport development - Long-range air transportation trends - Metropolitan Airports Commission - Transportation Advisory Board - Transit-oriented development (TOD) - Transit system investment framework - Performance measures - Zoning requirements - Reallocations of funds - Public input - Department of Transportation (MnDOT)

Relevant Terms - High-frequency service - Transit planning - TOD - Metropolitan Airports Commission - Transportation Advisory Board - Transit system investment framework - Performance measures - Nontransit element - Highway system - Airport development - Public input - Funding reallocations - Zoning requirements