Open MIC Blog

Proposed Revisions to the MIC’s Public Involvement Plan

Posted on by Rondi Watson

We are interested to know your thoughts about the changes we are proposing to our Public Involvement Plan.

The MIC’s Public Involvement Plan (PIP) spells out our process for obtaining public input as an integral part of the transportation planning process.  Public Mtg participants

Recently we put these procedures to the test, during the development of our Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).  We noted several edits, deletions and additions to be incorporated into the 2013 PIP document as approved revisions.  The proposed revisions are:

 1. Delete all references to air quality consultations

Why is this being proposed?

As of late 2014, Duluth has received an ‘Attainment’ area for air quality; therefore federal ‘conformity consultation’ requirements no longer apply.  (pages 7, 29, 33, 50)

2. Discontinue the step of placing hard copies of the Draft and Final TIPs and LRTPs at area libraries for review.

Why is this being proposed?

Placing hard copies at the libraries was a method of distribution that predated the 2005 SAFETEA-LU mandate to utilize electronic and online channels (e.g., CDs, websites and email) to deliver plans and planning process information.  At that time the MIC switched from producing printed versions to formatting our plans as PDFs designed to be viewed online, as well as developing online-only visualization features such as interactive mapping.  (pages 29, 30, 33, 40, 41)

 3. Add the following language for members of the public who wish to give comments at regularly scheduled meetings of the Policy Board, TAC, HTAC and BPAC:

 Speaker Rules – for Commenting at MIC Policy Board, TAC, HTAC and BPAC meetings (page 11)

  • Give your name and affiliation (if any)
  • Comment Time Limit: 3 minutes*
  • Limit your remarks to the specific plan, study or document under consideration by the Board
  • Be respectful in dialogue

* The Chair, with committee approval, has the option of extending or closing the public comment period, depending on the number of people who wish to speak and the length of the meeting agenda

Why is this being proposed?

The point of the speaker rules is to ensure that all people who show have the opportunity to have their say.  The 3-minute time limit is consistent with Duluth City Council and St. Louis County Commission rules.  Some flexibility in the amount of time for each speaker is allowed.

Let us know what you think

Public comments about the proposed changes may be made from December 14, 2014 through January 30, 2015, by commenting below, or contact Rondi Watson at (218) 529-7511 or by email .

Comments are also welcomed in person at the MIC Policy Board meeting on Wed, February 18, 2015, at 7pm at the Hermantown Dept. of Public Safety Training Center, 5111 Maple Grove Road, Hermantown, MN.  The proposed revisions will be presented for a vote at this time, along with a summary of all comments received during the public comment period.

To view a copy of the 2013 Plan and the proposed changes, please visit www.dsmic.org/pip.

 

Local View: Duluth can follow bikeways plan for active transportation

Posted on by Rondi Watson

Source: Duluth News Tribune 11-25-18 Local View: Duluth can follow bikeways plan for active trans…

By Ruurd Schoolderman on Nov 25, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.

Duluth has been making great progress as an active outdoor-recreation community. We are well on our way toward achieving the goal of having every citizen within a mile of an access point to Duluth’s trail system. The Duluth Traverse mountain biking trail and Superior Hiking Trail string together Duluth’s many neighborhood parks. Amenities like these make Duluth an attractive city to live in and to visit and are part of the city’s overall economic-development strategy.

This great investment to improve access to our green space by bike and on foot stands in contrast with the limited bike infrastructure that currently exists to safely navigate our neighborhoods and city for day-to-day active transportation. This is a missed opportunity.

The Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Bikeways Plan presents a vision to change this. The plan was prepared by the Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council, or MIC, a regional transportation-planning agency. The plan serves as a coordinating framework for the road authorities (city, county, and state) responsible for our road system.

The Duluth Bike Coalition, a chapter of the statewide bike advocacy group BikeMN, advocates for improvements to Duluth’s bike infrastructure. Our mission is to work to make biking for everyday transportation easy, safe, and fun for everyone.

Our current bike-transportation infrastructure for everyday transportation to work, school, and businesses does not serve users of all ages and abilities. As a result, a large portion of Duluth’s citizens which does not have access to a car or prefers not to drive is limited in transportation options. Think about low-income families, teenagers, and the many Duluthians who prefer to ride a bike as part of an active-transportation lifestyle.

Duluth Bikes supports the vision presented in the Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Bikeways Plan. We ask that the roadway authorities, especially the city of Duluth’s, make a concerted commitment toward implementing this vision. We hope the city of Duluth will use this plan to proactively work to develop access to bike infrastructure for all ages and experience levels.

Two open houses organized by the MIC are scheduled so the public may comment on the bike plan. They are a great opportunity for Duluth citizens to show their support for active transportation and to provide input on how they would like to see Duluth’s bike infrastructure improved.

Ruurd Schoolderman is chairman of the Duluth Bike Coalition (duluthbikes.org), a chapter of the statewide bike advocacy group BikeMN (bikemn.org).

Get involved

Two open houses are scheduled for the public to review and to provide feedback on the draft Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Bikeways Plan. The open houses are both Wednesday — one from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the other from 4-7 p.m. — at the Duluth Folk School, 1917 W. Superior St.

To read the bike plan, go to dsmic.org/study/dsbikeways.

Long Range Plan Phase 2 Survey Now Open

Posted on by Rondi Watson

We are building off responses from our Phase 1 Survey to dig deeper: What are your transportation-related priorities? What tradeoffs would you accept?  Your input is essential to better target our limited financial resources toward meeting our transportation needs, now and in the future.

Take the survey - click to begin

Even if you didn’t participate in the Phase 1 survey, you can still take the Phase 2 survey!. It’s interesting, interactive and will take 5 minutes or less. It’s open through December 31.

Draft 2019-2022 Duluth-Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Now Open for Comment

Posted on by Rondi Watson

Comments are being taken on Duluth-Area projects proposed for the next four years.

Federally-funded transportation projects can be big, expensive, and time-sensitive — which means they need to be planned in advance.  Projects have been approved in previous years for 2018-2020, and we’re working now to line up funding for Duluth-area projects in 2022.

We are taking comments on the Draft 2019-2022 Duluth Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) through August 30.  The new projects for 2022, as approved by the MIC Policy Board and the Northeast MN Area Transportation Partnership, include:

MIC-Area Project Submittals (FHWA Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds)

View project locations

Three projects will be coordinated between two jurisdictions (St. Louis County and the City of Duluth) to achieve cost savings and reduce construction impacts:

Project: Snively Road – Roadway and Intersection Improvements
Description: Mill and overlay of Snively Rd. between Woodland Ave. and Glenwood St. and construction of a roundabout at Snively Rd./Glenwood St. Intersection
Jurisdiction: St. Louis County and City of Duluth (joint project)
Project Cost: $1,800,000 ($1,290,000 federal, $510,000 state)

Project: Woodland Ave – Roadway and Intersection Improvements
Description: Mill and overlay of Woodland Ave. between Arrowhead Rd. and Anoka St. and replacement signals at the intersections of Woodland Ave./Snively Rd. and Woodland Ave./Arrowhead Rd.
Jurisdiction: St. Louis County and City of Duluth (joint project)
Project Cost: $1,500,000 ($800,000 federal, $606,250 state, $93,750 local)

Project: Arrowhead Rd Preservation
Description: Mill and overlay of Arrowhead Rd. between Woodland Ave. and Dodge St.; ADA upgrades & spot repair to curb, gutter, and sidewalks.
Jurisdiction: City of Duluth
Project Cost: $ 737,500 ($ 590,000 federal, $ 147,500 state)

Total FHWA Funds: $2,680,000 / Total Cost: $3,581,250

MnDOT Project Submittals (FHWA Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds)

View project location

Project: Thompson Hill Reconstruction
Description: Reconstruction of north and south bound lanes on I-35 from the bridge over DMIR Railway to the north end of bridge 69879 over Trunk Highway 23
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
 Project Cost: $13,000,000 ($11,700,000 federal, $1,300,000 state)

 

View project location

Project: Trunk Hwy 194 Mill & Overlay
Description: Medium mill and overlay of TH 194 from the intersection of TH 2 to the west junction of TH 53
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $4,543,099 ($3,634,479 federal, $ 908,620 state funds)

Total FHWA Funds: $15,334,479 / Total Cost: $17,543,099

Duluth Transit Authority Project Submittals (FTA Section 5307 transit funds)

Project: Duluth Operating Assistance – Regular Route
Project Cost: $21,000,000 

Project: STRIDE Operations
Project Cost: $1,450,000 

Project: Operating and Preventive Maintenance
Project Cost: $1,000,000 

Project: Bus Support Equipment/Facility Rehabilitation
Project Cost: $ 150,000 

Project: Technology Updates
Project Cost: $ 100,000 

Project: Bus Stop/Stations/Terminal Updates
Project Cost: $  75,000 

Total FTA Funds / Total Cost: $23,775,000

We want to know what you think!

Give us a call: Talk to Planner Chris Belden at (218) 529-7502

OR –

Attend a Drop-In Open House:

When:  DAY, DATE from 10:00 am to noon or DAY, DATE from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Where: ARDC/MIC office in downtown Duluth at 221 West First Street (skywalk level)

 

 

Seeking Comments on Proposed 2022 Transportation Projects

Posted on by Rondi Watson

We’re working to line up funding for Duluth-Area projects four years from now

Federally-funded transportation projects can be big, expensive, and time-sensitive — which means they need to be planned in advance.  In fact, we’ve received applications for Duluth-area projects to be funded in 2022.

The following projects have been proposed by eligible Duluth-area jurisdictions for construction in the year 2022.  They will be submitted for review and approval by the MIC Policy Board and the Northeast MN Area Transportation Partnership for inclusion in the Draft 2019-2022 TIP, and we are seeking public input or comment by March 20:

View project locations

MIC-Area Project Submittals (FHWA Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds)

The three proposed projects will be coordinated between two jurisdictions (St. Louis County and the City of Duluth) to achieve cost savings and reduce construction impacts:

Project: Snively Road – Roadway and Intersection Improvements
Description: Mill and overlay of Snively Rd. between Woodland Ave. and Glenwood St. and construction of a roundabout at Snively Rd./Glenwood St. Intersection
Jurisdiction: St. Louis County and City of Duluth (joint project)
Project Cost: $1,800,000 ($1,290,000 federal, $510,000 state)

Project: Woodland Ave – Roadway and Intersection Improvements
Description: Mill and overlay of Woodland Ave. between Arrowhead Rd. and Anoka St. and replacement signals at the intersections of Woodland Ave./Snively Rd. and Woodland Ave./Arrowhead Rd.
Jurisdiction: St. Louis County and City of Duluth (joint project)
Project Cost: $1,500,000 ($800,000 federal, $606,250 state, $93,750 local)

Project: Arrowhead Rd Preservation
Description: Mill and overlay of Arrowhead Rd. between Woodland Ave. and Dodge St.; ADA upgrades & spot repair to curb, gutter, and sidewalks.
Jurisdiction: City of Duluth
Project Cost: $ 737,500 ($ 590,000 federal, $ 147,500 state)

Total FHWA Funds: $2,680,000 / Total Cost: $3,581,250

MnDOT Project Submittals (FHWA Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds)

View project location

Project: Thompson Hill Reconstruction
Description: Reconstruction of north and south bound lanes on I-35 from the bridge over DMIR Railway to the north end of bridge 69879 over Trunk Highway 23
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
 Project Cost: $13,000,000 ($11,700,000 federal, $1,300,000 state)

 

View project location

Project: Trunk Hwy 194 Mill & Overlay
Description: Medium mill and overlay of TH 194 from the intersection of TH 2 to the west junction of TH 53
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $4,543,099 ($3,634,479 federal, $ 908,620 state funds)

Total FHWA Funds: $15,334,479 / Total Cost: $17,543,099

 

Duluth Transit Authority Project Submittals (FTA Section 5307 transit funds)

Project: Duluth Operating Assistance – Regular Route
Project Cost: $21,000,000 

Project: STRIDE Operations
Project Cost: $1,450,000 

Project: Operating and Preventive Maintenance
Project Cost: $1,000,000 

Project: Bus Support Equipment/Facility Rehabilitation
Project Cost: $ 150,000 

Project: Technology Updates
Project Cost: $ 100,000 

Project: Bus Stop/Stations/Terminal Updates
Project Cost: $  75,000 

Total FTA Funds / Total Cost: $23,775,000

We want to know what you think!

Do these projects meet our area’s transportation needs, and make good use of our limited federal, state and local funds?  Do you have any other comments or questions? 

Call Chris Belden at (218) 529-7502
OR – Send Chris an email 
OR- Stop in and talk in person at the ARDC/MIC office in downtown Duluth at 221 West First Street (skywalk level)

 

 

Duluth Transit Development Plan (TDP)

Posted on by Rondi Watson

Click to view plan

(23 MB)  The Duluth Transit Development Plan (TDP) evaluates the connectivity, performance, and efficiency of the Duluth Transit Authority’s (DTA’s) existing transit system. It also identifies several service recommendations based on in-depth community input during the TDP process. Detailed technical memorandums for each task are attached as appendices.

Produced by SRF, AECOM and Bourne Transit Consulting, with assistance from the MIC. Continue reading “Duluth Transit Development Plan (TDP)” →

Draft 2018-2021 Duluth-Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Now Open for Comment

Posted on by Rondi Watson

We’re working to line up funding for Duluth-Area projects for the next four years

Federally-funded transportation projects can be big, expensive, and time-sensitive — which means they need to be planned in advance.  Projects have been approved in previous years for 2018-2020, and we’re working now to line up funding for Duluth-area projects in 2021.

We are taking comments on the Draft 2018-2021 Duluth Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) through August 22.  The new projects for 2021, as approved by the MIC Policy Board and the Northeast MN Area Transportation Partnership, include:

Project: Bridge improvements at junction of State Highway 35 and 27th Ave W. in Duluth
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $2,100,000 million ($1,890,000 federal, $210,000 state funds)

Project: Culvert Improvements at US Steel Creek in Duluth
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $1,100,000 ($1,100,000 state funds)

Project: Culvert improvements at Gogebic Creek in Duluth
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $1,100,000 ($1,100,000 state funds)

Project: I-35 Drainage System improvement at Lakewalk in Duluth
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $1,100,000 ($1,100,000 state funds)

Project: Upgrade fiber optic cable and traffic cameras in Duluth
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $425,000 ($382,500 federal, $42,500 state funds)

Project: Resurface Lismore Road, 5.5 miles from North Tischer Road to Ryan Road
Jurisdiction: St. Louis County
Project Cost: $3,143,825 ($1,285,000 federal, $1,858,825 local funds)

Project: Resurface roadway, storm sewer, curb and gutter repairs and sidewalks along Railroad Street from Garfield Ave to 5th Ave W.
Jurisdiction: City of Duluth
Project Cost: $992,788 ($742,936 federal, $249,852 state funds)

Project: Resurface roadway, storm sewer, curb and gutter repairs and sidewalks along Railroad Street from 5th Ave W to Canal Park Drive
Jurisdiction: City of Duluth
Project Cost: $724,362 ($542,064 federal, $182,298 state funds)

Project: Duluth Dial-A-Ride Transit Operating Assistance
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $1,400,000 ($1,400,000 local funds)

Project: Duluth Operating Assistance – Regular Route
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $14,040,000 ($1,000,000 federal, $13,040,000 local funds)

Project: Rehab/Renovation of Transit Terminals and Shelters
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $50,000 ($40,000 federal, $10,000 local funds)

Project: Transit Signal Priority (TSP) System Improvements
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $150,000 ($120,000 federal, $30,000 local funds)

Project: Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Improvements
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $100,000 ($80,000 federal, $20,000 local funds)

Project: Support and Facilities Equipment Purchase
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $690,000 ($552,000 federal, $138,000 local funds)

Project: Purchase Nine Standard 40-ft. Replacement Buses
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $4,695,000 ($3,756,000 federal, $939,000 local funds)

Project: Facility Rehabilitation
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $400,000 ($320,000 federal, $80,000 local funds)

We want to know what you think!

Give us a call: Talk to Planner Chris Belden at (218) 529-7502

OR –

Attend a Drop-In Open House:

When:  Tuesday, August 8 from 10:00 am to noon or Thursday, August 10 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Where: ARDC/MIC office in downtown Duluth at 221 West First Street (skywalk level)

 

 

Group seeks more walkable Duluth | Duluth News Tribune

Posted on by Rondi Watson

James Gittemeier sees the future at a particular point on Woodland Avenue.”When we counted it, it’s eight hundred to a thousand people a day are walking on that trail going to destinations,” said Gittemeier, principal planner for the Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council.He was talking about the pedestrian foot path from the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth to the BlueStone housing and retail development. A well-marked crosswalk, controlled by traffic signals, bridges heavily traveled Woodland Avenue to connect the two where a drive enters the shopping area.To be successful, the BlueStone development needed more than the traffic on Woodland Avenue, Gittemeier said; it needed the UMD population. That happened, but not in the conventional way.”In the old paradigm they would have said we absolutely need a road going to UMD because we need people to drive from those apartments and those businesses into UMD and back,” he said. “(Instead), the design is about people biking and walking between those two.”

Source: Group seeks more walkable Duluth | Duluth News Tribune

Seeking Comments on Proposed 2021 Transportation Projects

Posted on by Rondi Watson

We’re working to line up funding for Duluth-Area projects in 2021

Federally-funded transportation projects can be big, expensive, and time-sensitive — which means they need to be planned in advance.  In fact, we’re working now to line up funding for Duluth-area projects in 2021.

The following projects have been proposed by eligible Duluth-area jurisdictions for construction in the year 2021.  They will be submitted for review and approval by the MIC Policy Board and the Northeast MN Area Transportation Partnership for inclusion in the Draft 2018-2021 TIP, and we are seeking public input or comment by March 15:

Project: Bridge improvements at junction of State Highway 35 and 27th Ave W. in Duluth
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $2,100,000 million ($1,890,000 federal, $210,000 state funds)

Project: Culvert Improvements at US Steel Creek in Duluth
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $1,100,000 ($1,100,000 state funds)

Project: Culvert improvements at Gogebic Creek in Duluth
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $1,100,000 ($1,100,000 state funds)

Project: I-35 Drainage System improvement at Lakewalk in Duluth
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $1,100,000 ($1,100,000 state funds)

Project: Upgrade fiber optic cable and traffic cameras in Duluth
Jurisdiction: MnDOT
Project Cost: $425,000 ($382,500 federal, $42,500 state funds)

Project: Resurface Lismore Road, 5.5 miles from North Tischer Road to Ryan Road
Jurisdiction: St. Louis County
Project Cost: $3,143,825 ($1,285,000 federal, $1,858,825 local funds)

Project: Resurface roadway, storm sewer, curb and gutter repairs and sidewalks along Railroad Street from Garfield Ave to 5th Ave W.
Jurisdiction: City of Duluth
Project Cost: $992,788 ($742,936 federal, $249,852 state funds)

Project: Resurface roadway, storm sewer, curb and gutter repairs and sidewalks along Railroad Street from 5th Ave W to Canal Park Drive
Jurisdiction: City of Duluth
Project Cost: $724,362 ($542,064 federal, $182,298 state funds)

Project: Duluth Dial-A-Ride Transit Operating Assistance
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $1,400,000 ($1,400,000 local funds)

Project: Duluth Operating Assistance – Regular Route
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $14,040,000 ($1,000,000 federal, $13,040,000 local funds)

Project: Rehab/Renovation of Transit Terminals and Shelters
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $50,000 ($40,000 federal, $10,000 local funds)

Project: Transit Signal Priority (TSP) System Improvements
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $150,000 ($120,000 federal, $30,000 local funds)

Project: Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Improvements
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $100,000 ($80,000 federal, $20,000 local funds)

Project: Support and Facilities Equipment Purchase
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $690,000 ($552,000 federal, $138,000 local funds)

Project: Purchase Nine Standard 40-ft. Replacement Buses
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $4,695,000 ($3,756,000 federal, $939,000 local funds)

Project: Facility Rehabilitation
Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority
Project Cost: $400,000 ($320,000 federal, $80,000 local funds)

We want to know what you think!

Do these projects meet our area’s transportation needs, and make good use of our limited federal, state and local funds?  Do you have any other comments or questions? 

Call Chris Belden at (218) 529-7502
OR – Send Chris an email 
OR- Stop in and talk in person at the ARDC/MIC office in downtown Duluth at 221 West First Street (skywalk level)

 

Last Call: Seeking Comments on Proposed Projects

Posted on by Rondi Watson

We’re working to line up funding for Duluth-Area projects in 2020

Federally-funded transportation projects can be big, expensive, and time-sensitive — which means they need to be planned in advance.  In fact, we’re working now to line up funding for Duluth-area projects in 2020.

We are taking comments on the Draft 2017-2020 Duluth Area Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) through July 30.  It includes two new proposed projects:

Morris Thomas Road – Pavement Preservation
Jurisdiction: St. Louis County
Project Description: The resurfacing of Morris Thomas Road between Highway 2 and Piedmont Avenue. The project will also include ADA implementation and safety improvements.
Project Cost: $2 million ($1 million federal, $1 million local funds)

Third Street – Pavement Preservation
Jurisdiction: City of Duluth
Project Description: Consists of a mill and overlay of 3rd street between 12th Avenue East and Mesaba Avenue. Project will include repairs to storm water system, curbs and gutters, and sidewalks, as well as ADA improvements
Project Cost: $1.1 million ($860,000 federal, $240,000 state funds)

We want to know what you think!

Give us a call: Talk to Planner Chris Belden at (218) 529-7502

Attend a Drop-In Open House:

When:  Tuesday, 7/19 or Tuesday, July 26 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Where: ARDC/MIC office in downtown Duluth at 221 West First Street (skywalk level)

 

 

The INTERNal Outsider: Collaboration Between (seemingly) Opposing Mindsets

Posted on by Rondi Watson

An Intern’s-Eye View of the MIC

When you listen to the news long enough, you’ll find a recurring theme at the base of many major news stories: the environment versus the economy. You can find these opposing ideas in stories impacting regions as large as the nation, all the way down to our own city streets (google “TransCanada pipeline”, or “4th Street long-eared bats in Duluth”).

HTAC Mtg1The MIC, however, does put these two opposing views together in a room at least four times a year at the Harbor Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC) meetings. As one of the MIC’s three advisory committees, the stakeholders of the harbor are brought together for presentations and discussions with other stakeholders of the harbor. The 31 voting members of the HTAC include business owners, environmental groups, and local and state federal officials. Non-voting stakeholders are also invited to meeting to participate.

During my internship I attended two HTAC meetings and have also been helping out with tasks from the Port Land Use Plan. Topics at the HTAC meetings encompass both the environment and the economy and demonstrate how they are not mutually exclusive.  At these meetings we heard about what the regulatory agencies in the area are doing to take the harbor off of the national Area of Concern list, followed by a summary of how the economic development of the port supports the region and connects our economy to the rest of the world. A report on research done on the economic impact of ports throughout the Great Lakes is followed by a description of the habitat restoration being done in Radio Tower Bay and a discussion on the impacts of ballast water.

Beyond these quarterly meetings, the MIC staff facilitates subcommittee meetings that get into even more depth of how the decisions of each side impacts the other.  The Open DuluthHarborAerialViewWater Mitigation subcommittee, for example, creates a working group for the regulatory agencies and the investors of the port to discuss their individual goals of restoration within the St. Louis River estuary and development within the harbor.  The objective of this group is for the Minnesota DNR and PCA, along with the Army Corps of Engineers, to help other entities such as the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, port businesses, and engineering and planning firms, understand how to get through the environmental permitting process for new construction.  Although much of the discussion went over my head, the desire to understand each other and wanting to be better understood was palpable.

The atmosphere at both of the HTAC meetings, along with both Open Water Mitigation subcommittee meetings, amazed me. The classic ever-battling mindsets are getting together on a regular basis to understand one another and to create a better setting for growth on each side.

One function I’ve come to appreciate about the MIC is that, as a neutral transportation planning organization, it is uniquely situated to support this type of coordination and collaboration.  Because the MIC is tasked by federal highway legislation with a primary responsibility of creating opportunities for public participation for all modes of transportation, the MIC includes funding and staffing resources for this harbor group in its annual work program. It serves as a much-needed, often-lacking champion or sponsor to gather diverse and unrelated stakeholders together as one group.

This type of collaboration is almost unheard of throughout the rest of the United States. In fact, the other ports of the Great Lakes are looking to the HTAC as a model to create this same type of collaboration between these two opposing mindsets.

From what I’ve seen so far, other port communities could benefit from an HTAC-type of group if their goals include improved outreach, education, state and local level participation and grassroots support for maritime industry.

 

Erica H-150pxErica Hansen is finishing up her final semester at the University of Wisconsin – Superior in the Transportation and Logistics Management program. She is intrigued by looking at transportation from a different side than freight movement, and helping to create an efficient and safe transportation network for the Duluth-Superior area. The INTERNal Outsider is her account of some of her work and observations while working as an intern for the MIC.

 

The INTERNal Outsider: Adventures in Excel

Posted on by Rondi Watson

An Intern’s-Eye View of the MIC

 

Bikes, peds…

Did you realize that on just fourteen streets in Duluth and Superior during one 12-hour period in September, there are around 1,240 uses of infrastructure by bicyclists, and 5,896 uses of infrastructure by pedestrians? The entire town I live in (around 900 people) would have to walk back and forth more than six times to get that pedestrian count.

I am going to guess that your answer is no, you had no idea the extent of the infrastructure used by alternative transportation in Duluth and Superior.

I’m also guessing that most of you also don’t know the extent of the effort that goes into this 5×19-cell table.BP Count Spreadsheet-314px

This is the fourth year of the biannual bicycle and pedestrian counts. James Gittemeier, senior planner at the MIC, and Shawna Mullen-Eardley of the Healthy Duluth Area Coalition determine count data sites, recruit and coordinate volunteers, and lead volunteer training. After attending training, each volunteer* is asked to sit for two hours at a count site and fill out a form noting direction of travel, users by demographic (male, female, child, using assistive device), and mode of transportation (walking, biking, “other”). (The method for the count was created by the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project).

Are you getting a better idea of what goes into this seemingly simple chart?

After the day is over and all of the forms are gathered, the amazingly talented and intelligent intern (hey that’s me!) gets to decipher the notes of dozens of volunteers. The data gets entered into Excel by 15 minute increments for each demographic and each mode of transportation. Lucky for me, there is already an Excel spreadsheet that is set up to create the totals. I then finagle Excel to make those totals magically appear into this chart.

Don’t think this chart is the final product, either! After the data is entered and the totals are gathered, we begin an analysis of how the trends in the data will have an effect on future decision making for alternative transportation infrastructure. Excel is very useful in the analysis portion. So far I’ve created around 50 charts to get a better idea of visible trends.

Although I will concede that the data is not perfect – human error in counting and entering the data – the numbers tell an interesting story: The people of Duluth and Superior are outside and active.

*A huge thank you to all volunteers whether you did more than asked or did just as much as you could

…and buses (oh my!)

I can’t talk about all the time I’ve spent in Excel the last two weeks without also bringing buses into the mix.

Robert Herling, my supervisor and another senior planner at the MIC, has been researching the infrastructure use in the Lincoln Park for the Multi-modal Study that’s underway for that neighborhood.

One important aspect of this research is looking into the use of public transit.Garfield bus stop bus in sight-175px

Have you ever had to transfer between two city buses to find that either the last one left just minutes prior to your arrival, or you have less than five minutes to get to the bus stop on the other side of an intersection? You should try it some time.

Robert tasked me with finding out how often this occurs for a few of the major transfers in the Lincoln Park area, from the mainline at 21st Ave W and Superior Street to the mall lines, as well as the mainline at Superior Street and Garfield to the Superior, Wisconsin line. A misstep in scheduling is not a rare occurrence for these bus users, but don’t fret! Our loyal transit authorities are not overlooking this issue.

Thanks for taking the time to join me on my journey to find out what the MIC is all about. Now I must get back to my spreadsheets.

The INTERNal Outsider

Posted on by Rondi Watson

An Intern’s-Eye View of the MIC

 

Meet Erica Hansen

In my time as a student in the Transportation and Logistics Management program at UW-Superior, I have become increasingly enamored with the dynamics of transportation.Rail mounted gantry crane in the Port Everglades seaport

You might even describe me as a freight transportation enthusiast (rubber tyre gantry cranes get me fired up, okay?). The more I learn about this behind-the-scenes industry, the more apparent its presence becomes.

A few months ago when I began my journey to becoming a MIC intern, I found that there is even a behind-the-scenes transportation planning world to my behind-the-scenes freight transportation world.

I have learned that at the MIC office, “comfort level” speaks not to the ergonomics of my work space (still getting used to the stand-up desk), but to how people feel walking and biking down a road.  They give you a booklet on the first day of the acronyms you’ll hear on a daily basis: “TAC” isn’t something you put into a wall to hold a paper up, it’s a group of intelligent, invested engineers and planners who look at what the Duluth-Superior area needs from a technical perspective. “TIP” isn’t the “pointed or rounded end or extremity of something slender or tapering” (thanks, dictionary.com), but the four-year Transportation Improvement Program, a tool and a process by which federal funds are made available to finance local infrastructure projects.

Here at the MIC, “intern” isn’t the person who makes the coffee and copies. In my first two weeks at the MIC, I spent several hours outside counting parked bikes, taking pictures of infrastructure use, and collecting data on bicyclists and pedestrians. I’ve attended meetings with stakeholders of the Twin Ports, and have come to an understanding of how many different views affect the decisions made here. I’ve been included in many discussions of the efforts towards making Duluth-Superior a community that supports each other, from environmentalists supporting the economy, or motorists supporting bike lanes.

Although I am an outsider to the world of urban planning, in just a short while I have become more invested in the community I’ve been a part of for over 25 years, and more understanding of the efforts to integrate the needs of all transportation users — from the pedestrian on the sidewalk to the overweight/oversized semi-trucks on the roads.

In my remaining months at the MIC, I look forward to enhancing this understanding by assisting the amiable and welcoming staff of the MIC on their various projects, whether it’s field work, office work, or lending my outsider’s view to their planning mindset.

 

Erica H-150pxErica Hansen is finishing up her final semester at the University of Wisconsin – Superior in the Transportation and Logistics Management program. She is intrigued by looking at transportation from a different side than freight movement, and helping to create an efficient and safe transportation network for the Duluth-Superior area. Erica also interns at Lake Superior Warehousing, Co. Inc. and runs student organizations at UWS. When she is not busy with these things, she takes her two-year-old to parks near their home, and rollerblades on the Munger Trail.

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Last Call for Comments on 2019 Transportation Projects

Posted on by Rondi Watson

Almost $10 million of federal funding is being programmed for Duluth area transportation projects in 2019, and you have the opportunity to review and comment.

2019ProjectApps-ImageStrip550px

The programmed projects include:

  • Bridge preservation on the Blatnik bridge and the Mesaba Avenue bridge over Superior Street in downtown Duluth;
  • Mill and overlay of Highway 39 in Gary/New Duluth;
  • Resurfacing of Maple Grove Road (from Midway Road to Westberg Road) in Hermantown;
  • Pavement reclamation and storm sewer repairs on E 8th St/E 9th St in Duluth’s East hillside; and
  • Duluth Transit Authority operations (approx. $2 million in FTA funding programmed for continued public transit operations.

Additional project details are described in a post from March 5th, when they were first proposed.  As noted in that post, because federal funding is public money, the public has the right for their comments to be recorded and reported on these projects. 

The MIC will be taking official public comment on all projects included in the 2016-2019 Duluth Area TIP – from July 12 to August 13th. 

You may leave your comments in the section at the end of this blog post, and you are welcome to stop by the ARDC offices and speak with MIC staff directly during a couple of “Open House” days from 9am to 5pm on Thursday, August 12th and Friday, August 13th.

Look the projects over – do you have anything to say about them?<br></br>

How federal transportation dollars will be spent in Duluth…4 years from now

Posted on by Rondi Watson

Although it fluctuates from year to year, about $8 million – on average– of federal transportation assistance comes in to the Duluth area.  Of that amount, approximately $6 million is allocated for MnDOT projects, and $2 million goes to county and city projects.

Each year several new transportation improvement projects are proposed by these jurisdictions, for four years in advance.  This allows the time needed to do the planning and engineering work before they can be implemented.

This year, five projects are being proposed to utilize the $8 million in federal funding estimated to be available in year 2019.  These projects and their estimated costs are listed below.

Because federal funding is public money, the public has the right for their comments to be recorded and reported on these projects.  Look the projects over – do you have anything to say about them?    

E9th225pxE 8th Street/E 9th Street – Pavement Preservation
A mill and overlay of the existing pavement on the 1.6 miles of E 8th Street/E 9th Street between 6th Avenue E and Woodland Avenue.  Repairs to storm water, curb and gutter, and sidewalk will also be part of this project.
Jurisdiction: City of Duluth
Project Cost:  $1,300,000 ($860,000 federal funds; $440,000 local funds)

MapleGrove225pxMaple Grove Road – Pavement Preservation
A mill and overlay of 3.5 miles of Maple Grove Road from Midway Road to Westberg Road.  The project will include intersection improvements at Midway Road and at LaVaque Road.
Jurisdiction: St. Louis County
Project Cost:  $2,000,000 ($1,600,000 federal funds; $400,000 local funds)

McCuen150pxMcCuen Street (State Highway 39) – Pavement Preservation
Resurfacing of 1 mile of highway from State Highway 23 to the Oliver Bridge.
Jurisdiction: MnDOT District 1
Project Cost:  $900,000 ($720,000 federal funds; $180,000 state funds)

 

MesabiBridge150pxMesaba Ave, Bridge # 6544 – Bridge Repainting (Preservation)
Repainting of the understructure of the bridge over Superior Street in Downtown Duluth.
Jurisdiction: MnDOT District 1
Project Cost:  $1,500,000 ($1,200,000 federal funds; $300,000 state funds)  

 

Blatnik150pxBlatnik Bridge – Bridge Repainting (Preservation)
Repainting the superstructure of the I-535 bridge over St. Louis Bay.  This project includes a cost-share with WisDOT.
Jurisdiction: MnDOT District 1
Project Cost:  $8,260,000 ($3,717,000 federal funds; $413,000 MnDOT funds; $4,130,000 WisDOT funds)

 

You may have noticed that what these projects have in common is preservation of existing roads and bridges.  This is a trend that will continue as transportation funding becomes more scarce. In our area (and throughout the state) we will be seeing very little new construction in the coming years.

More information about the Duluth Area TIP (Transportation Improvement Program) and the projects being proposed for 2019 can be found on the MIC’s website at www.dsmic.org.

Meanwhile, if you have any opinions about these proposed projects, we welcome your comments.

What will our Transportation System Look Like in 2040?

Posted on by Rondi Watson

Updating the 25-year Vision for Transportation in the Twin Ports

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You are invited to attend one of the four public meetings on Connections 2040 – the Twin Ports Long Range Transportation Plan.

 

The Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council (MIC) is updating its Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) to provide policy guidance, goals and strategies for jurisdictions within the greater metropolitan area of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin.  It covers a twenty-five year planning horizon and is updated every four years.Connections2040-logo-320px

The over-arching purpose of the LRTP is to provide a planning foundation for jurisdictions to work cooperatively to provide a well-maintained, integrated, accessible and multi-modal transportation system to safely and efficiently move people and freight for the next 25 years, within the constraints of funding the region can reasonably expect to receive.

The heart of the Plan is a listing of proposed federally-funded transportation projects, as well as transportation initiatives underway within the region, to be implemented from 2015-2040. You can view an interactive map of the projects here.

To learn more about demographic trends for this area, projections, transportation priorities and planned projects, you have three opportunities for input:

1. Attend a Public Meeting

Thurs. Sept 11, 2014
5:00-7:00pm
Community Action Duluth, 2424 W 5th Street, Duluth, MN 55806

Thurs. Sept 18, 2014
4:00-6:00pm
Superior Public Library, 1530 Tower Avenue, Superior, WI 54880

Thurs. Sept 25, 2014
4:00-6:00pm
Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC)
221 W First Street, Duluth, MN 55802

Mon. Sept 29, 2014
4:00-7:00pm (drop-in)
214 West Superior Street
221 W First Street, Duluth, MN 55802

2.  Visit our Connections 2040 web page at www.dsmic.org/lrtp for more information about the plan and to view the interactive map of proposed projects.  You can use the “layers” tab in the upper right corner to toggle on and off views of information about environmentally sensitive areas, low-income and minority populations, etc.

3.  Contact MIC Senior Planner James Gittemeier by phone at (218) 529-7556 or by email at jgittemeier@ardc.org.

 

New Federally Funded Projects for 2018

Posted on by Rondi Watson

An average of $86 million in federal transportation dollars is spent on transportation projects throughout the northeast region of Minnesota. RoadConstruction

How that money is allocated

These funds are allocated according to a federal formula and managed by the state.  Most of this money (about $78 million) goes to MnDOT and is used to maintain the freeways, state highways and bridges in the region.  Approximately $5 million goes towards county highways, local streets, and transit in the,the MIC area.  A small allocation is also made for non-roadway projects, such as paved trails, through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).

Separate processes are conducted for the Duluth metro and the rest of the Arrowhead region.  The MIC administers the urban-area share of the funds and the Northeast Minnesota Area Transportation Partnership (NE MN ATP) is responsible for administering the rest.

Both the MIC and the NE MN ATP solicit, evaluate and select the specific roadway, transit and trail projects that will utilize the funds in those areas.  These processes have been underway since the start of the year.

Programming those funds in the TIP

As the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for this area, we are now finalizing the roster of all transportation projects slated to receive federal funding in the MIC area for the next four years.

This list is called the “TIP” (Transportation Improvement Program) and it must include all federally-funded transportation projects in the Duluth metro for the coming four years.  As projects in the current year get built, we add new ones to the outer year.  This time around, the outer year is 2018.

MIC Projects

It is our job to work with local communities to determine how our (increasingly scarce share of) federal transportation dollars are spent.

In a selection process that began in January, we solicited applications from local jurisdictions.  These potential projects were then published for public comment, evaluated and prioritized by the MIC’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) and recommended by the MIC Policy Board, submitted for consideration to the NE MN ATP, and, in June, approved for inclusion in the draft version of the Duluth Area TIP 2015-2018.

The following Duluth-area projects are being proposed for 2018 funding by the MIC:

 Decker Road Preservation

Resurfacing of Decker Road from Piedmont Avenue to Mall Drive.  Repairs to storm water, curb and gutter and sidewalk systems. ADA improvements and bike lanes/shoulders.

Jurisdiction: City of Duluth

Project Cost:             $1,412,500

Federal funds:          $   900,000

Local funds:              $   512,500

Highway Ramp Reconstruction

Reconstruct US Hwy 2 / I-35 southbound freeway ramps

Jurisdiction: MnDOT

Project Cost:             $495,670

Federal funds:          $383,720

State funds:              $ 95,930

Regular Route Bus Purchase

Purchase of three regular route vehicles to maintain existing fleet to safety, comfort, and efficiency standards.

Jurisdiction: Duluth Transit Authority

Bus Purchase Cost: $ 435,000

Federal funds:          $ 250,000

Local funds               $ 185,000

TAP Projects

In addition, the following Transportation Alternatives Program projects within the MIC have been forwarded for inclusion in the 2017 TIP projects list by the NE MN ATP:

 Construct 2 miles of sidewalk along Rice Lake Road

From Central Entrance to Arrowhead Road

Jurisdiction: St. Louis County

Project Cost:             $400,000

Federal funds:          $320,000

Local funds:              $ 80,000

Construct paved Lakewalk connection

Construct shared use path (Lakewalk) along Water St between 20th Ave East and 23rd Ave East

Jurisdiction: City of Duluth

Project Cost:             $231,809

Federal funds:          $185,447

Local funds:              $ 46,362

 

We want to know what you think!

Transportation projects are public facilities and services funded with taxpayer dollars.  Do you have any opinions about the importance of these proposed projects to our area?

Since they have been chosen for funding in 2018, is there anything you have to say about these specific projects?

 

Read the draft document

You can learn more details about these projects, as well as those lined up for years 2015, 2016 and 2017 from the draft TIP document, which is open for public comment from now until July 31.

 

Talk to us in person

Contact Senior Planner Robert Herling by phone at (218) 529-7573 or by email (INSERT EMAIL LINK), or…

 

Attend an Open House

You are invited to stop by in person to talk with us:

Wed, July 2, 7:00am – 1:00pm

Holiday Center (2nd floor skywalk level), 207 West Superior Street in downtown Duluth

Thurs, July 10, 8:00am – 5:00pm

MIC Office, 2nd floor skywalk level of the ARDC building, 221 W. First Street, Duluth.

 

Leave a comment at the end of this post

As we let you know on OpenMIC every year…there are three ways to have your say.

Public comments are being taken through Thursday, July 31, 2014.

 

Public Involvement in Transportation Planning

Posted on by Rondi Watson

For many of us, transportation projects seem to come from nowhere.  Others may vaguely remember a project “promised” years ago.  Too often, people OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAdevelop negative impressions of the process by which transportation projects come into being because of the lack of information about how these decisions are made.

That’s where public involvement comes in.

Right now we are updating our Public Involvement Plan – the steps we take and the tools we use to facilitate two-way communication while our plans and studies are underway.  Public involvement gives community members an opportunity to provide input and lets our planning staff provide information, answer questions and understand their perspective.

Our work at the MIC is to study, analyze and make recommendations to make it easier for people and businesses to get where they need to go—whether by car, bike, bus, on foot, by air or on water.  We think about how well these transportation systems will function, and how they can be paid for, not just today but for the next 5, 10, even 25 years.

Public involvement ensures that these decisions are made with input from the people who know this area first-hand.

With this in mind, take a look at the draft of the MIC’s updated Public Involvement Plan.  We understand that there’s more to public participation than holding meetings.  We need to become more visible and find multiple ways to get people and organizations involved.

So let us know: will these steps help to encourage participation in the MIC’s planning activities, as well as to broaden the range of voices and views expressed?

 

What do YOU Think about These Projects?

Posted on by Rondi Watson

We say it on OpenMIC every year…View of Mesaba Ave TIP project -location of 2017 roadway improvement

“As the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for this area, it is our job to work with local communities to determine how the federal transportation dollars that come to our area get spent.”

We are now finalizing the roster of local transportation projects that are slated to receive federal funding.  This list is called the “TIP” (Transportation Improvement Program) and it lines up projects for the coming four years.  As projects in the current year get built, we add new ones to the outer year.

This time around, the outer year is 2017, and these projects are the projects we’re adding:

  •  Resurfacing of Mesaba Avenue (I-35 to Central Entrance) – $2.1 million.
  •  Resurfacing of E 4th Street (from 6th Ave. E to Wallace Ave.) – $3.4 million.
  •  3 STRIDE Buses for the DTA – $200 thousand

Location of 2017 Rodway Improvement ProjectAs you can see –due in large part to a decrease in the federal funds now available–only two roadway improvement projects and a few new buses to the DTA’s special-needs STRIDE fleet can be programmed for 2017.

 Your Priorities?

These projects were evaluated and prioritized by the MIC’s Transportation Advisory Committee and recommended by the MIC Policy Board.

These decisions, however, also need to consider the public’s input, so we are asking you: are these the three projects you would have funded?  Since they have been chosen for inclusion in the TIP, is there anything you might have to say about these specific projects?

 View the Draft DocumentThree more STRIDE buses to be funded in the 2017 Duluth TIP

You can learn more details about these projects, as well as those lined up for years 2014, 2015, and 2016 from the draft TIP document, which is available for public review from now until August 21st .

 Talk to Us in Person

Or, you can ask us questions directly by calling (218-529-7573).  You are also invited to stop by our office during one of the TIP open houses scheduled for 7am-5pm on Thursday, July 18th and Friday, July 19th.  The place: 221 W First St., downtown Duluth, second floor.

Or, you can leave a comment at the end of this post.  As we let you know on OpenMIC every year…

There are three ways to have your say.

 

Lincoln Park Multimodal Study (2016)-2

Posted on by Rondi Watson

This plan identifies issues and makes recommendations to improve safety and connectivity for all modes of transportation in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Duluth, Minnesota.

Click to view plan

Complete document (75 MB)

 

 

 

Click to view document

Executive Summary (95 kb)

 

 

 

Document is presented here in sections (to reduce PDF size):

Click to view doument

Part 1 (10 MB / 22 pp)
Summary / Table of Contents /
Introduction / Stakeholder Involvement

 

 

Click to view document

Part 2 (19 MB / 38 pp)
Land Uses / Demographics /
Growth Scenarios / Road Network

 

 

Click to view document

Part 3 (22 MB / 27 pp)
Freight Network / Transit System

 

 

 

Click to view document

Part 4 / (10 MB / 32 pp)
Active Transportation–Bicyclists and Pedestrians /
Multimodal Integration / Safety

 

 

Click to view document

Part 5 (18 MB / 29 pp)
Recommendations and Appendix

The New Normal?

Posted on by Rondi Watson

As the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for this area, it’s our job to work with local jurisdictions to identify, plan for and program how federal transportation funds get used in the region.  We’re already working to line up funding for construction projects that won’t begin until 2017.

Those funds, not surprisingly, have become a lot more scarce.

Last year, as part of developing the TIP, (Transportation Improvement Program), a document that allows Duluth Area communities to use federal transportation dollars, we were talking about divvying up about $7.5 million in federal highway transportation funds for local roadway projects throughout Northeast Minnesota.

This year, the funding allocation for the same area is about $5 million.  Of that amount, $2.1 will go for projects to improve roads and transit services throughout Duluth, Hermantown and Proctor.

Spending to Meet Performance Goals

So, working within the “new normal” of funding restraints, it’s more important than ever to decide on projects that will fix critical maintenance needs.  (Not to mention, new construction is pretty much off the table). These federal dollars do have strings attached: they need to be spent on projects that will meet performance goals, i.e., to improve safety and traffic flow, in measurable ways.

Every year, jurisdictions in the Duluth metro (the Cities of Duluth and Hermantown as well as St. Louis County) tell us which projects they’d like to use federal funds for and we work with our Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and Policy Board to decide which ones are the most important.

We Want to Hear from You

Transportation projects are public facilities and services funded with taxpayer dollars, and therefore local citizens have a right to weigh in on such decisions, along with the planners, engineers and elected officials.

This year, the following transportation projects are being proposed by the City of Duluth, St. Louis County and the Duluth Transit Authority for our area:

  • Mesaba Ave Repairs – Concrete and joint repairs from Central Entrance to I-35 and repairs to bridges over Superior Street and 2nd Ave West
  • East 4th Street Repairs – Mill & overlay, safety improvements and ADA improvements (pedestrian ramps) from 6th Avenue East to Wallace Avenue
  • DTA STRIDE Buses – Purchase of three STRIDE replacement buses to maintain existing fleet to safety, comfort, and efficiency standards

Do you have any opinions

…about the importance of these proposed projects to our area?

Talk to Us – Online, In Person or by Phone:

  1. Make a comment, below,  or
  2. Stop by our office at 221 West First Street, ARDC entrance on the Skywalk level, or
  3. Call me with questions or comments–Robert Herling at (218) 529-7573.

Although it’s only March 2013, NOW is the time to give us your input on these proposed projects before funding decisions are made for 2017.

You have three ways to let us know.

Break Trail While the Sun Shines (and Plan for Them All Year Round)

Posted on by Rondi Watson

This past week, after our first snowfall of the season, it’s been easy to spot the routes that people take when they travel on foot. 

Previously-invisible pedestrian pathways are revealed as the snow is packed down underfoot.  Some are traversed only lightly while others are obviously heavily used.  Some are tough going while others are (comparatively) easy to negotiate on foot.

The Lincoln Park Pedestrian Plan, one of our recent planning efforts, was dedicated to discovering that same information — what routes people (especially school-aged children) take as they make their way through the neighborhood and how “walkable” those pathways are.

During a walkability audit in the summer of 2011, an overgrown segment of Devonshire Street was identified as a significant barrier between the new Lincoln Park Middle School and the adjacent neighborhood.  (Check out the “before” picture, below, which shows James Gittemeier, a Senior Planner with the MIC, pointing out where a new trail could be built).

Community Trail Project

Two weeks ago (aided by a fortunate fair-weather interlude), students and community members worked to bridge that gap by building a new trail connection to the school.  By clearing brush, digging up roots and rocks and placing gravel, they created a footpath that links the existing sidewalks along Devonshire Street.

The result is a direct route between the school and the eastern section of the adjacent neighborhood as well as a pathway with a more gradual slope in a neighborhood perched on one of Duluth’s steepest hillsides. (In the “after” picture, at top of the page, you can see how there’s now a trail there, and that it’s being used even in the winter).

Community Planning Partners

The finished project may look like a simple little trail, but it’s a great example of how the MIC can leverage the resources and missions of multiple community partners to achieve mutual goals.

The MIC, as the MPO for Duluth and Superior, has a primary, long-term goal of developing a safe, integrated, multimodal transportation network for this region.

Project partners in this effort, the Healthy Duluth Area Coalition, the St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) have a primary, long-term goal of encouraging active lifestyles for our kids.

The City of Duluth, through its Comprehensive Plan and Parks and Trails initiatives, has a primary, long-term goal of strengthening neighborhoods by creating and maintaining connectivity through its sidewalks, bikeways and trails.

Safe Routes to School Planning

The Devonshire trail was a small, manageable project that began with conversations the MIC has had within the neighborhood and accomplished with the help of community volunteers of all ages.

We are now undertaking a new planning Safe Routes to School initiative to build on this work and this neighborhood enthusiasm.

Stay tuned for more information  as we work to involve the community in what we hope will be another successful “before” and “after” planning effort.

 

An Intern’s-Eye View

Posted on by Rondi Watson

What is the MIC, Anyway, and What Do They Do?

Have you ever wondered how great trails such as the Lakewalk come about or what goes in to planning the major road construction projects you see around town?  Well, this summer I gained some insight into this process through my internship with the Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council, or the MIC.

With one year remaining in my Environment and Sustainability program at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, I was able to gain valuable experience in the professional world of transportation and land use planning.

What I have gained most in my time at the MIC is a greater appreciation for the intricacies of the transportation network and a motivation for creating healthier and more sustainable ways for the people of the Twin Ports to move about their city.

The folks at the MIC come to work each day with the goal of making the transportation system in the Twin Ports as friendly as possible for all of its users.  They have the tough task of creating a network that balances the needs of all types of commuters, and connects our citizens in the most safe, efficient and sustainable ways possible.

The MIC also provided me with a good avenue to express my sustainable development concerns and promote alternative transportation options.

The summer months offer prime conditions for focusing on bicycle behavior and infrastructure. I assisted the MIC in conducting the first-ever count of bicycles and pedestrians in the East Hillside neighborhood, hosting a Bikeable Community Workshop, and finding ways to accommodate bicyclists in the new DTA Multimodal Transportation Center.

As I head back to school this fall and leave the MIC in a formal sense, I look forward to continuing to work on these same issues in the academic realm.  I also am excited to see these projects come to fruition, particularly the upcoming bike/ped count this September and the development of the Multimodal Transportation Center.

Perhaps what I’ll miss most is my bicycle commute to the office by way of the Lakewalk each day as my destination is up the hill to campus now.  But I’ll still be out there plenty, and looking forward to the future completion of the Cross City Trail, as well as the other great projects the folks at the MIC are tackling.

 

The Best Laid Plans

Posted on by Rondi Watson

Last Tuesday night we presented information and took questions at a public meeting about our Central Entrance Transportation Plan.  It was raining hard when the meeting wrapped up around 7 pm.

And it kept raining hard all night long.

By Wednesday morning, the City of Duluth had declared a state of emergency, due to the torrential downpour that caused widespread flooding and heavy damage to infrastructure.  The cities of Superior, Hermantown and Proctor, all within the MIC’s planning area, followed suit shortly thereafter.

We received some good comments and questions at the Central Entrance meeting, which we had planned to address in this week’s blog.

But the transportation issues and priorities for this community have dramatically changed – literally overnight.

All of the area’s jurisdictions are currently in assessment mode and the extent of the damage is still being tallied.  While the concerns expressed at the meeting, about traffic calming, walkability and access management, are all still valid—right now public safety and damage control initiatives take precedence.

The MIC has conducted numerous planning efforts up to this point, which may or may not be relevant to the damaged infrastructure.

We will be revisiting the recommendations from many of our past plans and studies to prepare for the coordinated work of rebuilding our transportation system for the enhancement of our communities.


Photos: Robert Herling and James Gittemeier

Editorial assistance: Robert Herling

Bike-Friendly Duluth?

Posted on by James Gittemeier, BPAC Vice-Chair

As cities across the U.S. are battling it out for the distinction of “Most Bike-Friendly,” does Duluth stand a chance of being included some day in the Top-50 list?

You might think that our long winters and steep hills would prevent this. But think again: two of the top-ranked cities, Portland, Oregon (back to #1 this year) and Minneapolis (dropped to #2) are neither sunny nor warm places for much of the year-Portland is rainy , cool and hilly and we know all about the cold and snowy winters of Minnesota.

Consider also that two other cities – Boulder, Colorado (#3), which is comparable to Duluth in its total population and San Francisco, California (#8) – feature many or more of the same topographical obstacles we face here.

So what does it take to get on this list?

In addition to having a significant interest in cycling on the part of its residents, a city needs to be willing to be proactive and try new things.

In some ways Duluth has operated this way, to promote bicycling as a transportation option. For example,

  • The DTA was an early adopter of the bike racks on the front of buses.
  • There is a dedicated lane on Park Point (from April to October) for non-motorized users.The Bong Bridge (U.S. Hwy 2/53) connecting Duluth and Superior includes a separate, protected bicycle and pedestrian lane.
  • The City of Duluth and St. Louis County are creating space for bicyclists and pedestrians by adding shoulders where possible when reconstructing streets, including on parts of Arrowhead Road, Wallace Avenue, Snively Road and the new space created on Glenwood Street.
  • The Lakewalk (and the future Cross City Trail link that will connect the Lakewalk to the Munger Trail) is a bike-friendly, off-street link that will  run the entire length of Duluth.

These are highly visible bike-friendly amenities.  However, what is missing is just as noticeable:

  • Roads commonly labeled by local bicyclists as unsafe or dangerous—Superior Street in Downtown Duluth, Woodland Avenue around UMD, and 4th Street near the hospitals —are the very streets that should be the most accommodating. Although these major streets carry a quite a bit of car traffic, they are also ideal for bicycling, as they provide the most direct route to major destinations and generally have less severe slopes than other streets.
  • Other streets and public spaces, including intersections and routes on top of the hill near the Mall where bicycling has not been given a whole lot of thought, are enormous impediments to bicycling in this region.

But we also have some opportunities in our near future for the Twin Ports community to be proactive in a couple of upcoming projects:

  • Belknap Street, in the City of Superior,  is being considered for some type of bicycle accommodation that would complement the planned bike lanes on Tower Avenue as part of their downtown streetscape project.
  • A big opportunity in Duluth is the new DTA Multimodal Transportation Terminal, a part of which is a new “northwest passage” skyway connecting Downtown Duluth and the DECC.  This facility has the opportunity to serve as a bike station as well as provide a safe and convenient bicycle path across I-35 to and from the core downtown area.

So, what do you think? What’s your experience with biking in Duluth? Do we have the commitment that’s necessary to bring our city up to the level of one of America’s most bike-friendly cities? What do you see as opportunities—or opportunities lost—for improving biking here?

More Bikeable than You Might Expect

Posted on by Rondi Watson

Steep hills and long cold winters are a fact of life here in Duluth, MN – and pose a significant barrier to commuting by bike in this town.

But there’s also the Lakewalk and its planned extension across the length of the City, providing a safe and scenic off-street route; signed onstreet bike routes; a few miles of dedicated bike lanes; and ways to make it up that hill.

Not to mention, it’s summer.  The cyclists are out in force and several of them stopped by our Lake Avenue bike station on Bike to Work day a couple of weeks ago.

As you’ll see from our video interviews, they come from every part of the city, feel that the advantages of biking far outweigh the disadvantages, and generally find biking to work a very viable option.

Check it out – and perhaps be persuaded that any day can be Bike to Work day.

Video footage by Robert Herling and Rondi Watson; editing by James Gittemeier

Oh, that “TIP” thing again.

Posted on by Rondi Watson

Yup.  Summer is finally once again upon us, and in the world of transportation planning that means two things: heeere comes construction season… and that “TIP” thing where we line up projects for the next four construction seasons.

TIP stands for Transportation Improvement Program.  It’s an annually-updated document that allows Duluth Area communities to apply federal transportation funds to specific transportation projects.

For those of you who are policy-people or transportation wonks, the TIP document describes all the policies and processes involved.

But for those of you who are just interested in what local and regional projects are being planned for 2013 through 2016 (the big ones that use federal funds), they’re summarized by year in the project tables starting on page 8 of the draft TIP document.

But here’s just a few that might interest you:

  • City of Duluth – Connecting the Munger Trail to the Lakewalk (a.k.a. the Cross City Trail)
  • St. Louis County – Reconstruction of Haines Road (from W 8th St to Morris Thomas Rd)
  • Hermantown – Reconstruction of Stebner Road (from Maple Grove Rd to Hwy 53)

And if anything prompts you to ask questions, or causes a desire to comment, please do!

Tuesday, May 29th will be the start of an official public comment period that will last until Wednesday, June 27th.  The Duluth-Superior MIC encourages anyone interested in providing their input on the TIP or its projects to comment here or to contact us.

The MIC also plans to hold two “TIP Open House” hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 28th and Friday, June 29th.  This is a great opportunity to come visit us, look over some maps, and talk to staff in person about transportation projects in the area.

Twin Ports Bike to Work Day

Posted on by Rondi Watson
Twin Ports BIke to Work Day 2012 logo

What if this Friday you left the car in the driveway and rode your bike instead?

Twin Ports BIke to Work Day 2012 logoOn Friday, May 18th, we invite you to ride your bike to work.

We’ll have a couple of bicycle stations open, on both sides of the bridge, from 6:30 am to 8:30 am. Stop by and reward your commute with:

  • Free coffee and refreshments
  • Bike mechanics to look at brakes, tire pressure and other safety checks
  • Copies of the Duluth-Superior Bike Map

The bike stations will be located at:

  • Duluth: Lake Ave &Superior Street (Minnesota Power Plaza)
  • Superior: Tower Ave & Belknap Street (City Center Park)

 

We think you’ll enjoy the ride. Biking can enhance your physical health, mental outlook and even improve the rest of your work day.  Give it a try and see for yourself!

Why do YOU bike to work?

Posted on by Rondi Watson

We interviewed a few folks in and around our office about their reasons for biking to work.  Their message: biking is a healthy, economical and fun transportation alternative.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxiNQu5qK_0

We hope you’ll be inspired or encouraged to join us for Bike to Work Day on
Friday, May 18.

You’re invited to stop by one of our bike commuter stations from 6:30 am
to 8:30 am and reward your commute with:

  • Free coffee and refreshments
  • Bike mechanics to look at brakes, tire pressure and other safety checks
  • Copies of the Duluth-Superior Bike Map

The bike stations will be located at:

  • Duluth: Lake Ave &Superior Street (Minnesota Power Plaza)
  • Superior: Tower Ave & Belknap Street (City Center Park)

    • Stop by and tell us why YOU biked to work!

    Click to see our Bike to Work event page on Facebook

    Video footage and editing by Robert Herling, Jodi Jabas and James Gittemeier

    Transportation Breakdown

    Posted on by Ron Chicka, AICP

    Normally, every five or six years our elected representatives in D.C. put aside their political differences to reauthorize the nation’s transportation program — including the fuel tax, for construction of roads, bridges, transit and bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and safety programs.

    This is because our economy relies on transportation, and bridges and highways are not Republican or Democrat.  Everybody needs them.

    The process has broken down

    On March 30, Congress managed to avoid a shutdown of the nation’s transportation system by passing an eleventh hour extension of the current SAFETEA-LU legislation. This means  that thousands of highway and infrastructure projects, here and across the nation, won’t stall out this construction season.  Until June 30th, anyway.

    Funding our transportation infrastructure via nine “temporary” extensions – one stopgap measure after another, since the original SAFETEA-LU expired in September 2009- is not the way to move forward.  The process has broken down.

    The reason is simple: money

    The major problem is the growing inadequacy of the federal gas tax, which hasn’t been raised since 1993.  Not only are we attempting to build 21st-century infrastructure with 20th-century dollars, but also, as cars become more efficient, people need less fuel and pay less into the Highway Trust Fund.

    With Congress bitterly divided, lawmakers can’t agree on where the additional funding should come from, although a number of ideas are being floated.

    Legislative stalemate

    For the past several months, the House attempted to gain enough support to pass a 5-year, $260 billion bill (the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act) that has new revenue incorporated into it via leasing and production fees from new oil-drilling rights on federal lands and coastal waters.  This funding mechanism, although favored by nearly two-thirds of Americans (according to a poll by the United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection), failed to gain bipartisan support.

    Another provision of the bill, which would have terminated guaranteed funding for public transit, failed to gain even Republican support in the House and as a result, the bill was doomed from the start.

    The Senate alternative (MAP-21), a two-year program with a price tag of $109 billion — had bipartisan support but was not taken up by the House and is unlikely to move forward even though the clock is again ticking.

    Reforms to control spending

    And before asking taxpayers to pay more for roads, rail, bridges, and infrastructure, we must ensure existing funds are not wasted. Both bills include significant reforms to control federal highway spending.

    Both of the Senate and House bills include provisions to make the project delivery process more efficient and both consolidate existing transportation programs by nearly two-thirds.

    And many lawmakers rightly argue that states should be given more flexibility in how they can find creative ways to use federal dollars. Congress should give more encouragement to innovative approaches, including public-private partnerships that leverage private investment with public dollars.

    Gas taxes or user fees are not on the table – but need to be

    In the current political climate, no one in Washington is going to suggest an increase in the gas tax. Yet more revenue from that source – or from a mileage-based user fee – is an essential part of a solution.

    Every transportation policymaker understands the potential long-term solutions to these near-term problems, but few are willing to push them forward because they involve difficult choices about how to raise more money for federal transportation programs.

    Election-year politics

    “We’ve just been caught up partially in election-year politics and partially in this whole battle that seems to trump and override our issue, which is the budget battle,” said Pete Ruane, president and CEO of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. “That’s going to be part of this debate every single time until they finally make some tough decisions about how to fund these programs.”

    Congress has now bought itself until just before the July 4 recess to come up with a final agreement on a transportation bill — or enact another extension.

    Hopefully, over the next 90 days Congress will work something out and maybe by the end of the year we’ll have a long-term bill.  But it’s also likely the issue won’t be settled until after the general election in November.

    Everyone agrees on the broader goals of transportation policy and spending, which are economic growth and personal mobility. A long-term solution needs to be developed in a bipartisan fashion — and spearheaded by the administration — regardless of who is in power.

    Co-writing credit: Rondi Watson


    Carless in Duluth

    Posted on by Rondi Watson

    It’s no secret that we Americans are in love with our cars.

    They demonstrate our status and standing in society.

    The way we’ve invested in roads and highways and the way we’ve developed our cities pretty much mandates that you need to own a car to be able to access jobs, food, education and recreation.

    Driving a car has become the default mode of travel for almost all people for every trip of any distance.

    And here in Duluth, perched on a steep hill with prominent winters, it makes sense that people want to drive.

    So why would a person choose not to?

    Video documentary and panel discussion

    Carless in Duluth, a video documentary about people who walk, bike, or take the bus instead of driving, will premiere on:

    Tuesday, March 20, 2012
    6:00 pm
    Teatro Zuccone
    222 East Superior Street, downtown Duluth

    Following the video, there will be a panel discussion with engineers, planners, and other experts in the area.  Afterward, an informational tabling session will be held in the atrium where food and drinks will also be available.

    Area bike and ped projects, and lots of them

    The event, hosted by the Healthy Duluth Area Coalition, follows a series of public meetings that were hosted throughout Duluth about one month ago.  At each meeting, residents were given the opportunity to learn about ongoing and upcoming bicycle and pedestrian projects happening all over the city, including the Cross-City Trail, the Duluth Citywide Sidewalk Study, and the Duluth Traverse Mountain Bike Trail, and gave their feedback about their interest in these projects as well as other potential ideas. Over 50 residents participated in these meetings.

    The Carless in Duluth premiere and transportation forum on March 20th will conclude this series of public outreach events. Organizations including the Duluth Transit Authority, the Metropolitan Interstate Council, City of Duluth Engineering, and the Bike Cave Collective have already confirmed their participation in this event, with pending confirmation from the Northern Lights Express, COGGS, and the UMD Cycling Club.

    Check it out – it’s free and open to the public.

    The Future of Transportation in One Word

    Posted on by Rondi Watson

    Proposed Multimodal Terminal for Duluth, MNMultimodal.

    Safe, efficient transportation depends on infrastructure that supports multiple ways of traveling from point A to point B.  Not just by road, but by air, water, rail, bus, bicycle and on foot.

    Locally, there’s a forward-looking, multimodal project that the MIC has been a partner in developing for many years.

    DTA-Multimodal Terminal street viewDuluth Multimodal Transportation Center

    Public taxpayer investments, more than ever before, are being called upon to serve multiple goals.  The proposed Duluth Multimodal Transportation Center does just this. It will provide a centrally located transportation hub that serves the City, the northeast region, and the state.

    The state of the art facility will serve passengers of the Duluth Transit Authority’s local bus service as well as passengers of inter-city bus services.  Both Jefferson Lines and Indianhead Transit as well as local providers LCS (private) and Arrowhead Transit (public) will be using the facility.  It will add parking for commuters and provide space for rental cars and taxi operations, as well as secure bike parking.  Pedestrian and bicyclists will be connected to the downtown area, convention center, and waterfront trails via replaced skywalks and concourses.  The transit area will take advantage of all the DTA’s state-of-the-art technology and provide riders with real-time information and other amenities in a safe and secure area.

    It’s being developed in response to documented needs. The existing DTA transit center on Superior Street requires improvements to increase safety and security, to improve the effectiveness of the current and future transportation demand, and to provide connectivity to the overall transportation system.

    DTA-Multimodal Terminal - new skywalk connectionPublic-Private Partnerships

    The project includes upgrading portions of the aged Northwest Passage Skywalk with an improved design, easier connections, and potential retail commercial potential.

    Working with non-profit, private owners, community partners, current and future tenants of the facility will strengthen the value of the facility.  The DTA will work with a private partner on this project and will use the design/build concept of construction to rapidly complete the project.

    State Bonding Bill

    This project is being put forward as part of Minnesota’s proposed 2012 bonding bill, to appropriate $6,000,000 to create jobs and invest in the multimodal transportation needs of tomorrow.

    Interconnected, multimodal transportation options encourage economic growth, reduce congestion and environmental impacts, and improve mobility and access to transportation for both people and goods.

    For these reasons, there’s lots of support for this project at the local and federal levels.  Let’s make sure we support our state lawmakers to see this bonding bill through and see these benefits happen here in Duluth.

    Duluth-Superior’s Harbor Technical Advisory Committee: A Model for Successful Stakeholder Participation & Coordination

    Posted on by Rondi Watson

    Aerial view of the Ports of Duluth-Superior “A committee that actually gets work done”

    The HTAC is a working group for addressing challenges and opportunities in the Duluth-Superior harbor, while promoting the port’s economic and environmental importance to both communities.

    It is one of three advisory committees to the Metropolitan Interstate Council (MIC), the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Duluth-Superior urbanized area.

    And it is unique–the only stakeholder group of its kind in the country.

    More important, it is, in the words of former Duluth Seaway Port Authority Director Adolf Ojard, “a committee that actually gets work done.”

    Complexity, Controversy and Collaboration

    Port-centered issues are usually complex, often controversial and sometimes downright contentious: dredged material management; marine safety; port security; land and recreational uses; economic development proposals; accelerated corrosion of maritime infrastructure; ballast water and invasive species management; legacy environmental degradation and habitat restoration initiatives –to name a few.

    None of these problems affects one group alone, and none can be addressed except through the coordinated action of many diverse organizations and individuals. The HTAC has emerged as a national model for doing just that, through planning, collaboration, information sharing and long-term institutional involvement.

    Its diverse members all hold a stake in the continued success and health of the harbor. Participation on the HTAC encourages representatives from industry, government, academic, environmental, regulatory and citizen groups on both sides of the bridge to recognize that although they have distinct missions they also have shared goals.

    HTAC members, in other words, are genuine stakeholders who have, over its 20-year history, learned the value of playing nice and working hard together.

    Result: a new paradigm for dredge material handling

    Aerial view of Erie Pier re-engineered as a PRFOne recent example of the HTAC’s successful, collaborative planning process is what’s happening at Erie Pier. It might seem a little hard to get excited about this “hidden in plain sight” facility on the Duluth waterfront—but it represents an entirely new paradigm for dredge material handling.

    Thanks to the efforts of many HTAC members who undertook an intensive multi-year planning process, and to the US Army Corps of Engineers which subsequently agreed to make a significant investment in redesigning and re-engineering the facility, a major physical restructuring of the full-to-capacity Contained Disposal Facility at Erie Pier was undertaken to convert it to a Recycle-Reuse Facility.  It utilizes hydraulic sorting to separate out the clean, uncontaminated sand and silt that’s dredged from the shipping channels for reuse in large-scale projects such as road construction and landfill cover.

    The Duluth Seaway Port Authority now manages Erie Pier dredge materials as a valuable, re-usable resource instead of a waste product.  By creating a cost effective and environmentally sound alternative to standard dredge material disposal practices, it will save local taxpayers the millions of dollars it would have cost to develop a new CDF.

    Sincerest form of flattery

    It also has the potential to change the way other Great Lakes ports manage their dredging operations.  Erie Pier has recently gained the attention of the Canadian federal government, which is looking at the Erie Pier facility as a model for a new hydraulic sorting procedure at one or more of their dredging sites.

    Most port communities face similar challenges.  For this reason, we’ve been invited to present the HTAC model at many national-level planning and port conferences in recent years.

    More Information/Get Involved

    You can follow or participate in this notable initiative that’s happening right here in Duluth-Superior.  For more information or to get on our meeting mailing list, check out the HTAC page on the MIC website at dsmic.org/htac.

    Writing credit: Andy McDonald contributed to this article.

    Photo credits:
    Duluth-Superior Harbor aerial view – Gary Lidholm, USDA Forest Service, Superior National Forest

    Erie Pier aerial view – Google Earth 2010

    Duluth Sidewalk Study

    Posted on by Mike Wenholz

    Elderly Pedestrians walking along shoulder of busy road in Duluth, MN

    Why do sidewalks matter?

    Did you know that it’s estimated that up to 40% of the U.S. population does not drive? This includes children, of course, but also people who are disabled, elderly or choose not to drive. Sidewalks, not roads, are the main transportation facility for a big chunk of our community.

    We’ve all seen people walking in the roads, but it’s not hard to see that sidewalks provide a preferable space for pedestrian travel than using the street. Take a close look at the picture for this post – it’s one that we took several years ago of an elderly couple making a perilous winter journey (presumably out of necessity) along the shoulder of Central Entrance near Miller Hill Mall, Duluth’s main commercial district.

    Besides providing a safe passageway for all to use, investing in sidewalks—infrastructure that promotes walking—has many benefits spread widely across the community.

    Health

    It’s not news that an increasing portion of the population, including many children, lack regular physical exercise. And walking is one of the most practical ways to increase physical activity among a broad population.

    Health experts believe that more balanced transportation systems can contribute to improved personal and community health not only because they accommodate and encourage active transportation, but also because they provide opportunities for increased social interaction and, with more “eyes on the street” can reduce crime.

    Wealth

    A good sidewalk network, by providing “walkable” infrastructure, is strongly linked to a community’s economic vitality. According to the Seattle Department of Transportation, “walkable neighborhoods typically have active streets that promote commercial exchange, while providing safe and efficient ways for residents to travel on foot.”

    Green

    Sidewalks can also promote less reliance on automobiles, when walking is an option for shorter trips.

    Equitable

    Walking tends to be particularly important for elderly, disabled and lower-income people who have few opportunities to participate in sports or formal exercise programs and more limited transportation options.

    And most trips that anyone makes have a walking component, whether it is between a parking spot and a final destination or to and from a transit stop.

    That’s Where We Come In

    The MIC has been working with the City of Duluth and area stakeholders on a two-phase study of Duluth sidewalks. In today’s financial climate, resources for sidewalk maintenance and development are limited. Good information is needed to utilize those scare resources efficiently. A number of citizen groups in the Duluth area, as well as city administration, have requested that sidewalk information be developed to assist with making targeted decisions about sidewalk improvements. The results of this analysis will be used to determine future capital improvements for sidewalk development, preservation, snow removal and maintenance.

    The first phase—the sidewalk inventory—has been underway since last spring to develop an accurate inventory of where sidewalks are located and what condition they are in. When it’s complete, this information will be presented as a searchable GIS tool.

    The second phase of the study—priority pedestrian modeling¬ will identify which sidewalks are the most heavily used, based on pedestrian generators such as schools, retail areas and transit stops. Other information considered in the model includes population density, poverty rates and transit ridership.

    So, what do you think?

    Negotiations on the new federal transportation bill may eliminate funding for bike and pedestrian infrastructure and dedicate it to the construction of roads and bridges only. Are sidewalks part of your personal transportation network? What ones around town do you use, or present obstacles?

    Co-writing credit: Rondi Watson