NOTE: This is a prior-year Transportation Improvement Program.
(Current projects are shown on the 2020-2023 Duluth-Area TIP page).
Contact:
TIP Coordinator James Gittemeier (click to send email)
or call 218-529-7556.
New (2019-2022) Duluth Area TIP Adopted
This TIP was replaced by the MIC’s 2019-2022 Duluth-Area TIP following MIC Policy Board, state and federal approvals.
Administrative Modification #7
Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) has requested that project # TRF-0016-18T for 2018 be changed to reflect a project scope change. The funding levels remain unchanged. These changes and additions are noted in the chart below. View details of Administrative Modification #7
Administrative Modification #6
The Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) has requested that project TRF-0016-18K for 2018 be changed to reflect a minor change in the project cost and allotments. View details of Administrative Modification #6
Amendment #7 Approved
Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) requested that their projects for 2018 be changed to reflect project scope and funding modifications. Also, the DTA was recently awarded FTA Section 5339 funds to upgrade their fare collection systems. to upgrade their fare collection systems. View details of Amendment #7 – MIC Resolution 18-12 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Amendment #6 Approved
United Day Activity Center (UDAC) in Duluth has been awarded an FTA grant for the purchase of two buses in 2018. As a new project, the DTA is presenting it for amendment into the 2018-2021 Duluth Area TIP. View details of Amendment #6 – MIC Resolution 18-11 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Amendment #5 Approved
Federal (FAST Act) transportation legislation requires all MPOs to apply Performance-Based Planning and Programming in the development of their Long-Range Transportation Plans and Transportation Improvement Plans. Therefore the MIC’s Duluth-area TIP must include a description of the anticipated effect of the projects listed in the TIP toward achieving the performance measures targets, linking investment priorities to performance targets. Specific language, developed in accordance with guidance from MnDOT, and as specified in MIC Resolution 18-09, was presented and approved to be amended into the 2018-2021 Duluth-area TIP. View details of Amendment #5 – MIC Resolution 18-09 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Administrative Modification #5
St. Louis County project #069-691-031 has been dropped from the TIP due to federal funds being removed from the project. After a funding swap for a large project in Stearns County, funds had shifted and project #069-691-031 no longer needed federal funds as other state/local funds became available. The project is still planned for construction, just without the federal funds. View details of Administrative Modification #5 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Administrative Modification #4
St. Louis County has requested a minor change to 2019 project #069-606-025. The request is to change the project description to better reflect the length of the project and to adjust the total cost of the project. The project cost had increased since an initial cost estimate was done. The additional cost will be paid for with local funds, with no increase in the federal amount. TIP guidance indicates the project change is minor and therefore needs only an administrative modification. View details of Administrative Modification #4 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Amendment #4 Approved
The City of Duluth requested that Project 118-134-017 for the year 2018 be changed to reflect a cost increase. The increase is not currently being paid for with federal funds, but if federal funds become available the federal/local split will be adjusted. View details of Amendment #4 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Administrative Modification #3
MnDOT District 1 requested that Project 6982-321 be changed to reflect a description revision and a decrease in project cost from $750,000 to $410,000. The project is 100% state funded. View details of Administrative Modification #3 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Amendment #3 Approved
The City of Duluth requested that Project 118-080-063 is added to the 2018-2021 Duluth Area TIP for the year 2019. Federal funding was awarded for this project via the Minnesota Highway Freight Program. According to the grant application: “The proposed project will expand the Duluth Intermodal Terminal by extending the freight rail tracks an additional 2,500 feet for intermodal well-car loading and unloading; paving approximately six acres of terminal space to provide a more stable footing for stacking of containers and more efficient maintenance and snow removal activities; construct a check-in gate for trucks; and address storm water management, security fencing, and lighting.” View details of Amendment #3 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Administrative Modification #2
The City of Duluth requested that Projects 118-149-006 and 118-149-006AC change due to a funding swap with Stearns County. The city would transfer $186,441 in FY 2018 to Stearns County and Stearns County would transfer $186,441 to the City of Duluth in FY 2019. The project is essentially changing years from 2018 to 2019 with the same project costs. View details of Administrative Modification #2 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Amendment #2 Approved
MnDOT requested that Project 6916-111 is added to the 2018-2021 Duluth Area TIP for the year 2018. Federal funding will be provided via a cost reduction due to scope change to project 3108-70 as previously approved in Amendment #1. View details of Amendment #2 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Administrative Modification #1
The City of Duluth requested that Projects 118-178-006 and 118-134-017 are changed to reflect changes in project year and funding. Project 118-178-006 has received additional federal funding through the DEMO repurposing process. The local share on the project was also adjusted. Projects 118-178-006 and 118-134-017 are swapping project years as well. View details of Administrative Modification #1 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
Amendment #1 Approved
MnDOT requested that Projects 6937-102, 6933-97, 6933-95, 6982-325 be changed and/or added to reflect changes in scope and cost. Some project elements were taken out due to issues relating to nearby work on Superior Street in downtown Duluth. View details of Amendment #1 About Amendments and Administrative Modifications
2018-2021 Duluth Area TIP Approved by FHWA and FTA
The Duluth-area TIP was incorporated into the Minnesota Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), which received formal approval by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on November 11, 2017.
2018-2021 Duluth Area TIP Approved by MIC Policy Board
NOTE: The 2017-2020 Duluth Area TIP remains the current version until federal agencies (FHWA and FTA) approve the 2018-2021 version.
Draft 2018-2021 Duluth-Area TIP Now Open for Public Comment (through 8/22)
About the Draft TIP: See OpenMIC Blog Post
2021 MIC-Area TIP Projects Approved - NE MN ATP
The NE MN Area Transportation Partnership (ATP) approved the MIC-area projects as recommended by the MIC Board for inclusion in the 2018-2021 STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program).
2021 MIC-Area TIP Projects Approved - MIC Board
At the March meeting of the MIC Policy Board, a motion was made recommending approval of both roadway projects and ranking the projects as follows: Railroad Street (City of Duluth) – #1 Lismore Road (St. Louis County) – #2 The Bus Purchase by the Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) was recommended to be removed from consideration, since it falls well outside of funds available in this area for 2021. The motion was amended to formally note that the MIC Policy Board recognizes the DTA’s need for the funds they have applied for, but have been denied at this time with the knowledge that MnDOT’s Central Office will be funding their needs. The amended motion was approved unanimously, and will be forwarded on to the NE MN Area Transportation Partnership (ATP) as the next step in the TIP development process.
Seeking Comments on Proposed Transportation Projects for 2021
Overview of Proposed Projects – Open for public comment through March 15
2021 Project Applications Due
The MIC received ten applications for federal transportation funding in 2021. They will be open for public comment through March 21. The proposed projects will be presented for review by the TAC and MIC in February and for approval at the March meetings, after which they will be forwarded to the NE MN ATP process for inclusion in the 2021 draft TIP and STIP.
2021 TIP project solicitation period begins
MIC staff distributed project applications to eligible agencies and jurisdictions (State of Minnesota (MnDOT), St. Louis County, cities with a population over 5,000 (Duluth and Hermantown), the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and the Duluth Transit Authority (DTA).
Funded Projects
No projects match selected year
2018-2021_DuluthTIP_Final.pdf
The TIP is developed with the guidance of the MIC’s Transportation Advisory Committee and Policy Board, and prepared in cooperation with MnDOT, local transit providers and area jurisdictions as required by federal surface transportation law (FAST Act). It is made available for public comment, and submitted to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
How are TIP projects selected?
All projects must be identified in the MIC’s current 25-year Long Range Transportation Plan in support of the Duluth-Superior area’s goals and transportation system needs. In addition, the MIC evaluates and prioritizes each proposal based on the following criteria:
- Regional Benefit: What are the project’s merits/benefits and intended effect upon the regional transportation network and what are the project’s estimated benefits relative to its cost?
- Mobility: How will the project improve the mobility of people and goods?
- Planning Support: How will the project incorporate the MIC’s Long Range Transportation Plan, other MIC studies and related plans and studies?
- Multimodal Connectivity: How does the project encompass multiple modes of travel?
- Environmental Impacts: Where is the project’s location and what potential environmental and community impacts does it potentially pose?
- Public Participation: What level of public participation has been undertaken or will take place for the proposed project?
Coordination with State and Regional Processes
We work with local communities to determine how our increasingly scarce share of federal transportation dollars are spent. These are the projects solicited, evaluated and approved by the MIC Policy Board, as described in the timeline, below. A simultaneous but separate process is held to program projects throughout the 8-county Arrowhead region by the Northeast Minnesota Area Transportation Partnership (NE MN ATP). All Duluth area transportation projects that are approved and/or amended in the MIC’s TIP must also be listed in MnDOT’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program to be able to receive federal funds.
TIP Development Timeline
For the Duluth Area TIP, the development process runs from October, when the MIC begins discussions about possible projects with eligible jurisdictions* through August of the following year, when the final TIP is approved by the MIC Policy Board.
- October: Pre-application meetings to review Long Range Plan with eligible jurisdictions*
- Nov/Dec: MIC staff distributes project applications to eligible jurisdictions*
- January: Project applications received.
- February: Project applications are put forward for public review and comment.
- March: MIC staff reviews and scores projects according to evaluation criteria and presents them to the TAC to be scored and ranked according to priority. The TAC scores the projects and staff presents the projects and the TAC scores to the MIC Policy Board for their review and approval.
- Apr/May: Project applications as prioritized by the MIC Policy Board are forwarded to the Northeast Minnesota Area Transportation Partnership (NE MN ATP) for funding consideration within the investment guidelines for that project year.
- May/Jun: Draft TIP produced and released for public comment.
- July: Public participation initiatives to encourage public review and comment.
- August: Final TIP presented for approval by MIC Policy Board.*
*Eligible agencies and jurisdictions include the state of Minnesota (MnDOT), St. Louis County, cities with a population over 5,000 (Duluth and Hermantown), the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and the Duluth Transit Authority (DTA).
Amendments
Projects may be amended into the current, approved TIP throughout the year. Amendments usually modify existing projects as changes to the scope, cost or timeline for programmed projects occur. Sometimes new projects may be added if new funding becomes available. The formal processes for developing and amending a TIP are specified in the MIC’s Public Involvement Plan.