Change in project FY funding for ARDC Mobility Management Project

ARDC has requested that the Mobility Management Project # TRF-9069-24 be listed in FY 2023 instead of FY 2024, in accordance with a change that MnDOT has made, from a one-year to a two-year funding process for this project.

This change has been approved by MIC staff, is within fiscal constraints, and has been made as an Administrative Modification in accordance with the MIC’s Public Involvement Plan.

Details of Administrative Modification #11

Amendment #12: Apply Federal Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) funds to the St. Louis County’s Woodland Ave Reconstruction Project in 2024

With the introduction of new Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) funds in the IIJA, the MIC has the discretion to apply these funds to new or existing federally-funded transportation projects in accordance with federal and state guidance.

In collaboration with constituent jurisdictions, the MIC has decided to allocate the CRP funds to the Woodland Avenue Reconstruction Project #069-609-050 CRP in FY 2024. The project total will be increasing from $3M to $3.1M due to the addition of these funds. Federal funding 80% and local match 20%.

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Details of Amendment #12

Public notice posted 5/9/23: Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the May 17, 2023 MIC Policy Board meeting.

Removal of Project # 069-070-049, Rumble Strips at various locations, St Louis County
St Louis County has requested the removal of Project # 069-070-049 from the current TIP.

This change has been approved by MIC staff, is within fiscal constraints, and has been made as an Administrative Modification in accordance with the MIC’s Public Involvement Plan.

Details of Administrative Modification #10

Amendment #11: New Lincoln Park Active Transportation Corridor Project 

The City of Duluth has requested a TIP amendment to add a new 2025 project to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

The City was awarded a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant by the U.S. DOT in August 2022. The Lincoln Park Active Transportation Corridor Project is a full reconstruction of 1.6 miles of West Superior Street from Carlton Street to West Michigan Street. Design.  Preliminary engineering work is currently underway, and construction is scheduled to start in 2025.

Total project cost is $31,248,950, including RAISE grant funding (80%) and local match (20%).

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Details of Amendment #11

Public notice posted 4/11/23: Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the April 19, 2023 MIC Policy Board meeting.

• These are the Duluth-area transportation improvement projects for roadways, pedestrian walkways and bicycle facilities for which federal funds under 23 U.S.C. were obligated in CY 2022.

Amendment #10: Scope expansion and increased budget for City of Duluth Cross City Trail Project 

The City of Duluth has requested an expansion of scope and additional funding for Project ID 118-090-026 in FY2023. This expanded project will connect the Cross City Trail (CCT) from a proposed shared use path along the north side of Raleigh St in West Duluth to the CCT along N 59^th Ave W.  The new total project cost is $1,150,000 in FY 2023.

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Details of Amendment #10

Public notice posted 3/7/23: Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the March 15, 2023 MIC Policy Board meeting.

Amendment # 9: Additional funding in FY 2023 for bus purchase

The Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) has requested the addition of Project ID TRF-1600-23L for the purchase of a replacement Class 400 bus for the DTA fleet.  Total project cost is $263,000 in FY2023.

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Details of Amendment #9

Public notice posted 2/7/2023:  Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the February 15^th, 2023 MIC Policy Board meeting.

Amendment #8 – Re-allocation of funds in FY 2023 for bus purchases

The Duluth Transit Authority has requested a project funding reduction for Project ID TRS-1600-23TA, and the addition of Project ID TRF-1600-23M.  These changes reflect a change in fiscal strategy for the purchase of a total of nine Class 700 buses for the DTA fleet to include FTA funds and reduce the amount of STBGP funds.

• Project ID TRS-1600-23TA: Reduce purchase from nine (9) to seven (7) Class 700 buses, resulting in a funding decrease from $5,166,000 to $4,821,600 in FY 2023
• Project ID TRF-1600-23M: Add new project for the purchase of two (2) Class 700 buses for a total of $1,377,600 in FY 2023

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Details of Amendment #8

Public notice posted 2/7/2023: Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the February 15^th, 2023 MIC Policy Board meeting.

Amendment #7 – Additional funding for Transit Facility Improvements in 2023

The Duluth Transit Authority has requested a project funding change for Project ID TRF-1600-23K for capital improvements for garage heaters and other improvements, increasing the project total from $25,000 to $120,000.

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP, as the change is greater than 50% of the project cost.

Details of Amendment #7

Public notice posted 2/7/2023: Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the February 15^th, 2023 MIC Policy Board meeting.

Administrative Modification 7 – Remove project tie to Project ID 069-070-048

St. Louis County has requested removing a tie to Project ID 069-070-048 from Project ID 069-700-020.
Details of Administrative Modification #7

Administrative Modification 8 – Remove three 2023 transit projects

The Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) has requested to remove three 2023 transit Projects, TRF-0016-23E, TRF-0016-23H, and TRF-0016-23I from the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.
Details of Administrative Modification #8

Administrative Modification 9 – Funding changes to three 2023 transit projects

The Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) has requested funding changes to three 2023 transit Projects, TRF-0016-23, TRF-0016-23A, and TRF-0016-23B from the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.
Details of Administrative Modification #9

The requested changes to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP have been approved by MIC staff. All are within fiscal constraints. These project changes do not require formal TIP Amendments and have been made as Administrative Modifications, in accordance with the MIC’s Public Involvement Plan:

Funding decrease for Project ID 6910-102
MnDOT has requested a funding decrease for Project ID 6910-102. This change is within fiscal constraints and has been approved by MIC staff. These project changes do not require formal TIP Amendments and have been made as Administrative Modifications, in accordance with the MIC’s Public Involvement Plan.

Details of Administrative Modification #6

Additional funding in FY’s 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 for MnDOT, project ID’s 8801-BLATNIK CA-23, -24, -25, and -26

MnDOT has requested additional funding for consultant agreements and engineering for the Blatnik Bridge project.  This formal amendment is to add Wisconsin’s share of consultant agreements, adjust federal funding split to 90%/10%, and to add FY 2026 funding to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.  $9,000,000 in federal funding is being provided centrally.  Wisconsin’s share of consultant agreements was originally omitted in error, and is now being added.  There are no additional federal funds required or scope of work changes, therefore fiscal constrain is maintained.

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Amendment #6 includes funding as follows:

• 8801-BLATNIK CA-23 will include a total project cost of $4,888,888 in FY2023
• 8801-BLATNIK CA-24 will include a total project cost of $4,222,222 in FY2024
• 8801-BLATNIK CA-25 will include a total project cost of $8,444,444 in FY2025
• 8801-BLATNIK CA-26 will include a total project cost of $20,000,000 in FY2026

Amendment #6 details

Public notice posted 12/6/2022:  Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the December 14, 2022 MIC Policy Board meeting.

Additional funding in FY 2023 for MnDOT, project ID 9080-162

MnDOT has requested additional funding for project ID 9080-162 for a total project cost of $1,100,000 for clear zone maintenance, and tree and brush removal on I-35 in Mahtowa.  This change is added as an amendment as the change is greater than 50% of the project cost, and is greater than $1M in total project cost after this requested change.

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Amendment #5 details

Public notice posted 12/6/2022:  Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the December 14, 2022 MIC Policy Board meeting.

The addition of Advance Construction (AC) payback funding in FY 2023 for MnDOT, project ID 6980-62AC

MnDOT has requested Advance Construction (AC) payback funding in the amount of $30,000,000 for the Garfield Ave Interchange/I-535 in FY 2023.  This project was added after the Final Draft 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP was released for public comment.  While it was included in the 2022-2025 Duluth Area TIP, it now needs to be amended into the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Amendment #4 details

Public notice posted 12/6/2022:  Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the December 14, 2022 MIC Policy Board meeting.

The addition of work in FY 2024 for the City of Duluth, project ID 118-126-022AC

The City of Duluth has requested Advance Construction (AC) payback funding in the amount of $1,480,000 for Mill & Overlay, Storm Sewer, Curb & Gutter, and ADA improvements along 3^rd St in Duluth, from 12^th Ave E to Mesaba Ave, in FY 2024.

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Amendment #3 details

Public notice posted 12/6/2022:  Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the December 14, 2022 MIC Policy Board meeting.

I-35 Stormwater Infrastructure Repairs, project ID 6982-356 (2023)

MnDOT has requested the addition of funding in the amount of $630,000 for stormwater infrastructure repairs along the I-35 corridor, from Lake Ave to 26^th Ave E, in FY 2023.

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Amendment #2 details

Public notice posted 12/6/2022:  Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the December 14, 2022 MIC Policy Board meeting.

The following requested changes to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP have been approved by MIC staff. All are within fiscal constraints. These project changes do not require formal TIP Amendments and have been made as Administrative Modifications, in accordance with the MIC’s Public Involvement Plan:

Administrative Modification 1: Change to Project Fiscal Year Funding
St. Louis County requested a change to the fiscal year for funding of project ID 069-609-050 from FY 2023 to FY 2024.

Administrative Modification 2: Change to Project Description for Project ID 069-070-075
St. Louis County requested a change to the project description for Project ID 069-070-075 to include language associating this project to Project ID 069-070-076.

Administrative Modification 3: Funding changes for Project ID 069-691-033
St Louis County has requested funding changes for Project ID 069-691-033.

Administrative Modification 4: Typographic change for Project ID 069-654-006
St Louis County has requested to make a typographic change for Project ID 069-691-006.

Administrative Modification 5: Removal of Project ID 118-118-005
The City of Duluth has requested to remove Project ID 118-118-005 from the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Details of Administrative Modifications 1-5

Funding for work in FY 2023 for St. Louis County, project ID 069-070-075

St Louis County has requested the addition of funding in the amount of $1,077,422 to include high friction pavement treatment at 12 paved curves across St. Louis County in FY 2023.

Based on the criteria adopted in the MIC Public Involvement Plan, this addition requires a formal TIP amendment to the 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.

Amendment #1 details

Public notice posted 10/11/2022:  Public comments will be taken about this proposed amendment when it is presented for approval at the October 19, 2022 MIC Policy Board meeting.

The 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP was approved upon receiving state and federal approvals on September 29, 2022.

The Board voted unanimously to adopt the document and the listed Duluth-area projects for federal funding for CY 2023-2026. No public comments were received at the meeting.

Note, until this TIP is approved by MnDOT and the FHWA, the Duluth Area TIP for CY 2022-2025 remains the current version.

The final 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP will be presented for adoption at a special meeting of the MIC Policy Board on August 31.

The meeting is open to the public and comments are welcome.

At the Aug 17^th meeting, there was a motion to adopt a revised agenda that excluded a vote to adopt the 2032-2026 TIP because of last-minute updates from MnDOT to the project tables for the Duluth 2022-2025 TIP.  The motion for a new agenda was approved, and subsequently there was no vote to adopt the Duluth 2023-2026 TIP by the MIC Policy Board.

To avoid triggering a new public involvement process, the decision was made to move the vote for adoption back two weeks by holding a special MIC Policy Board meeting on August 31^st, which allows for at least a week to notify our board of the project line addition to the project tables.

The first action to be taken at that meeting will be to amend the 2022-2025 Duluth TIP to include the new project line-items, which is necessary prior to the adoption of the new 2023-2026 Duluth TIP (which will also include these line-items).

The final 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP will be presented for adoption at the August 17, 2022 MIC Policy Board meeting.

The meeting is open to the public and comments are welcome.

The draft TIP was approved by the MIC Policy Board for the required 30-day public comment period, effective July 1, 2022 though July 30, 2022.

The draft TIP document lists all projects proposed for 2023-2026 and is now open for public review and input through 7/30/22. 

To comment:

• Attend a virtual input session (described in meeting notices, above) to give input and get more info about proposed projects
• Contact TIP Coordinator Prescott Morrill (info at right)

It will be presented to the MIC Policy Board for final approval at its August 17, 2022 meeting at 6:00 pm.  This meeting is open to the public and comments will be taken.

At the March MIC meeting, the new 2026 projects proposed by area jurisdictions to receive federal funding will be presented for review and inclusion in the draft 2023-2026 Duluth Area TIP.  These include:

London Road resurfacing 2.98 miles, both lanes, from 28th Ave E to 60th Ave E in Duluth and construction of roundabouts at 26th Ave E and 40th Ave E. (City of Duluth, $2 million total (80/20 federal/local)

Canosia Rd resurfacing 7 miles, both lanes, from St. Louis River Road to Trunk Highway 53. (St. Louis County, $3.5 million total (80/20 federal/local)

If approved, the projects will be forwarded on to the Northeast Minnesota Area Transportation Partnership (NE MN ATP) for funding consideration as part of the process for developing the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

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).

2026 Duluth area project submittals are due January 29, 2021.