Laserfiche WebLink
p- . <br />f <br />r <br />r;f <br />m- <br />W«-mipEr-; <br />s4’''S' <br />'4'Jvh >. •; <br />The Council influences metropolitan highway development in a variety of ways. The Minnesota <br />Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) constructs and maintains most of the roads in the <br />metropolitan system, and the ultimate authority for highway programming decisions rests with the <br />state commissioner of transportation. However, Mn/DOT seriously considers the Council’s <br />highway policymaJdhg and project planning in virtually ail metropolitan area highway priorities. <br />The Council approves construction on controlled-access highways and develops guidelines for <br />setting highway priorities as well as guidelines for approval of interchange improvements. The <br />Council is also responsible for endorsing Federal Aid Urban and Intentate Substitution funding <br />priorities, which are set by local elected oflicials acting through the Council’s Transportation <br />Advisory Board. <br />Highway planning is very important because the ability of people to take advantage of the <br />opportunities the area offers and acquiring essential goods and services depend on having a good <br />highwrqr system and on keeping it operating well. This means roads on the existing system must <br />be able to provide the type and level of service designated in the Council’s transportation policy <br />plan. Trafflc management strategies or new construction will be necessary when traffic volumes <br />approach design capacities, when road conditions pose hazards and slowdowns, and when new <br />developments are proposed that differ substantially from assumptions made in the regional <br />transportation plaiL Implementing traffic management strategies for metropolitan highways is a <br />state or regional responsibility that frequently has direct or indirect implications for local systems. <br />Local governments will have primary responsibility for carrying out traffic management strategies <br />on local systems. <br />New sources may share the responsibility for funding new construction with the traditional county, <br />state and federal sources. New sources may include the region, local governments and the private <br />sector. With the potential for funding and operational limitations, denying access to the regional <br />system may also be necessary for unanticipated new developments. <br />Highway planning should also address air pollution caused by heavy concentrations of auto, truck <br />and bus traffic. Although this problem has traditionally been associated with the two metro <br />centers, it is a growing problem in the regional business concentrations where highways are <br />reaching capacity. <br />The relationship between metropolitan highways and outstate Minnesota is another consideration <br />in hi^iway planning. The Council recognizes the importance of outstate connections, particularly <br />for economic developmentand will a| <br />iway system, <br />Metropolitan highways in the rural area will be planned to support a level of development <br />consistent with the Coundrs rural density policies. The Council will not plan for a level of <br />service that would support or encourage development jrreater than the policy except where an <br />exception has been approved according to the guidelines of the Metropolitan Development and <br />Investment Framework. <br />Hlyfawav planning must also consider the rural-to«urban transition areas, and how riyhts-of-wav for <br />the mtem of principal and minor arterials that will be needed in the future should be protected <br />from incompatible developmenL <br />a