The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has adopted a new 50-year statewide transportation vision that deserves strong praise (pdf). At its core is the idea that “Minnesota’s multimodal transportation system maximizes the health of people, the environment and our economy.” This indicates a big shift for a department that has been evolving from a focus on building big roads that serve one primary purpose: increased vehicle speed.

In its new vision, Mn/DOT recognizes that cars are essential to our state’s transportation system but that trains, transit, walking, biking, ships, planes, and access for people with disabilities are vital as well. The vision also sets an intention to “minimize resource use and pollution,” “build to maintainable scale,” and “respect the importance, significance and context of place.”

Of course, a vision is only as good as its implementation. Now, Mn/DOT is working a comprehensive update of its 20-year transportation plan and will soon make updates to its investment plans. This is where vision needs to meet reality. Short-term changes in internal procedures and long-term shifts in how we fund Minnesota’s transportation system are both necessary for making the vision a success. And as Mn/DOT translates ideas into reality, Fresh Energy will work to help make it happen.

Photo: Mn/DOT

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has adopted a new 50-year statewide transportation vision that deserves strong praise. At its core: "Minnesota's multimodal transportation system maximizes the health of people, the environment and our economy."