Soles & Spokes: 30 Days of Biking Participants

Mn/DOT to test technology used for potential mileage-based user fee

ST PAUL, Minn.—The Minnesota Department of Transportation today announced that it will recruit 500 people from Wright and Hennepin counties to take part in research to test technology that could someday be used to collect a mileage-based user fee.  Mn/DOT will start recruiting volunteers for the Minnesota Road Fee Test in May and research will begin in July 2011.

“This research will provide important feedback from motorists about the effectiveness of using technology in a car or truck to gather mileage information,” said Cory Johnson, project manager. “We are researching alternative financing methods today that could be used 10 or 20 years from now when the number of fuel efficient and hybrid cars increase and no longer produce enough revenue from a gas tax to build and repair roads.”

In 2007 the Minnesota Legislature appropriated $5 million from the trunk highway fund for the demonstration. Mn/DOT has contracted with several companies to conduct the technology research. An adequate evaluation of MBUF technology must include a parallel policy evaluation, so Mn/DOT awarded a $395,000 contract to the University of Minnesota Humphrey School to conduct the policy study.

If a mileage-based user fee were implemented, motorists would pay a fee based on how many miles they drive, rather than on how much gas a vehicle uses, which is how Minnesota’s gas tax is now designed.

The research will help Mn/DOT and public policy leaders understand the challenges and opportunities in such a system.

Mn/DOT is seeking volunteers from Wright and Hennepin counties because the population offers a mix of motorists who travel on rural and metro area roads. The volunteers will use a Smart Phone with a GPS application that also has been programmed to allow motorists to submit information, which Mn/DOT will use to evaluate whether the device provides timely, reliable travel data from that specific trip. In addition, the test will examine whether other applications, such as real-time traffic alerts that provide information on construction zones, crashes, congestion and road hazards, are effective in communicating safety messages to motorists. Three different groups of volunteers will test the devices for six months each. The volunteers will be paid a nominal stipend to cover the expenses of this test.

The technical research is designed to record miles and road use while strictly protecting the privacy of participants. The participants’ names and home contact information, as well as the data that identifies their vehicle, financial account information, travel routes, and days and times of trips, are classified as not public by the Minnesota Department of Administration to ensure that the research and results are valid.

Mn/DOT has established a policy task force to examine implications of implementing a mileage-based user fee. The task force, to be chaired by former state representative Bernie Lieder, will hold meetings throughout the state and survey Minnesotans about concerns that should be addressed before such a fee could be implemented.

Other state DOTs also are researching alternative financing methods to supplement or replace a gas tax. The state of Oregon conducted a similar study completed in November 2007 and Iowa, Nevada and Texas are among several states currently researching mileage-based user fees.

Minnesota’s highway revenues are derived from three sources: the gas tax, vehicle registration fee or tabs and the motor vehicle sales tax. These funding sources support construction and maintenance of a highway system. Based on its last state transportation plan, Mn/DOT anticipates as much as a $50 billion transportation funding shortfall during the next 20 years.

The research is scheduled to end by December 2012 and results will be made available to the public at www.mndot.gov.

State agencies call on motorists to share the road following first bicyclist fatality in 2011

ST PAUL, Minn.—The snow is gone and Minnesota bicyclists are back on the road, meaning motorists need to share the road, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

The first Minnesota bicyclist fatality in 2011 occurred Thursday, April 21, in Minneapolis.

Officials expect a continued surge of bicyclists in 2011 and urge caution for those who may be new to bicycle commuting.

Mn/DOT and DPS officials say the law is clear—bicyclists and motorists share responsibility. Eight “rules of the road” to improve bicycle safety are:

1. Bicyclists may ride on all Minnesota roads, except where restricted — such as interstates.
2. Bicyclists should ride on the road, and must ride in the same direction as traffic.
3. Motorists must at all times maintain a three-foot clearance when passing a bicyclist.
4. Bicyclists must obey all traffic control signs and signals, just as motorists.
5. Motorists and bicyclists must yield the right of way to each other.
6. Bicyclists must signal their turns and should ride in a predictable manner.
7. Bicyclists must use a headlight and rear reflectors when it’s dark.
8. Bicyclists should always wear helmets and bright reflective gear.

Preliminary 2010 statistics from DPS report nine bicyclists fatalities in Minnesota; slightly lower than the 10 recorded in 2009. DPS reports each that year an average of eight bicyclists are killed and more than 950 are injured in crashes with vehicles. Most bicycle crashes occur during afternoon rush hours. People under age 25 represent more than half of all bicyclists injured annually.

For information about MnDOT’s “Share the Road” bicycle safety education program and bicycle crash statistics visithttp://www.sharetheroadmn.org/index.html.

“Share the Road” resource materials, including one 30-second radio spot, three 15-second radio spots and print materials in PDF and EPS formats, are available at http://www.sharetheroadmn.org/resources.html.

Promoting bicyclist safety is a component of the state’s core traffic safety initiative, Toward Zero Deaths (TZD). A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. TZD focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes — education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response.

Transit Routes Change May 14

News from Metro Transit:

Beginning Saturday, May 14, changes will be made to routes operated by Metro Transit, Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and Maple Grove Transit. Updated printed schedules will be available starting May 6 on buses and at Commuter Connection. If you know your route and just need departure times, call NexTrip at 612-373-3333.

For more information log on to metrotransit.org

FTA Funds 50% of Central Corridor

Story from Central Corridor Project Office:

Central Corridor LRT partners signed on the ceremonial dotted line today, sealing the deal on the federal government’s commitment to pay half the cost of building the rail line between Minneapolis and St. Paul.

According to the head of the Federal Transit Administration, the Twin Cities region demonstrated a strong state and local partnership with solid funding commitments to qualify for the level of financial support that the federal government today committed to the project.

“This project truly embodies the president’s vision for winning the future through infrastructure investment. It will create thousands of construction jobs now while paving the way for many thousands of jobs that will come to the Twin Cities through the economic development successes surrounding the new rail line,” FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff told an enthusiastic gathering of more than 100 local, state and federal officials at the Harold E. Stassen Building in St. Paul. The building overlooks the route and the future site of the Capitol East Station.

Overall, the project will create 3,400 construction, management, engineering and operation jobs through 2014. Once up and running, LRT trains will take people to and from their jobs, school, medical appointments and other critical destinations.

State/Local Funding Commitments

The cause for celebration was the signing of the Full Funding Grant Agreement between the FTA and Metropolitan Council as the grantee. The FFGA contractually commits the federal government to paying $478 million or half the cost of building the $957 million line linking St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Thirty percent of the project funding comes from the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB), 9 percent from the state, 7 percent from Ramsey County, 3 percent from Hennepin County and less than 1 percent from Met Council, the city of St. Paul and Central Corridor Funders Collaborative.

By 2030, weekday ridership – projected to exceed 40,000 – will top Hiawatha LRT ridership as people gain new access to nearly 300,000 jobs in the two downtowns, at the University of Minnesota and in the neighborhoods in between.

“Central Corridor represents an historic economic opportunity to connect St. Paul residents to jobs, businesses, services and educational opportunities throughout the region,” said Mayor Chris Coleman. “At the same time, it’ll transform one of St. Paul’s most iconic streets and strengthen the communities that surround it.”

“On this day that is 30 years in the making, we must recommit to making Central Corridor all that it can be: to heal the wound that a freeway opened in the West Bank decades ago, to fully integrate light rail with every mode of transit, and to connect transit-dependent communities to every opportunity,” said Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.

A Regional Network of Transit Corridors

“We are turning into reality our vision of a network of interconnected transitways,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin.

McLaughlin is also the chair of the Counties Transit Improvement Board, comprised of the five metro counties investing their sales tax to expand transit options, mitigate congestion, enhance economic growth and improve environmental stability for the region.

The Central Corridor light-rail line will revitalize University Avenue as a lifeline between Minneapolis and St. Paul. Streetcars operated on University Avenue continuously from December 1890 to Oct. 31, 1953. With a streetcar operating as often as every three minutes, there was an energy and vibrancy to the street life along the avenue.

Supporters expect Central Corridor line will rekindle that same kind of energy and enthusiasm as neighbors meet neighbors, students meet professors and business people meet customers aboard busy trains and at busy rail stops.

“When completed, this project will bring the community together in a way not seen since the age of the street car, but also in a manner modern and contemporary,” said Ramsey County Commissioner Jim McDonough. In addition to his support for the rail corridor, Commissioner McDonough is active in returning the Union Depot to its former glory and ensuring Central’s St. Paul terminus is a hub of activity as well as a multimodal transit hub.

Thirty Years in the Planning

After initial planning activities that date back as far as 1981, the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority began work in 2001 to prepare an Alternatives Analysis and Environmental Impact Statement. The AA and EIS were released in 2006 and identified LRT as the mode of choice, and University and Washington avenues as the preferred route. The project was turned over later that year to the Metropolitan Council to design and build the line.

Today, Central Corridor LRT is the largest single public works project ever in the state of Minnesota.

“The federal grant commitment of $478 million is the largest federal grant ever received in Minnesota for a transportation project,” said Metropolitan Council Chair Sue Haigh.

“With this agreement with the Federal Transit Administration, the Twin Cities region will have generated more than $1 billion in FTA grants, including $364 million for Hiawatha, $157 million for Northstar and $478 million for Central Corridor.”

Rep. Betty McCollum, whose district includes the rail line, collaborated with state and local officials to secure federal funding for Central Corridor as a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

“Today’s federal commitment to the Central Corridor represents a great achievement for Minnesota,” McCollum said. “The Central Corridor is an investment in infrastructure that will help meet the demands of our growing community and create new economic opportunities for generations to come.”

“With this commitment, the federal government has recognized that the Central Corridor is not only an important part of an efficient transportation system in Minnesota, but also a vital piece of our efforts to ensure economic vitality in the Twin Cities and beyond,” Sen. Al Franken said. “This new rail line will offer a critical transportation alternative for commuters and create badly needed jobs in our region.”

Midtown Greenway Partial Closures

News from City of Minneapolis:

Due to bridge rehabilitation work, the Midtown Greenway will have intermittent and partial closures through June. The work is taking place to improve safety for bicyclists and extend the useful life of bridges. Between Cedar Avenue and Hennepin Avenue, a mobile operation is blasting off loose concrete (which has been falling onto the trail) and making repairs on the undersides of approximately 30 bridges.

In order to protect the safety of trail users, the Midtown Greenway will be closed and detoured for short stretches at times. Detour routes following 28^th Street and 29^th Street will be posted in these instances. Work will take place on weekdays beginning at 7:00am and last until 4:30pm (although it will typically be completed by 3:00pm). At times when it is safe for bicyclists to go through the work site, crews will direct trail users to the side. Please respect your safety and the safety of city crews by following posted signs and closures. The trail will remain open at all other times (including evenings, nights, and weekends).

Active Living Bike Expo

Story from HaveFunBiking.com:

Join all those who plan to come to the Active Living Bike Expo this weekend and kick off summer. This year’s event is a place for anyone active in bicycling and those new to the sport to rally together in an entertaining atmosphere and discover the latest products in cycling gear, destinations to ride and safe riding tips. With gas prices haunting us once again, learn the cost saving secrets of multi-modal transportation. It doesn’t matter if  your bike is ready to roll or you are looking for a new one, this event is scheduled for Friday, April 29 (3 to 9 p.m.) and Saturday, April 30 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul. Then on Sunday, May 1, we all move out to Lakeville, Minn. for the Minnesota Ironman’s Gran Fondo Bike Ride.

This year’s bike show promises everyone a wide selection of information and entertainment. Try your hand at: pulling a weighted skid full of food on the Bike Pull Track; bring your bike and helmet for our decorating clinic by ArtStart; take in a family fun ride offered by the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota; wear your favorite biking shirt to the show for the Favorite Bike Jersey Contest;  try the mountain bike demo area or the simulated racing experience court; and don’t forget to register to win the four day-3 night bike vacation, for up to six, at Breezy Point Resort ($1500 value) powered by Microsoft.

A great way to jump start your mojo for an active summer and learn more about the benefits of multi-modal transportation. Incorporating a bike into your commute or recreational travel plans will save money and help you feel your best.

While at the expo don’t forget to pick up a complimentary copy of the 2011 Minnesota Biking Guide. Admission is complimentary with a food shelf donation to the Emergency Foodshelf Network.

For more details on the Expo and updates on the contests, demonstrations and workshops planned, please visit havefunbiking.com/expo or follow us on: Facebook, Myspace, LinkedInor Twitter.

Try Nice Ride

Nice Ride is open for business. All stations will be operational by Monday, April 11th. Most of the 65 stations we installed last year will go right back where they were. A few will move a half a block to accommodate nearby construction projects. Several stations on the U of M campus will be moved for Central Corridor construction. Updated system maps are available at niceridemn.org or at the Commuter Connection store located in the US Bank Plaza building in Downtown Minneapolis.

Sign up now for a $20 discount
1-Year Nice Ride Subscriptions are on sale for just $40 through May 31 (regularly priced $60). To sign up, go to www.niceridemn.org

Interested in hosting a Nice Ride Tour event at your workplace?
Nice Ride and Commuter Connection have teamed up to offer guided group rides. Take your group to lunch or to other entertainment destinations by bike. Nice Ride will provide the bikes; Commuter Connection will provide the certified bicycle instructor and tour guide. Group rides are offered to employers at no charge. To schedule a Nice Ride Tour, contact Bill Andre, Outreach Coordinator with Commuter Connection at 612-370-3987 or bandre@commuter-connection.org.