Project Overview

Transportation stands out as a critical factor for growth, economic well-being and quality of life in Minnesota. The state’s transportation infrastructure and policy choices make places accessible and allow for the safe, efficient movement of goods and people.  A well-designed, high-quality transportation system leads to improved connections, less fuel consumption, better air quality and fewer accidents.  Transportation, then, is a critical concern for Minnesota and a major topic of interest to Growth & Justice, with its focus on cost-effective, public-sector investments for sustainable economic growth and prosperity.

After the tragic collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis, the Minnesota legislature in February 2008 took an important step toward addressing transportation problems when it passed a package of revenue increases for roads and transit over the next 10 years.  But the transportation investments made possible by the new law fall well short of what’s needed under existing policies to meet the state’s own performance standards for infrastructure preservation, mobility and safety.   Consequently in the coming years, Minnesota’s elected officials and other transportation policy makers will need to assess and select the best policy pathways to meet growing and changing transportation needs, as well as address existing challenges. Smart Investments^SM in Transportation for Minnesota will inform and educate advocates and policy makers regarding key transportation and land use options that are economically progressive, sustainable, research-based, aimed at broadening prosperity, and measurable for accountability.  Both fiscal constraints and environmental concerns will force careful and creative thinking about effective approaches to transportation in Minnesota. 

Transportation Needs

Minnesota’s transportation system is significantly strained and cannot meet current and expected needs under existing policies. The transportation levels, trends and forecasts for Minnesota highlight the challenges:

• Minnesota’s population by 2030 is expected to grow by more than 1 million residents, with more than 80 percent of the growth occurring in the Twin Cities area, dramatically increasing the demands placed on road and transit systems.
• A 2006 study concluded that Twin Cities area households in the lowest income range spent more than half of their income on transportation and those with incomes from $20,000 to $35,000 spent more than one-third.
• The transportation sector accounts for about one-quarter of Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it the second largest source of gases that contribute to unwelcome climate change, according to the state government’s Minnesota Climate Change Action Group.
• While transit use has increased here and elsewhere, federal data show that the Twin Cities urban area lags behind other similarly sized metropolitan regions for annual, unlinked transit trips. 
• For most of the last two decades, the growth in vehicle miles traveled has far outpaced population growth for Minnesota, shooting up three times as fast – an unsustainable trajectory that highlights the need to rethink transportation policy.
• Without changes to existing policies, the state would need to have constructed a staggering 10,700 new lane miles for its major routes in order to have kept pace with increased travel since 1986.
• Peak-time drivers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area together wasted an estimated 59.7 million hours stuck in traffic, up more than 400 percent from the 1986 level of 11.3 million hours, according to the Urban Mobility Report from the Texas Transportation Institute. 

The Growth & Justice Transportation Initiative

Ultimately Smart Investments^SM in Transportation for Minnesota will increase sustainable economic growth and expand economic prosperity through its evidence-based research into policy options, its findings and recommendations, and the resulting transportation and land use changes. Growth & Justice will focus on crucial transportation issues – better access to important destinations for Minnesotans of all income levels, improved travel for people and goods, and less energy consumption and environmental degradation. Any consideration of public policy options for transportation and land use must factor in fluctuating gas prices, their impact on the transportation landscape, and their implications for individuals as they consider affordable ways to reach important destinations.

For its transportation initiative, Growth & Justice will engage its steering committee of leaders to weigh preferred transportation investments, policies and choices.  The project will examine evidence regarding the likely implications of different transportation and land use options. Drawing from research and from guidance by the steering committee, project staff will develop recommendations for how best to improve and reshape the transportation system within fiscal constraints. Growth & Justice will work with steering committee members to communicate compelling research and specific recommendations to crucial audiences of stakeholders, policy makers and engaged citizens through forums, discussions, meetings and media.

The objectives of Smart Investments^SM in Transportation for Minnesota include the following:

• Foster understanding of and agreement on smart transportation investments, policies and choices
• Increase the policy information, analysis and recommendations available and of use to advocates and policy makers regarding transportation approaches and land use
• Improve the transportation system to allow for sustainable economic growth and expanded prosperity
• Increase transportation options and access to important destinations for all Minnesotans.

Smart Investments^SM in Transportation for Minnesota will continue the important work of Growth & Justice in identifying smart, public-sector investments that advance growth and prosperity. The project will assess the potential of different investments, policies and choices for a range of important transportation challenges, including transportation and land use patterns that affect greenhouse gases and the environment; access for low-income people and others with limited transportation options; the transport of goods and workers; the need for transportation choices and transit options; the conditions of the transportation infrastructure; and transportation delays and congestion.  Growth & Justice will carry out this initiative in the context of state and metro transportation planning efforts and will tie recommendations to opportunities and options made available through the upcoming reauthorization for federal transportation legislation. Project findings will be relevant not only to Minnesota but to other states as well.

For more information about Smart Investments^SM in Transportation for Minnesota call Matt Kane at 651-251-0677 or email
matt[at]growthandjustice.org.