Review of the transportation planning process in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area

This report is the sixth in a series produced for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center). This formal comprehensive review of the planning process in the Minneapolis-St. Paul (Twin Cities) metropolitan area, conducted by Federal Highway (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) headquarters and regional staff, with input from state, regional, and local transportation entities, takes the place of the 1992 planning review of the Twin Cities metropolitan planning organization (MPO) which otherwise would be conducted by FHWA field and FTA regional staff. The MPO, the Metropolitan Council (Council),conducts a competently managed and organized continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive (3-C) planning process, produce adequate planning products, and use acceptable planning tools. Efforts are being made to implement a multi-modal planning approach, and the transit operators are involved in the process. The federal review team, however, has made a series of observations and suggestions on each segment of the planning process. These findings are intended to improve a competent process, and to provide guidance on addressing the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) planning requirements.