The state’s transportation needs and priorities are determined through a comprehensive, performance and risk-based planning process.
Long-term goals
This process begins with our 50-year Minnesota GO Vision for Transportation. The vision and guiding principles are intended to inform the investment and service decisions of all agencies responsible for transportation planning, construction and delivery in Minnesota.
We update the 20-year Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan every five years to articulate policy objectives and strategies necessary to support the vision over the next two decades.
Modal plans
Our “family of plans” is developed to further guide how we invest in highways, freight, rail, ports and waterways, aviation, transit, bikes, and pedestrians.
System Investment Plans offer mode-specific strategies and guidance, establish performance measures and performance-based needs, conduct risk-based assessments and investment tradeoffs, and identify system priorities.
Capital Highway Investment Plan (CHIP)
The 10-year Capital Highway Investment Plan (CHIP) communicates the next 10 years of planned projects on the state highway network. The CHIP is updated yearly to remove projects that are currently being constructed, adjust timing of existing planned projects and add new planned projects. The projects planned align with the goals and objectives set in the Minnesota 20-Year State Highway Investment Plan (MnSHIP).
Over the next 10 years, we are projected to invest roughly $16.3 billion in state highway projects. These projects will address pavement and bridge condition, roadside infrastructure (signage, culverts, and lighting), safety improvements, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and more.
State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP)
The State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is a federally required public document which lists our investment program for the next four years. The STIP includes all state and local transportation projects that use federal highway and/or federal transit funding. It also agency or includes any regionally significant transportation projects that require an action by the Federal Highway Administration (FWHA) or the Federal Transit Authority (FTA), whether funding is anticipated from either not. The STIP is developed on an annual basis and is updated throughout the year to reflect significant changes in the program.
Project selection
State Aid for Local Transportation
State Aid for Local Transportation (SALT) actively partners with Minnesota’s local governments to plan, build, and maintain a safe, accessible, and dependable transportation system that supports communities across the state – from small towns to urban centers. SALT administers both state and federal transportation funds, including those supporting the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) and Municipal State Aid Street (MSAS) systems. SALT has delegated authority from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to oversee key aspects of federally funded projects, including the environmental review process, plan and specification development, contract letting, construction oversight, and project finalization.
In addition to funding, SALT provides technical expertise, resources, and strong advocacy to support local agencies. These efforts help maintain the vital connections that link Minnesota’s communities to markets, schools, and homes.
Area transportation partnerships
We created area transportation partnerships (ATPs) more than three decades ago to enhance regional planning and increase community involvement in the development of our four-year State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). ATPs include representation from cities, counties, tribal governments, other organizations and industry in the region, and through them, these organizations are responsible for reviewing our proposed construction program and recommending local transportation priorities for state and federal funding.
Congressional District 7 is served by the Northwest Minnesota ATP, West Central Minnesota ATP, Central Minnesota ATP, Southwest Minnesota ATP, and South Central Minnesota ATP.
Tribal governments
There are 11 Tribal Nations in Minnesota. Each tribe has an independent relationship with the federal government and the State of Minnesota. We are committed to working with the tribes through consultation, coordination and cooperation. For more information on our commitment to developing, improving and maintaining collaborative relationships with the Tribal Nations of Minnesota, see our Tribal Nations Government-to-Government policy.
The Lower Sioux Indian Community and the Upper Sioux Community are located in the southern portion of Congressional District 7. Portions of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and Red Lake Nation live in the north, and the district borders the White Earth Nation. A member from the Mille Lacs Band, Red Lake Nation, and White Earth Nation sits on at least one ATP, and our Tribal Affairs staff consults with tribes annually to discuss transportation issues and projects.
Metropolitan planning organizations
There are eight metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in Minnesota. They lead the development of metropolitan area transportation plans and as coordinate the transportation planning process. All urban areas with populations greater than 50,000 are required to have an MPO if the agencies spend federal funds on transportation improvements.
There are three MPOs in Congressional District 7:
- The Fargo-Moorhead Council of Governments (COG) is the MPO for the planning area encompassing the cities of Moorhead, Fargo, West Fargo and surrounding urbanized areas in Cass and Clay counties.
- The Grand Forks/East Grand Forks Metropolitan Planning Organization is the MPO for the cities of Grand Forks, ND and East Grand Forks, MN as well as the urbanized areas in Grand Forks County, ND and Polk County, MN.
- The St. Cloud Area Planning Organization is the MPO for the planning area encompassing the cities of St. Cloud, St. Joseph, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Waite Park, and Township of Le Sauk.
Regional development organizations
Minnesota’s 12 regional development organizations (RDOs) are key partners in statewide planning and programming. RDOs were established by Minnesota Statutes, sections 462.381 through 462.398 to facilitate intergovernmental cooperation and ensure the coordination of state, federal, and local planning efforts in their respective geographic areas.
RDOs provide technical assistance to local units of government in their region. They perform a variety of unique services based on the needs of their region and partner with numerous state and federal agencies, including MnDOT.
There are nine RDOs serving different counties across Congressional District 7:
- Northwest Regional Development Commission
(Kittson, Roseau, Marshall, Pennington, Red Lake, Polk, Norman)
- Headwaters Regional Development Commission
(Hubbard)
- West Central Initiative
(Becker, Clay, Wilkin, Otter Tail, Traverse, Grant, Douglas, Stevens, Pope)
- Region 5 Regional Transportation Coordinating Council (R5RTCC)
(Wadena, Todd, Morrison)
- Region 7W
(Stearns)
- Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission (UMVRDC)
(Big Stone, Swift, Lac qui Parle, Chippewa, Yellow Medicine)
- Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (MMDC)
(Kandiyohi, Meeker, Renville, McLeod)
- Southwest Regional Development Commission (SRDC)
(Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood, Pipestone, Murray, Cottonwood)
- Region 9 Development Commission
(Sibley, Brown)
Toward Zero Deaths
Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) is Minnesota’s cornerstone traffic safety program, employing an interdisciplinary approach to reducing traffic crashes, injuries and deaths on our roads. It is a multi-agency partnership led by the Minnesota Departments of Transportation, Public Safety and Health in cooperation with the FHWA, Minnesota county engineers, the UMN Center for Transportation Studies and other traffic safety organizations.
Within the statewide effort, there are eight TZD regions that align with the eight MnDOT districts. Congressional District 7 is covered by the Northwest, West Central, East Central, Southwest, and South Central TZD regions. Our goal is to use regional crash data to identify factors leading to fatal and serious injury crashes and work with constituents to implement proven countermeasures.
