FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2009

Twin Cities receives grants to target congestion relief

by Jim Brubaker
Minneapolis-St. Paul

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently announced that the Twin Cities area will receive almost $1 million in grants as part of a national program aimed at encouraging innovations in congestion relief.

The first grants given out under the Federal Highway Administration's Value Pricing Pilot Program will fund efforts to increase the capacity of new or existing roads by spreading out demand and reducing congestion at peak hours.

The pilot program uses varying toll levels by time of day or traffic volume to better manage congestion.

The Twin Cities funds will be used to study the benefits of pricing on major highways. A feasibility study on pricing innovative lane additions on Trunk Highway 77 was allocated $540,000. A pre-implementation study of a priced-managed lane on I-94 was funded with $400,000.

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act first authorized the Value Pricing Program, then called the Congestion Pricing Pilot Program, and recently renewed the program with the passage of the "Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users." For more than a decade, the program has supported more than 70 projects in 14 states to improve transportation through pricing strategies.

Leopardo breaks ground on public library Making room for the troops: Military construction spending remains strong The big sell Minnesota senate considers construction stimulus bill Shubert redevelopment hits governmental snag Stevens County to seek bids for $15 million building and renovation plan Spring set for construction of Hastings, Minn., veterans home Court ruling stalls downtown redevelopment in Eagan, Minn. Construction set to start on Brooklyn Center FBI office