Corridor Planning is a strategic and thorough approach to analyzing and designing transportation systems in a specific area, and centers statewide transportation goals in developing and advancing the transportation system.

• Strengthen the link between the state’s transportation goals and MnDOT’s statewide plans and project investments, including the Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan (SMTP) objectives.
• Help MnDOT prioritize resources in locations with the greatest opportunity to advance state transportation goals.
• Help MnDOT and local partners identify transportation goals and community priorities in advance of future projects and funding opportunities.
• Create opportunity for proactive partnership between MnDOT and locals. Community and partner engagement improves plan outcomes and increases community support for resulting improvements.
• Streamline project delivery by identifying transportation goals and community priorities well before project scopes and budgets are set.

Corridor planning typically takes place during Capital Project Planning (7-10 years from project construction) or Capital Planning (10-20 years from project construction). Planning could take place sooner or later depending on the nature of the corridor, and the Corridor Planning Guidebook will strive to be flexible based on various contexts. A different level of detail in a plan is necessary for different plan types.

This step is intended to be completed by MnDOT staff and to inform the scope of work or request for proposals (RFP) for a corridor plan. The Corridor Planning Guidebook will include a list of questions meant to guide the user through observable or easy-to-look up data that will inform intended outcomes of a plan. Potential questions and prompts include:

• Where is the study being conducted (corridor location, end points, length)?
• Write a brief description of known physical features and adjacent land use.
• What are the key issues or needs that triggered the decision to fund a study? (This may reference the Corridor Planning Prioritization process.)
• Are there any previous relevant studies? Any projects, decisions, or other priorities identified by others?
• Identify any known stakeholders who should be included.
• What is the estimated or target study duration? Are there any schedule drivers?

This step builds on Step 1 and further documents background information to understand context and develop goals and objectives. In many cases, Step 2 will be the starting point of consultant work. Key information to review includes:

• Prior efforts (studies, plans, policies, projects)
• Context (community development, corridor function, demographics)
• Characteristics (context zones, roadway design and modal elements, etc.)

This step is the analysis of existing and future conditions to assess gaps, issues, and opportunities. This is where the team is focusing effort in the development of the Corridor Planning Guidebook right now, and there is more information below in the Existing Conditions Topic Guidance section below.

This step is about the development and evaluation of strategies and solutions to address needs and issues identified in Step 3. The Corridor Planning Guidebook will include recommended evaluation criteria, metrics, and methodology, and guidance on how to frame recommended solutions for short-term and long-term phasing, or fiscally constrained and unconstrained phasing.

This step consists of preparing a Corridor Plan Document that includes recommendations and implementation steps. This will include guidance on how to describe the process necessary to implement the plan, broach funding discussions as appropriate, and could include supportive actions for partner agencies to implement.

Documented Crashes	Critical index for fatal and serious injury crashes and all crashes, presence on ped/bike high-injury network, concerning crash patterns
Crash Risk	Based on District Safety Plan Risk assessment, other methods as appropriate

Asset Condition	Condition of bridges, pavement, traffic signals, and other ancillary assets (culverts, overhead signs, noise walls, etc.)
ADA Compliance	Compliance of pedestrian curb ramps, landings, push buttons, etc., with Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines and MnDOT design standards
Maintenance Issues	Maintenance needs or concerns in corridor, based on input from MnDOT maintenance staff
Public Utilities	Locations of private and public utilities in the Right-of-Way; understanding of future utility needs/plans if available

Contaminated Materials	Areas of known or suspected contamination (soil, groundwater, soil vapor, etc.) within Right-of-Way and adjacent properties
Environmental Justice	Presence of minority and low-income populations
Historic and Cultural Resources	Known or suspected locations of historic and cultural resources
Section 4(f)/6(f) Resources	Identify 4(f) and 6(f) Land and Water Conservation properties adjacent and near the corridor
Threatened and Endangered Species	Identify species that are federally- or state-listed as threatened and endangered with habitats in the corridor area
Wetlands and Water Resources	Identify boundaries of wetlands and other water resources such as floodplains, streams, etc.

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions	Estimate GHG emissions and opportunities for mitigation
Resilience	Assess system and asset vulnerability/protection against major climate events such as flooding
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging	Availability and planned availability of EV charging along corridor; understanding of current and forecasted EV charging demand

Access Management	Number and spacing of access points relative to MnDOT Access Management Guidelines
Travel Delay	Vehicle level of service and delay at intersections
Travel Time Reliability	Variability in travel time along corridor
Truck Travel Time Reliability	Variability in travel time along corridor for commercial vehicles
Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO)	Presence of existing or planned TSMO features or strategies
Freight and Intermodal	Understanding of whether corridor is a freight route (including tonnage), known bottlenecks, rail crossings
Job Accessibility by Car	Number of jobs accessible within 30 minutes of driving

Facilities and Services	Number and spacing of access points relative to MnDOT Access Management Guidelines
Pedestrian Access and Mobility	Pedestrian travel characteristics and quality of connections to destinations
Bicyclist Access and Mobility	Bicyclist travel characteristics and quality of connections to destinations
Transit and Micromobility	Transit and micromobility rideshare (including electric scooters and bikes) characteristics (including ridership) and quality of connections to destinations
Job Accessibility by Bicycle and Transit	Number of jobs accessible within 30 minutes by bicycle (on medium stress roads) and by transit

Agricultural Vehicles	Travel patterns and volume of agricultural vehicles
Animal-Powered Vehicles	Travel patterns and volume of animal-powered vehicles (horse and buggy or similar)
Economic Development and Jobs	Understanding of key businesses and industries, existing and forecasted jobs in the area, partnerships with private sector
Tourism	Proximity to state/national parks and trails, other tourism drivers (arts and culture, farm and garden, festivals, events, sports, outdoor recreation)
Snowmobiles and Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs)	Use of corridor by snowmobiles and OHVs (which includes all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)), including on-road use, crossings, and adjacent facilities.

This SMTP Objective is cross-cutting and will be integrated into every topic and step of the planning process. As an example, Corridor Planning Guidebook users will be asked to consider these questions related to Healthy Equitable Communities when completing a safety analysis:

• Are corridor crashes more common in areas that are home to people who have been historically underserved?
• Are there disproportionate safety risks for people who walk, use a mobility device, bike, or use other means of non-motorized travel?
• Are there safety issues present that prevent roadway users form shifting from motorized to non-motorized modes?
• Are there traffic safety issues that discourage people from visiting businesses and other destinations along the corridor?

This SMTP Objective is cross-cutting and will be integrated into every topic and step of the planning process. People familiar with the study corridor can provide a depth of understanding that is not always captured in safety data or technical analysis alone. As an example, Corridor Planning Guidebook users will be asked to discuss these questions with stakeholders when completing a safety analysis:

• Questions to ask Local Agency Staff:
  • Which intersections are known to have recurring safety issues? Who is most impacted by them?
  • Which segments are known to have recurring safety issues? Who is most impacted by them?
  • If you are someone who travels along this corridor, what concerns you when it comes to safety?
  • Do community members let you know about safety concerns along this corridor? If so, where, and what issues are they experiencing?
  • Who might have safety concerns that you are not hearing from?
  • Are there locations where motorist travel speeds feel unsafe for the context? Locations where travel speeds change?
• Questions to ask the General Public and Other Stakeholders
  • Have you been involved in a crash or had a near-miss along this corridor?
  • Do you know anyone who has been involved in a crash along this corridor?
  • How safe do you feel when driving this corridor compared to others in the area?
  • How safe do you feel when walking or biking along this corridor? What about crossing this corridor?
  • What would make you feel safer while traveling through or across this corridor?
  • Are there locations where motorist travel speeds feel unsafe for the context? Locations where travel speeds change?