Metropolitan Council 2022 Regional Solicitation Grants

By Mary Gute, Sr Transportation Planner, WSB

The Metropolitan Council’s 2022 Regional Solicitation process is now open. Please review the information below if you are considering submitting a project application or are wondering if a project is a good fit for the program.

Overview

  • Due Date: April 14, 2022
  • Funding available in three main categories: roadways; bicycle and pedestrian Facilities1; and transit/travel demand management (TDM)2
  • Projects can only be submitted in one category
  • See the Metropolitan Council website for more information: https://metrocouncil.org/Transportation/Planning-2/Transportation-Funding/Regional-Solicitation.aspx

How much funding is available? Does this include new federal infrastructure funding?

The Metropolitan Council initially identified $180 million for the 2022 solicitation. With the new federal infrastructure bill, the Council anticipates an additional $10-$20 million will be available. It is likely that federal funding will augment the available Regional Solicitation funding in future years, but not confirmed.

What can funding be used for?

  • Up to 80% of construction costs; a 20% local match is required
  • Construction only; Funds CANNOT be used for studies, preliminary engineering/design, construction engineering, or right of way
  • Projects that are to be constructed in 2026 or 2027; applicants will be asked if their project(s) could be programmed earlier

What Makes for a Good Project?

Successful projects must meet all qualifying criteria. Projects meeting several prioritizing criteria and demonstrating a high level of project readiness will score higher.

Qualifying Criteria – RequiredPrioritizing CriteriaProject Readiness
• Consistency with regional plans
• Inclusion in local plan or program
• ADA compliance – ADA Transition Plan
• Accessible/open to the public
• Permanent improvement independent utility		• Role in regional transportation system & economy
• Project usage
• Equity and housing elements
• Infrastructure age
• Congestion reduction/air quality
• Safety
• Multimodal Elements/ Connections
• Risk Assessment
• Cost Effectiveness		 • Public process with residents, interested stakeholders
• Project layout
• Review of Section 106 Historic Resources
• Right of way acquisition process, if applicable, or knowing no additional right of way is needed
• Railroad right of way agreement, if applicable

What is the likelihood of a project receiving funding?

This program is highly competitive with requests far exceeding available funding. In the 2020 solicitation, 130 project applications were submitted and 56 (43%) were funded. Projects were funded in all seven metro area counties, in twenty-six cities and townships.

What is the level of effort to complete an application? Is it worth it?

These applications are moderately complex. Some elements require considerable lead time (e.g., preparing a layout; public engagement activities, etc.). Applications started early are generally higher quality than those that are completed towards the end of the solicitation process.

Federal requirements must be met on selected projects (e.g., federal environmental documents, federal and state design, and construction requirements, etc.). WSB advises that applicants request at least $500,000 to make going through federal process(es) worthwhile for financial reasons.

If you are considering submitting a Regional Solicitation application or want to discuss whether a project is a good fit for the program, please contact Mary Gute.

1: To be competitive, multiuse trail and bicycle facility projects should be on the Regional Bicycle Transportation Network (RBTN); Safe Routes to School (Infrastructure), projects should be included in a completed Safe Routes to School Plan and/or engineering study.
2: Transit funding is usually awarded to transit agencies.

Mary has 20 years of progressively complex transportation planning and project management experience, gained from working on a variety of transportation projects for modes including roads/bridge, transit, and trails. Several these projects have included environmental documentation considerations – either pre-NEPA, or through NEPA and/or MEPA processes.

mgute@wsbeng.com | 612.741.7055

WSB Selected to Design TH 169, Rebuilding Gateway to Greater Minnesota

WSB is thrilled to partner with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to provide final roadway and bridge design services for the Highway 169 (TH 169) Reconstruction Project.

TH 169 is a significant north-south highway in Minnesota. It serves rapidly developing communities and is a gateway to exploring recreational areas in Greater Minnesota. The highway is heavily traveled by both vehicles and pedestrians. Expanding the highway is intended to improve safety and reduce the average rate of collisions in the area.

Jody Martinson, vice president of transportation at WSB, anticipates this project will have a lasting impact and looks forward to delivering a safer commute for surrounding communities.

“This project is incredibly important to users of the TH 169 corridor,” said Martinson. “Being able to work side-by-side with MnDOT to improve the safety and mobility for motorists and pedestrians is extremely gratifying. WSB is excited to utilize technology and innovative solutions to improve the efficiency of design and construction.”

The reconstruction will address operational, infrastructure and mobility issues, all important elements considered when the project was selected for the Corridors of Commerce (CoC) program. The project will replace four signalized intersections with interchanges and consolidate access points, drastically improving safety and mobility. Local roadways will be reconstructed to create ADA accessible routes at the interchanges. The TH 169 project is expected to reduce roadway delay by more than 1,000 hours per day, eliminate $1.7 million in annual crash costs, and provide more reliable travel times for the public.

The project is also a CMGC project. As a CMGC (Construction Manager/General Contractor), the process will involve several stakeholders and team members throughout the design and construction process. The project will also require strong coordination and communication with MnDOT. Project manager, Peter Muehlbach formed an expert team to ensure the CMGC process is efficient, effective and economical for reconstruction.

“When fully utilized, the CMGC design process allows for a more collaborative work environment between designer and contractor,” said Muehlbach. “I am excited for the opportunity to make design decisions together with our MnDOT, Sherburne County, city of Elk River and Ames Construction partners.”

Additionally, the project team will leverage state-of-the-art and emerging technologies to provide sustainable solutions during the design phase. By utilizing modeling tools, WSB will streamline construction management, drainage and utility relocation processes.

Planning for the TH 169 Reconstruction Project is underway with final design set to begin this summer. Phased construction will begin in fall 2022 with project completion set for 2024.

A True Game Changer – Traffic modeling for a more reliable commute

By Jody Martinson, VP of Transportation, WSB

Our Traffic Operations team recently developed a large-scale traffic simulation model for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). The current model is used to track vehicle congestion on interstate 94 (I-94), including the 15-mile stretch of highway between Minneapolis and St. Paul, commonly known as one of the most congested corridors in Minnesota.

The I-94 corridor generally supports a high volume of traffic during morning and evening commute times. Travel patterns on this corridor are complicated due to the roadway geometrics and vary with each commuting experience. Drivers risk getting stuck in several hours of traffic congestion depending on their travel window.

Beyond day-to-day commuting traffic, Minnesota roadways have a large amount of freight traffic to consider.  WSB’s simulations help to better understand the origin and destination of freight flows as well as help better identify bottlenecks for freight traffic.  This is important as the freight industry is a vital component to the regional and state economy. When goods are free flowing, avoiding time consuming bottlenecks, the direct impact is noticeable, and Minnesota’s economy becomes stronger.   

The microsimulation tool uses geospatial, Federal Highway Association (FHWA), and other historical data to capture the speed and flow of highway traffic. State-of-the-art software allows us to monitor complex highway and arterial traffic conditions more efficiently while tracking the dynamic interactions between vehicles. Daily traffic congestion is tracked and recorded using heat mapping and other reporting tools. The interactive model depicts several modes of transportation operating during peak commuting hours. Collected data is analyzed for accuracy and applied to determine future transportation planning initiatives.

The true benefit of this technology is our ability to run a higher number of alternatives at a pace the industry has never experienced before.  We can now study ten times the alternatives in under half the time it took only a year ago.  It’s a true game changer for our industry.  And for our partners, they are reaching solutions sooner that are much more economical.  In doing so, we’re saving them valuable time and money.  Ultimately, we’re helping our clients ensure they are allocating their resources in the right places at the right time.

Moving forward, our goal is to continue to leverage the latest technology to identify operational deficiencies more quickly for our partners and help to develop future alternatives that support a more reliable commute.

As Vice President of Transportation, Jody oversees the management and operations of the WSB Transportation group. Jody is the former Assistant Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Operations Division and has over 25 years of experience in the delivery of major transportation projects, programs and management of existing infrastructure.

jmartinson@wsbeng.com | 612.214.7787

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