Erica N. Guy

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced Jan. 3 that $17.4 million has been allocated for eight construction projects in the Twin Cities Metro and Greater Minnesota to improve transportation infrastructure. The projects are estimated to support over 2,000 jobs. “Investing in our transportation system helps strengthen communities, create jobs and promote economic growth,” Walz said. “These projects will support a broad range of opportunities for business growth, ranging from business incubators to small businesses to meat-processing plants, while improving the safety and efficiency of our transportation system.” The funding comes from the state’s competitive Transportation Economic Development (TED) and Transportation Economic Development Infrastructure (TEDI) programs. The programs target transportation infrastructure projects that create economic development opportunities and jobs through a collaboration between the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), and local government and private sector partners. “This round of TED funding leverages local public and private funding to complete road projects that help create safe, vibrant communities, connect local businesses to their customers and supply chains, and connect people to jobs,” said MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger. “The projects also improve local and regional safety, and demonstrate how a strong multi-modal transportation system supports healthy communities.” “Infrastructure investments help businesses grow and make local communities attractive to companies looking to relocate or expand,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “This partnership between DEED, MnDOT and local jurisdictions around the state illustrates our all-in effort to sustain Minnesota’s economic success.” The selected projects include: • Aitkin County (TED:$2.1 million): Construct a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 65/Highway 210/County Road 8 in McGregor to improve safety and access to businesses and industries near the intersection, including numerous retail and hospitality, manufacturing, mining and trucking businesses. The project could create up to 130 jobs by 2028. • Dakota County (TED: $2.4 million): Improve the existing Highway 52/County Road 42 interchange in Rosemount, including adding new traffic signals and improving turn lane capacity from Highway 52 onto County Road 42. The project will improve safety in an area seeing increased truck traffic serving local companies. Businesses along the corridor may add 1,340 new jobs by 2028. • Mahnomen County (TED: $125,000): Install a new right-turn lane from Highway 59 into the new Benson and Turner Foods plant, bringing economic development to an underserved area within the White Earth tribal community. The turning lane is necessary to safely accommodate semitrucks and other vehicles turning from a high-traffic road into the business. Benson and Turner Foods is providing matching funds for this project.• City of Hastings (TED: $2.73 million): Reconstruct Highway 61 through Hastings. The project includes a new road system from 21st Street to 25th Street that will reduce traffic on local neighborhood roads, provide a local road system for industry and commercial access, and improve trail system access that safely connects bike and pedestrian traffic to businesses in the area. The project may help create as many as 75 new jobs by 2028. • City of Norwood Young America (TEDI: $900,000): Construct streets and utilities to expand the Tacoma West Industrial Park. The 60-acre expansion will allow for approximately 14 new lots. The city has two committed businesses located in the park. The project, when fully built out, would increase the value of the land by $27 million and create or retain 260 jobs. • City of Waconia (TED: $5 million): Assist with the completion of the Highway 5 Phase 2 Reconstruction Project. The project will upgrade 1.4 miles of two-lane road to a four-lane divided road with multiple intersections through the eastern end of the city limits, close a 0.8-mile gap in the regional trail system, improve mobility and safety, and connect residents to more employment centers, including the nearby Ridgeview Medical Campus. Companies along the corridor may add 40 new jobs by 2028. • City of Brooklyn Center (TEDI: $500,000): Reconstruct and replace streets and utilities on the Opportunity Site to be redeveloped to accommodate a business incubator, a conference center and mixed-income housing. The site is targeted at businesses owned by women, immigrants, and Black, Indigenous and People of Color. The project is estimated to create 89 jobs and increase the market value of the site by $165 million. • Carver County (TED: $3.2 million; TEDI: $500,000): Construct a new roundabout to improve safety and mobility at the Highway 5/County Road 11 intersection in Victoria. It is anticipated that 45 to 100 new jobs will be created within the next five years. An additional TED funding solicitation will open in the summer of 2024, with $4.4 million in TED funds available for projects exclusively in Greater Minnesota. Click here for more information about the TED program, and here for facts about the TEDI program.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. —  Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee is touting his state’s transportation department (RIDOT) for its 2023 accomplishments. “Rhode Island continues to steadily make gains in improving our transportation system, and our Department of Transportation is making these changes at a rapid pace, carefully balancing traffic impacts during construction to get us to new, better roads, bridges, sidewalks and bike paths,” McKee said in a news release. According to Rhode Island transportation officials, their goal is “to make the state’s transportation system safer and more efficient by eliminating chronic congestion, in which reduces vehicle emissions. RIDOT also continues its mission at a high level of quality and transparency for taxpaying citizens, allowing the department to deliver a 90%, on-time and on-budget performance records.” Improvement highlights include: Municipal Road and Bridge Fund Program — RIDOT assisted cities and towns in the application and awarding of $20 million of state funds to fix local roads. The highly successful program saw all 39 cities and towns participate, with each contributing two-thirds of the cost for their projects. The net result was a $74 million investment in local roads, 621 projects representing 421 lane miles of roads and nearly 135,000 linear feet of sidewalks. Stormwater Improvements — RIDOT completed retrofits to five existing storm water treatment units to bring them up to current design and to fulfill permitting standards for water quality, installed new storm water treatment units in the Greenwich Bay Upland watershed, and cleaned and maintained more than 12,000 catch basins. Rapid Bridge Construction — RIDOT successfully used accelerated bridge construction methods to replace bridge decks on major highway corridors. In each case, RIDOT conducted extended weekend closures to demolish and replace the structures, condensing what would have been two or more years of lane closures, shifts and delays into just a few days. These included the replacement of the Wellington Avenue Bridge, carrying Interstate 95 near Route 10 in Cranston, which was replaced over four consecutive weekends, and the Route 37 East Bridge over the Pawtuxet River. RIDOT continues to make strides in reducing its high percentage of structurally deficient bridges. The percentage of structurally deficient bridges dropped from 27% in 2016 to less than 15%. RIDOT is well on track to reach its goal of no more than 10% deficient bridges by 2026. The total value of all projects under RhodeWorks is $4.2 billion, a total of 303 projects addressing 402 bridges. Since the beginning of RhodeWorks in 2016, the Department has completed 232 projects, including the repair and replacement of 269 bridges. In the past federal fiscal year, RIDOT completed 25 bridges. Transit Improvements — RIDOT opened the new Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center, a combined MBTA commuter rail and RIPTA bus hub that has far exceeded ridership expectations (690 daily boardings as opposed to a projection of 520 daily boardings) and is serving as a catalyst for transit-oriented development in Pawtucket and Central Falls. RIDOT also continued to operate the Providence to Newport Ferry, carrying more than 35,000 passengers this past summer between the two cities for a combined ridership of 285,000 people in its first eight years. Safety Improvements — The Department invested $30 million in engineered safety improvements and funded $1.5 million in paid public service messaging to discourage dangerous driving behaviors, such as impaired and distracted driving. In November, the RIDOT Roadside Responder service began. This pilot program uses service vehicles patrolling Providence-area highways to help clear disabled vehicles stopped on the side of the road, helping to reduce congestion on our highways. Maintenance Improvements — RIDOT continues to upgrade and expand its fleet of vehicles and inventory of tools to maintain the 1,100 miles of state roadway more effectively. In 2023, this included going out to bid for more than 20 new plow trucks, and taking possession of new mowers, road sweepers, and drainage cleaning trucks. To tackle Rhode Island’s persistent litter problem, RIDOT bought tractor-mounted litter pickers turf sweepers so it can pick up litter faster. RIDOT Also purchased a building in Providence to house its dedicated bridge maintenance division. Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements — RIDOT committed $30 million in improvements for pedestrians and bicycle users statewide. Such improvements are also included in most of RIDOT’s projects, including the recently opened new shared-use path across the Henderson Bridge and bike paths being built as part of the Route 6/10 Interchange project in Providence and Pell Bridge Ramps project in Newport. RIDOT continues to work on replacing the popular East Bay Bike Path Bridges. “We remain laser focused on bringing our state’s transportation system into a state of good repair, erasing decades of neglected roads and bridges and making it safer and more efficient for everyone,” said RIDOT Director Peter Alviti. “RIDOT will never waver on its commitment to deliver high-quality projects for Rhode Islanders, on time and on budget.”

ST. LOUIS — United Van Lines has released its 47th Annual National Movers Study with the indications of Americans moving to the eastern and southern parts of the country to the less expensive areas that have comparable amenities to larger metropolitan counterparts. The results of the study show that more residents moved to Vermont than any other state with 65% being intrastate in 2023. A total of 29% of the moves were for Americans to be closer to family while 20% wanted a lifestyle change. Vice versa, the results show that more residents moved out of New Jersey, with 65% of the moves being interstate. For 27% of the moves, the number one reason for the out-of-the-state moves was for individuals to seek retirement. “We are continuing to see the trend that Americans are moving to more affordable, lower-density areas across the country, with many heading to Southern states,” United Van Lines Vice President of Corporate Communications Eily Cummings said. “Movers are also becoming more strategic with their planning, as relocation continues to be driven by factors such as the price of housing, regional climates, urban planning and job growth.” Several states in the southeastern region — South Carolina (63%), North Carolina (60%) and Alabama (60%) — continue to increase their popularity with a high percentage of inbound moves. Aligning with the trend, Arkansas (60%) and West Virginia (58%) significantly increased in the ranking of inbound states. On the opposite end, in the Midwest and West region, the outbound moving trend continues. Illinois (61%), Michigan (58%) and California (58%) were the top states with high percentages with outbound moves. North Dakota (61%) and Kansas (55%) decreased significantly in ranks. The study information below was taken directly from the news release and is as follows: Moving In The top inbound states/regions of 2023 were: Vermont Washington, D.C. South Carolina Arkansas Rhode Island North Carolina South Dakota Alabama New Mexico West Virginia New to the 2023 top inbound list are Arkansas, moving up from 18th in 2022 to fourth in 2023, and West Virginia, moving up from 13 in 2022 to 10th in 2023. Moving Out  The top outbound states for 2023 were: New Jersey Illinois North Dakota New York Michigan California Massachusetts Kansas New to the 2023 top outbound list are North Dakota, moving up from 18th in 2022 to third in 2023, and Kansas, moving up from 14th in 2022 to eighth in 2023. For the first time in more than a decade, the study’s findings list fewer than 10 “outbound” states. Balanced According to the results of the study, states with less than 55% of moves by United Van Lines, rather inbound or outbound, increased in 2023 as fewer Americans relocated compared to the previous year. Several states also saw nearly the same number of residents moving inbound as outbound. Nevada and Utah were among these “balanced states.” “The COVID-19 pandemic influenced decisions to move and accelerated existing moving patterns in 2020, mostly driven by the opportunity to work remotely, the desire to be closer to family and better affordability,” Michael A. Stoll, economist and professor in The Department of Public Policy at The University of California at Los Angeles, said. “Some Americans may be faced with economic uncertainty, coupled with an increased cost of living and lack of affordable housing. This can result in adjustments to moving timelines or people making interstate moves, rather than across states.” Metro Area Trends Metro areas with more outbound moves than inbound moves tended to experience less growth in their working-age population in the same year. The study and its accompanying survey, which examines the motivations and influences for Americans’ interstate moves, revealed the leading motivation behind these migration patterns and across all regions is a career change — with 29% of movers relocating for a new job or company transfer. Additionally, the survey shows the top motivations for moves — such as wanting to be closer to family (27%) and retirement (14%) — have declined compared to 2022 as movers consider other important factors related to location preferences, the cost of living and affordable housing. Zillow Senior Economist Orphe Divounguy examined the relationship between the United Van Lines move data and the current housing market, which revealed affordability is the most significant consideration for home buyers and sellers planning to relocate. The study shows movers tend to relocate to less expensive metro areas that are likely to see less competition in the housing market. Charlotte, North Carolina and Indianapolis, Indiana were among the top markets for net inbound moves by United Van Lines, of the 50 largest metro areas by population. A deeper analysis from Zillow on how these migration patterns impact home value and regional population growth is available here. Since 1977, United Van Lines annually tracks migration patterns on a state-by-state basis. The 2023 study is based on household moves handled by the UniGroup network (parent company of United Van Lines) within the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. and ranks states based off the inbound and outbound percentages of total moves in each state. United classifies states as “high inbound” if 55 percent or more of the moves are going into a state, “high outbound” if 55 percent or more moves were coming out of a state or “balanced” if the difference between inbound and outbound is negligible. To view the entire 2023 study, an interactive map and archived press releases and photos from United, click here.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Transportation is celebrating the completion of Gov. Mike Parson’s Focus on Bridges program that restored or replaced 250 of the state’s poorest bridges over the last four years. Established in 2019, the Focus on Bridges program was one of Gov. Parson’s first major investments in transportation infrastructure. The final project replaced the Blue Ridge Boulevard bridge over Interstate 70 in Independence and made interchange improvements to the ramps and approaches. The bridge will officially reopen to motorists on Dec. 22, just four years after the first bridge under the program opened on Dec. 20, 2019, in Iron County. “Infrastructure has been a top priority since day one, and four years ago, we set out to replace 250 of our poorest bridges through the Focus on Bridges program,” Gov. Parson said. “Today, we are proud to celebrate the 250th bridge completed as promised. From St. Louis to Springfield, from the Bootheel to the great Northwest, this program benefited Missourians everywhere. Focus on Bridges is a bold, one-of-a-kind program that leveraged general revenue to make far-reaching improvements to our infrastructure for the first time in generations. While there is more to do, we know we have made a real difference and created a lasting model that will continue to serve Missourians now and into the future.” MoDOT is responsible for maintaining 10,424 bridges on the state system, the sixth most in the nation. The average age of the bridges is 49 years, and most of them were designed to last 50 years. Prior to Governor Parson’s focus on infrastructure, the number of bridges rated as “poor” using Federal Highway Administration criteria, were increasing year over year rather than declining as now seen in Missouri. Currently, there are 804 bridges that have been rated “poor” using Federal Highway Administration criteria, down 19 from a year ago. “The completion of the Focus on Bridges program is an example of the progress being made to Missouri’s bridges and Gov. Parson’s commitment to moving Missouri forward,” MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna said. “I applaud the governor for his leadership and commitment to improving Missouri’s bridges and roadways. We will continue to work towards reducing the number of poor bridges in Missouri as additional federal and state revenue becomes available.” Gov. Parson’s Focus on Bridges program was truly innovative and was made possible through a $50 million appropriation from General Revenue as well as $301 million in bond revenue approved by the Missouri General Assembly in 2019.  Maintaining the state’s bridges helps provide a world-class transportation system that is safe, innovative, and reliable. For a list of the projects completed under the Focus on Bridges program, visit Focus on Bridges (modot.org).

COLONIE, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has released a plan to address truck parking, among other challenges to freight carriers, across the state. The State Freight Plan guides the department on policies and investments to address the transportation industry’s needs, according to a news release. State officials said the plan will also outline ways to enhance economic competitiveness, safety, efficiency, infrastructure condition, equity and environmental sustainability. A Truck Parking Assessment will allow input from truck drivers. Feedback submitted will help NYSDOT identify critical issues the industry is facing across the state, the news release stated. The assessment takes less than 10 minutes. The survey can be taken here: New York State Truck Parking Survey (arcgis.com).