By Chris Krueger

It is a riddle that transportation agencies across the globe have wrestled with—How do we deliver more capacity on roads when funding streams are decreasing and there is no room for more lanes?

Several transportation officials from around the country, including Nick Thompson, Policy Analysis, Research and Innovation  director, recently visited six cities in Europe and Asia to see how those entities are approaching road pricing as one way to solve the challenge.

Thompson served as the lone representative from Mn/DOT on an 11-member scan team composed of representatives from state and federal transportation agencies and private industry. The group’s goal was to identify new ideas and workable models for integrating variable road pricing approaches that might work in the United States.

Although the group observed several approaches to road pricing, Thompson said that mileage-based user fees are likely the only solution to be further examined.

“The scan group is conducting extensive market research on mileage-based user fees, which are charges based on distance driven,” Thompson said. “The research will help Mn/DOT better understand the public’s acceptance of road pricing as a way to reduce congestion or fund transportation systems.”

The department also plans to initiate a pilot project through Intelligent Transportation Systems to test technology for mileage-based user fees on 500 vehicles in Minnesota. The test will take place later this year and be completed in 2011.

In addition to mileage-based user fees, the scan team observed a variety of other road pricing tactics, including strategies that charge commercial vehicles more than passenger vehicles, limitations on the number of vehicles sold and restrictions on the number of vehicles that can enter the center of the city.

Next year, the scan team will be producing a report on findings from the trip and implementation plans for transferring what they learned to policy makers, transportation officials and the transportation industry.

Three Mn/DOT employees are now eligible for the state vacation donation program, which allows employees to donate up to 40 hours of vacation per fiscal year for approved recipients who have exhausted their sick and vacation leave due to illness.

Lester Schwarting, Facility Management at Central Office, has worked at Mn/DOT for 22 years. This past July, Schwarting was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and then Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer in October. Since that time, he has been going through chemotherapy to improve his condition, which is fatal if not treated. He is looking at several more months of chemotherapy and four weeks of radiation treatments to follow.

Gary Rose, District 2/Theif River Falls Bridge Unit, and Brian McNamara, Metro Maintenance, are also eligible for vacation donation. Rose was diagnosed with Metastatic Adenocarcinoma, a life-threatening illness that has left him unable to work since Jan. 4. McNamara was recently diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy, which he will continue to receive until mid-April.

To donate vacation hours, go to the Employee Self Service Web site and click “Other Payroll” and then “Leave Donations.” The site also allows employees to view a list of all state employees eligible for the program and enroll as a recipient.

Related information:

Vacation donation: a worthy program for worthy people (Newsline, June 21, 2006)—Read a viewpoint from one Mn/DOT recipient.

In time for spring cleaning, Mn/DOT’s electronic Employee Bulletin Board, once a feature on GroupWise, has been spruced up and moved to iHUB. The Employee Bulletin Board serves as a place for employees to post or search for items for sale (e.g., furniture, electronics, vehicles) and notices (retirement, funeral, Hiwayan Club), as well as request resources or services.

By Beth Petrowske

Every construction project Mn/DOT undertakes affects someone. Small scale projects may cause traffic delays, noise or dust, while large scale projects can displace people and disrupt businesses. Whether one person or thousands of people are affected, Vanessa Levingston, Mn/DOT public involvement consultant, believes their voices need to be heard.

Mn/DOT’s Hear Every Voice program was established in 1999 to provide project managers with training to form successful, working partnerships with stakeholders. These partnerships have proved beneficial in identifying and balancing stakeholder values and objectives.

Levingston has been leading the HEV program since July 2009. She is pleased with the accomplishments of the last 10 years and is confident that Mn/DOT will continue to build upon these successes.

What is your main goal as public involvement consultant?

I work in the Office of External Partnering and we often joke that our goal is “Toward Zero Ombudsman Cases.” I truly believe this can be a reality someday. Public involvement is all about involving people early, to avoid trouble later.

Are there any changes planned for the HEV program?

In the past, the department has hired consultants to teach Hear Every Voice classes. I would like to see more Mn/DOT staff experts teach some of these classes. Many of our employees have valuable skills and experience in successfully engaging people. These employees are excellent resources to help others learn what works and what doesn’t.  

Tell me about a recent success story.

The Highway 169 project in St. Peter was a partnering example that worked particularly well.  Mn/DOT, the city of St. Peter and other stakeholders formed a partnership early in the planning stages and worked through many project challenges.

Several large scale meetings, open houses and public hearings were held during the project planning stages and weekly meetings were held every Friday during construction. These outreach efforts, along with a project hotline and Web site, kept businesses and residents up-to-date on project developments.
Success wasn’t defined by giving or not giving stakeholders everything they demanded, it was defined by working with the community as a good neighbor.

All of this public participation seems like a lot of extra work; is it worth the effort?

There may be more up front work involved with public participation, but it really pays off on the back end of a project. The cost to involve the public is small compared to the value gained by creating trusting relationships and avoiding long-term damage to public relations. Yes, managing a solid public participation program is work, but it is work that is needed.

Are you currently working on any public participation projects?

Yes. I have been working with District 1 and the city of Duluth to prepare for the Interstate 35 Improvement Project. This project will affect many motorists, including tourists, for two years. We are working with local businesses to help them prepare for the project. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is also partnering with us as a resource to the businesses that will be impacted.

What do you envision for the future?

Our culture expects fast, reliable information. We need to to make sure that we can deliver the information people need and also be available to listen to their concerns. We have technology that can help us but we also need to reach out personally. Rather than offer opportunities for people to come to us, we should consider going to them. Mn/DOT should be available to have a presence at local community and school events and local public meetings. People are really busy and we need to make it easier for them to participate.

To learn more about the Hear Every Voice program, visit http://www.dot.state.mn.us/planning/publicinvolvement/. Employees can also register for HEV training classes at http://www.dot.state.mn.us/planning/publicinvolvement/classes.html. Classes begin March 23.