How Does MnDOT Select Projects? Project Selection Policy Initial Input October 4, 2017 ATP-8
Many have tried to explain it… 10/4/2017 2
MnDOT has tried long explanations…
We’ve tried elevator speeches… How MnDOT Selects Projects in Less Than 100 words Transportation investments should improve the quality of life and support economic development. To meet Minnesota’s goals, MnDOT evaluates physical factors like smoothness for pavement or state-of-good-repair for bridges combined with qualitative factors like Minnesota’s quality of life or economic development potential. There are never enough resources to meet every worthy goal completely. So with the aid of citizen and transportation partner input, MnDOT chooses a mix of projects that represent the best compromise of asset preservation, system expansion, enhancements, local needs, legal obligations, and public opinion. Learn more in the Minnesota State Highway Investment Plan.
We’ve tried pictures…
We’ve tried video…
We’ve tried presentations…
We welcomed an audit… • How does MnDOT select projects? • How transparent is MnDOT’s process? • Who makes decisions? • What criteria are used? • How do special programs compare to the standard project selection process? http://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/ped/pedrep/mndotprojects.pdf 10/4/2017 8
OLA Audit Findings “In our interviews with MnDOT staff, it was clear that standard programming decisions were carefully thought out and took into consideration a wide variety of important factors. Further, we found that when we asked specific questions, MnDOT staff could generally provide cogent explanations for the reasons behind specific programming decisions. We do not have significant concerns about the decisions themselves .” 10/4/2017 9
OLA Audit Findings “ MnDOT does not provide sufficient information about its project-selection decisions to the public or interested stakeholders .” “ MnDOT publishes lists of the projects it plans to construct, but it does not publish information about how these decisions were reached or what alternatives were considered. Without that basis for comparison, it is difficult for those outside of MnDOT to understand or assess its decisions.” 10/4/2017 10
OLA Recommendation #1 The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) should take steps to improve the transparency of its standard project selection process. 11
Chapter 3 The commissioner of transportation, after consultation with the Federal Highway Administration, metropolitan planning organizations, regional development commissions, area transportation partnerships, local governments, the Metropolitan Council, and transportation stakeholders , must develop, adopt, and implement a policy ... https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/?year=2017&type=1&doctype=Chapter&id=3 10/4/2017 12
Chapter 3 For each selection process, the policy adopted under this section must…establish a process that identifies criteria, the weight of each criterion, and a process to score each project based on the weighted criteria; https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/?year=2017&type=1&doctype=Chapter&id=3 10/4/2017 13
Chapter 3 The commissioner must submit a report… concerning the adopted policy and how the policy is anticipated to improve the consistency, objectivity, and transparency of the selection process. The report must include information on input from members of the public and the [other]organizations … https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/?year=2017&type=1&doctype=Chapter&id=3 10/4/2017 14
Chapter 3 • MnDOT has until November of 2018 to adopt a policy for project selection. • It is expected that the 2020 to 2024 STIP will be the first STIP that is governed by the new policy. 10/4/2017 15
We Need Your Input… 10/4/2017 16
Discussion Areas • Project Selection Information • Transparency • Involvement of ATPs in the Selection Process 10/4/2017 17
Area #1: Project Selection Information 10/4/2017 18
Discussion Questions: • Do you know how project selection decisions are made at MnDOT and who does them? • From where do you get your information or understanding about MnDOT’s project selection? • Is the information provided by MnDOT for project selection understandable and helpful to you and/or your constituents? Is it adequate for your needs? • If you could have more information on project selection, what would you want? 10/4/2017 19
Discussion 20
Area #2: Transparency 10/4/2017 21
Discussion Questions: • Over the past 5-years, would you say that MnDOT has been more transparent, less transparent, or stayed about the same in the level of transparency it provides on how it selects projects? • Can you give some examples of why you would say that? 10/4/2017 22
Scoring Based Project Selections • Are you familiar with scoring-based project selection methods at MnDOT? • Transportation Economic Development (TED) program • Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) • Do you think these methods are more transparent to you (see next slide)? 10/4/2017 23
Corridor Investment Management Strategy (CIMS) Local Econ Multimodal Context System Health % Non- B/C Total Project Name Location CIMS Request MnDOT Pts Ratio Pts Score Mainstreet TH 61 Downtown Improvements Red Wing $ 2,445,000 34% 5.9 10.7 60.0 90.9 Multimodal for TH 23 w/o Bridge Duluth $ 3,035,000 10% 0.0 15.0 60.0 90.0 TH 10/TH 75 Safety/Operational Improvements Moorhead $ 3,404,000 31% 5.5 10.7 60.0 89.5 TH 25-CSAH 75 Intersection Improvements Monticello $ 506,000 84% 9.7 25.0 60.0 85.9 US 52-CSAH 9 Interchange Goodhue County $ 250,000 20% 4.0 19.8 60.0 83.3 TH 23 J-Turn & Ped Overpass Marshall $ 4,500,170 21% 4.1 4.2 49.5 71.1 OPTION: Buffalo TH25 Phase 1 only Buffalo $ 2,100,000 33% 5.7 2.0 36.0 69.8 TH 25 Corridor Improvements Buffalo $ 3,503,000 35% 6.0 1.8 34.8 68.9 Hwy 71 Complete Streets Jackson $ 1,260,000 54% 8.2 1.2 31.3 62.7 Gateway Corridor Improvements International Falls $ 776,180 48% 7.7 1.7 34.2 60.6 TH 29 Reconstruction Parkers Prairie $ 1,800,000 33% 5.7 1.0 30.0 58.7 Veterans Memorial Bridge Mankato $ 565,000 23% 4.4 1.4 32.4 58.6 Broadway Streetscaping & Pedestrian Improvements Albert Lea $ 794,089 33% 5.7 1.4 32.7 55.7 TH 220 Reconstruction East Grand Forks $ 2,318,070 17% 3.5 1.5 32.8 51.5 TH10/59 Trail Detroit Lakes $ 200,000 10% 0.0 1.1 30.3 46.6 18th Ave. S Waite Park $ 1,067,000 83% 9.6 0.5 10.0 44.6 Old Hwy 61 Trail Dresbach $ 450,000 40% 6.6 0.0 0.4 28.8 10/4/2017 24
Discussion Questions - Transparency • Do you have any concerns about how these types of methods may be used or their results? • Are there types of projects or programs where a numeric score approach would be more helpful than the regular programs? • Do you have any other advice on how MnDOT can “improve the consistency, objectivity, and transparency of the selection process?” 10/4/2017 25
Area #3: ATP Involvement in Project Selection 10/4/2017 26
Chapter 3 Law “For each selection process, the policy adopted under this section must: … involve area transportation partnerships and other local authorities, as appropriate, in the process.” 10/4/2017 27
Involvement of ATPs and Other Local Agencies in the Project Selection • What type of involvement do you feel you, the ATP, and other local agencies should have in the selection of MnDOT projects? • How many and what type of projects do you think MnDOT selects annually for its program? 10/4/2017 28
MnDOT’s Actual 2017-2020 STIP Projects Total # of Projects Total # of Major Percent of Total ATP in STIP Projects in STIP Projects that are Major 1 119 25 21.0% 2 101 6 5.9% 3 100 15 15.0% 4 77 7 9.1% 6 118 19 16.1% 7 84 27 32.1% 8 96 8 8.3% Metro 225 17 7.6% Central 46 11 23.9% Total 966 135 14.0% * Major projects are projects with a cost greater than $5.0 M in Greater Mn and $15.0 M in Metro. 10/4/2017 29
Involvement of ATPs and Other Local Agencies in the Project Selection Now that you have a seen a summary of MnDOT’s 2017-2020 project selection breakdown… • Does it change you opinion on what type of ATP involvement should be in MnDOT project selection? • Why or why not? 10/4/2017 30
Final Thoughts • Do you have any other thoughts or ideas about how MnDOT can improve its project selection process? • We will be back in the future to provide you an opportunity to provide more input as we start to develop some draft policies around the project selection process at MnDOT. 10/4/2017 31
Contact Us Philip Schaffner Philip.Schaffner@state.mn.us 651-366-3743 Patrick Weidemann Pat.Weidemann@state.mn.us 651-366-3758 Brian Gage Brian.gage@state.mn.us 651-366-3748 Sheila Kauppe Sheila.kauppe@state.mn.us 651-366-3794 Mark Gieseke Mark.Gieseke@state.mn.us 651-366-3770 10/4/2017 32
Thank you! Patrick Weidemann MnDOT Office of Transportation System Management 651-366-3758 10/4/2017 33
Recommend
More recommend
