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Enhancement Projects: Improving Successful Implementation in Minnesota Annette Fiedler Physical Development Director Southwest RDC Katie Caskey, AICP Planning Program Coordinator MnDOT Ronda Allis Principal Planner MnDOT

Enhancement Projects: Improving Successful Implementation in Minnesota

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Enhancement Projects: Improving Successful

Implementation in Minnesota

Annette Fiedler Physical Development Director Southwest RDC

Katie Caskey, AICP Planning Program Coordinator MnDOT

Ronda Allis Principal Planner MnDOT

Background and History

ISTEA & SAFETEA-LU • Applications were conceptual ideas

• Often inaccurate cost estimates

• Projects frequently delayed or dropped after programmed

MAP-21 & FAST • New era, new project selection process

• Letter of intent step added

• Area Transportation Partnerships were challenged to keep projects from slipping / dropping

2

Letter of Intent (LOI)

• One sentence description

• Budget: total, match, requested

• Project type (capital, planning, both)

• Description of the project

• Transportation purpose

• Identify in a plan

• SRTS

• Scenic Byways

• History delivering federal projects

• Sponsoring agency support

3

SRDC LOI Review Process

• Started by asking – what are the typical causes of project delays?

• Developed a check-list

• Scheduled meetings with RDC, project applicant, project sponsor, and others

4

Boldly go where no RDC has gone before!

LOI Review Process Adoption

Year 1 – • SRDC and District 7 developed process and used it to review all projects

Year 2 – • Two area transportation partnerships used the process

• SRDC pulled previously programmed projects into the process too

Year 3 – • SRTS staff adopted several components of the process into their standalone

process

• Other ATPs expressed interest in the process

Year 4 – TBD, but likely more RDCs and ATPs will use a similar review process

What does the LOI review process include? • At least one hour

• All partners at the table

• Listen to what the applicant wants to do

• Take them through the check list

Result: SRDC makes recommendations to strengthen the application

Face-to-Face LOI Review

Key Considerations

Section 4(f) or Section 6(f) lands

Endangered Species Habitat

Key Considerations

National Register / Historic

Key Considerations

Haz Mat

Air Quality

Key Considerations

Wetlands

Key Considerations

Controversy?

Key Considerations

Key Considerations

Railroads

Utilities

Key Considerations

Airports

What issues do we usually catch? • Connections – connections – connections • Schools, sidewalks, street crossings, etc.

• ADA design • Driveways, sidewalks

• Other ROW owners (roads, properties)

• Who is going to do the Preliminary Engineering and design

• Budget

Typical Findings

Next Steps for Projects

After the LOI review: • Applicants decides whether to continue to full application

• Full application submitted

• Area Transportation Partnership reviews applications

• Funding awarded to selected projects

10/1/2015 4/15/2016

11/1/2015 12/1/2015 1/1/2016 2/1/2016 3/1/2016 4/1/2016

10/1/2015 - 10/30/2015

LOI Window

11/2/2015 - 11/13/2015

LOI Review Period

11/16/2015 - 1/8/2016

Application Window

1/11/2016 - 4/15/2016

ATPs Select Projects

Is it working? • Better applications

• Less time spent on applications for projects that aren’t ready

• Improved project delivery – TBD (project’s under this process aren’t constructed yet)

Benefits of the LOI Review Process

Questions?