5.3. SR 11-16-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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SECTION 3 - TRANSPORTATION This section presents information on transportation facilities and travel patterns in the Northstar Corridor study area. In addition, this section identifies roads that are at or over capacity, impeding both automobile and transit travel times. It should be noted that the Northstar Corridor study area is located in a constrained corridor limited by the Mississippi River on the west, few river crossing bridges and increased land use development in Anoka and Sherburne Counties. As stated in the Metropolitan Development Guide - Transportation from the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council, "Today, it is possible to access almost any point in the region in less than 60 minutes during the peak hour. In 2020, only 60 to 70 percent of the metropolitan area will be accessible within 60 minutes from any point in the region. This constraint in the movement of people and goods will result in lost economic productivity, higher overall cost of doing business and decreased regional competitiveness in the world economy." Additionally, the Saint Cloud Area Planning Organization has recognized the importance of the TH 10 corridor by referencing the roadway in the 2020 Transportation Plan Update as needing a "study of long-term vision for TH 10, from Benton Drive to south of the Saint Cloud Metropolitan Area .... " 3.1 TRAVEL PATTERNS AND CHARACTERISTICS Travel Patterns The proportion of persons driving alone for all trips in the Twin Cities has increased from 28 percent in 1970 to 49 percent in 1990, and at the same time, the overall percentage of transit use has been decreasing. Twin Cities journey to work data from the 1990 Travel Behavior Inventory (TBI) indicates that for work related trips approximately 80 percent of the commuters drive alone, 14 percent carpool, 5 percent use public transit, and 1 percent use some other means, such as walking and bicycling. The current auto occupancy rate is 1.08 for work related trips. The journey to work data from outside the Twin Cities area is more pronounced for work related trips with 91 percent of the residents in Benton, Sherburne, and Steams Counties driving alone, 5 percent carpooling, and 4 percent using public transit. The Twin Cities 1990 TBI data shows an increase in commuting from one jurisdiction to another. Between the years of 1970 to 1990, the number of trips that were destined to Minneapolis rose 22 percent, to Saint Paul to 27 percent, and to the remainder of the Twin Cities region by 104 percent. Additionally, the external survey completed as part of the Twin Cities 1990 TBI revealed that the most heavily traveled corridors leaving the metropolitan area were in the northwest portion of the Twin Cities. Of the 328,460 vehicles entering or leaving the Twin Cities every day, there were over 113,000 daily vehicle trips in the northwest area of the metropolitan region. Additionally, in May of 1982 the Saint Cloud Area Planning Organization and MnDOT completed a study entitled, St. Cloud-Twin Cities Passenger Rail Service: A Feasibility Study. As a result of this study, the number of existing and future vehicle trips to the St. Cloud and Twin Cities metropolitan areas was calculated with the roadways they use identified. The results of the study are as follows: · Vehicle trips to St. Cloud from the Twin Cities in 1982 Total of 6,230 with 1,640 using TH 10 and 4,590 using 1-94 Northstar Corridor Major Investment Study Section 3 - Transportation 10-28-98 3-1