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<br />iIN Chamber of Commerce <br /> <br />.......~._..-_..-.- <br /> <br /> <br />2004 Policies & <br />Backgrounds <br /> <br />Policy Committees <br /> <br />Links <br /> <br />400 Robert Street North <br />Suite 1500 <br />5t. Paul, MN 55101 <br />ph 651.292.4650 <br />ph 800.821.2230 <br />fax 651.292.4656 <br /> <br />Page 1 of 1 <br /> <br />.....-."....,.-......- .------...-- <br /> <br />.-. <br /> <br />.... <br /> <br />L__.' . <br /> <br />..- ~-- <br /> <br />MINNEsOTA CHAMBER <br />1.......,.,~.;!I~J.. <br /> <br />September 30, 2004 <br /> <br />THE VOICE OF BU5INF.SS <br /> <br />A~out Us <br /> <br />News & Evenls HR Benefils Join Us h1CCE <br /> <br />Grow Miruul'soia! <br /> <br />Minnesota Moves A Blueprint for Change <br /> <br />Minnesota Moves < <br />"FASTER" <br /> <br />Although Minnesota's transportation issues have long been a Steering Committee < <br />top priority for the Minnesota Chamber, solutions have <br />encountered many obstacles - legislative, political and <br />practical. As we have reported in the June issue of Business Views, the Chamber now is <br />leading an effort called Minnesota Moves that looks at transportation needs as defined by <br />business sectors. A working group of busIness leaders has released the preliminary details of <br />Minnesota Moves with six focus areas that result in "FASTER." <br /> <br />FASTER means Freeways In the seven county metropolitan area. This includes completion <br />of the existing be!tway to at least three continuous lanes, removal of bottlenecks throughout <br />other existing metro freeway corridors, capacity expansions in heavily congested and high <br />growth areas, and support for the FAST Lanes concept for expanding capacity in viable <br />corridors, <br /> <br />FASTER means Alternatives such as investment in non~highway modes for business travel <br />and goods movement, support for general aviation service at regional trade centers, support <br />far federal improvements to the Mississippi waterway system and improvement of reliever <br />airport capacity, <br /> <br />FASTER means State and Local Roads. The state needs to make investments to expand and <br />maintain Minnesota's interregional corridor system and 10-ton road network and accelerate <br />the replacement and rehabilitation of Minnesota's aging bridges, <br /> <br />FASTER means Transit that includes development of an integrated network of transit <br />options in the metropolitan area and resources for transit services in greater Minnesota. <br /> <br />FASTER means Economic Development, Transportation needs should be linked to economic <br />data and analysis, Minnesota businesses should have a greater voice in the planning <br />process, <br /> <br />FASTER means Revenue that requires a financing plan to invest an additional $500 million <br />to $700 million per year in state funds toward transportation projects over the next twenty <br />years. Options include non-traditional forms of transportation financing and the leverage <br />federal funding and other sources of funding to the maximum extent posslb!e, New revenues <br />should be spent efficiently and be accountable to the public. <br />