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NEWS <br /> <br />RELEAS <br /> <br />Metro Transitways Development Board <br />A Joint Powers Board of Metropolitan Counties <br /> <br />Media contacts: <br /> <br />John Manning -- 952-897-8209 <br /> Katie Dolan -- 952-897-8226 <br /> <br /> NEW PLAN FIGHTS REGION'S CONGESTION WITH MORE TRANSIT AND MORE ROADS <br /> <br />"Minnesota Rides" Plan Offers Roadmap for Moving People and Enhancing the Economy <br /> <br />November 21, 2002, Minneapolis-- With the metro region in urgent need of new road projects, improved bus <br />service and more transitways, the Metro Transitways Development Board is releasing its Minnesota Rides plan <br />for fighting congestion. Made up of elected county commissioners of the seven Inetropolitan regional raih'oad <br />authorities, tile Metro Transitways Development Board (MTDB) is offering a proposal for financing improved <br />and cost-effective transportation options for the region and the state. <br /> <br />"People around the region -- and across tile state -- are worried about congestion. It is getting harder and harder <br />to get where you want to go," said Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, MTDB chair. "It's a tough <br />message to deliver when budgets are tight, but we've concluded that we can't afford not to put more effort into <br />moving people and reducing their transportation hassles. Our region's economic health requires it." <br /> <br />"The Twin Cities area outranks all other large metro regions in population growth, travel delays, wasted fuel and <br />congestion costs. We're even tied for second place in a race we don't want to win -- for tile fastest congestion <br />growth," McLaughlin said. <br /> <br />The elected officials on tile MTDB have responded with the "Minnesota Rides" plan -- a vision for the metro <br />area's transportation future that includes a comprehensive financing plan for both capital costs and operating <br />subsidies. The vision has three ingredients: roadway improvements, better bus service and new transitways. <br /> <br />"Road improvements are vital -- there are bottlenecks out there that are literally choking our region. But roads <br />alone will never be enough, given their high costs. We need to also strengthen bus service and build more <br />transitways -- commuter rail, LRT and busways," said Anoka County Commissioner Paul McCarron, MTDB <br />vice-chair. <br /> <br /> <br />