Posted: 11/8/05
MnDOT engineer guest of Chamber
District MnDOT engineer Nelrae Succio was a special guest of the Caledonia Chamber of Commerce last week, invited to speak on transportation issues that affect this area.
About 50 people attended the luncheon at the Four Seasons Community Center on November 2.
The chamber had several specific issues in mind when it invited Succio to the meeting, including: the effect of the highway 52 project in Rochester on other projects in District 6; long-range plans to address narrow shoulders, deterioration of pavement, lack of turn lanes, etc.; infrastructure issues; ways to increase funding to the district; and how a gas tax, if enacted, would be used by the DOT.
Succio began by describing the process by which decisions are made and projects scheduled.
The Southeast Minnesota Area Transportation Partnership (ATP) was created to select programs and projects that will use federal funds. Each of Minnesotaís eight districts has a committee that has input into the process. There are 11 members of the southeast Minnesota ATP. Projects in counties and in cities over 5,000 population are handled through the ATP. Trails and trailhead enhancements, railroad crossing safety and transit buses are some of the projects that receive priority, and the remainder of the funds go to MnDOT projects.
Projects are ranked according to a set of criteria that includes pavement condition, geometric features (lane widths, turn lanes, shoulder widths, drainage structures); safety, bridge condition, traffic volume, and route designation, whether part of the national highway system or interregional corridor system.
In response to an inquiry of how a corridor is defined, Succio explained that the committee looked at the regional trade centers and the connections between them to determine what constitutes a corridor.
ìThey were selected on a statewide basis,î said Succio. ìWe had input but not the final decision.î
Highway 52 is a regional corridor, and I-90 is ranked as a high priority interregional corridor. Highway 61 between La Crosse and Winona is a medium priority interregional corridor. The corridor designations were made in 2000.
Succio responded to a question from Houston County Commissioner Ann Thompson about design-build projects. Design-built refers to a fairly new way of working on projects in which the designers and contractors work together in the early stages of a project with the specific goals of the project in mind. Construction and design can overlap, and there is greater flexibility in design, materials and construction methods during the course of the project. The Highway 52 project in Rochester and the Hiawatha Light Rail are two recent examples of design-build.
Succio said that the design-build process is more expensive at the outset, but there are cost savings in the long run. Because projects are generally completed sooner, the most significant savings are from inflation.
Another county commissioner, Kevin Kelleher, reminded Succio that there has not been a new road constructed or paved in Houston County since be became commissioner 15 years ago. He said he understands there is a lack of funding, but pointed out that a lack of maintenance will lead to increased costs.
Succio agreed that the county has probably been ìshortedî but also noted that due to the unique topography of this area of the state, we have the second or third highest number of bridges. But it is ìhard to ignore the congestion in the metro area,î said Succio. A new aid formula being considered could result in $5-$15 million more, and a large portion of that will go to preservation, she said.
Kermit McRae, a township officer and retired MnDOT engineer, encouraged Succio to do what she could to move some of the projects in Houston County to the head of the line. Highway 44 from Caledonia to Hokah, for example, is currently slated for improvement in 2013.
ìIt wonít make it until 2013,î McRae.
Succio said that it is possible to move projects up if necessary. She mentioned that the I-90 bridge is deteriorating quickly and will have to be addressed before 2011, which is when the project is scheduled. There are a number of challenges that face the project engineers because the area is limited by the bluffs, river and railroad tracks. Wisconsin will pay part of the cost of a new bridge.
Residents can help draw attention to local needs by providing traffic information to MnDOT and staying in touch on issues of local importance, Succio advised.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com