20 Years Behind: Highway Spending & Revenues by Minnesota’s State Government, 1986–2006

Research by the economic think tank Growth & Justice shows that if the state had kept up with its highway funding in 1986, adjusting for inflation and dramatic growth in highway usage, it would have invested $13.89 billion more over the last 20 years. To download this and other Growth & Justice research reports, visit www.growthandjustice.org/Publications_Reports.html.

Moving Communities Forward

American Institute of Architects (AIA) Study on Design of Transportation Projects, sponsored by the AIA “Communities by Design” Knowledge Community. Well-designed transportation projects can shape a community in ways that go far beyond the project’s original purposes. Recognizing the lack of organized quantifiable or qualitative data about the role of design in transportation, Congress authorized a study in SAFETEA-LU with two main goals: to measure the multiple enhancements well-designed transportation projects can bring to communities, and to provide principles and practices for communities, transportation professionals, designers, and policymakers to adapt to their needs. For general background and links to the reports, visit www.cts.umn.edu/Research/Featured/WellDesigned/. You can also download PDF files of the individual reports produced by the team:

• Transportation as Catalyst for Community Economic Development
• Enhancing Environment and Health in Transportation Project Design
• Enhancing Transportation: The Effects of Public Involvement in Planning and Design Processes—Executive Summary
• Moving Design: Spaces of Transportation—Executive Summary
• Traffic Safety Methodologies
• Moving Communities Forward: Synthesis

UMore Park Academic Mission reports

Six task forces completed reports in December 2007 on innovative ways to integrate University research, education, and public engagement into the planning and development of the proposed new community at UMore Park. This initial exploration process, which began in May 2007, included listening sessions with the general public and the University community—students, faculty, staff members, and administrators. The academic mission Executive Report and the six task force reports provide the emerging ideas that can be revised and enhanced over time. You can download the report as a PDF file.