Changes in federal policy during the 1990’s provided state departments of transportation and local communities much more flexibility in how roads are designed. In Minnesota, state and county governments have not taken full advantage of this flexibility. Most roads in our region are still designed primarily for the convenience, speed, and safety of vehicle traffic. State and county road standards and classifications in Minnesota need to be retooled to consider:

• Local community needs and goals — not just the demands of through traffic.
• Transit riders, bicyclists and pedestrians — not just vehicle drivers.
• Scenic, historic, and environmental resources.
• Retailers, commercial businesses, and civic institutions that depend on on-street parking, good urban design, and safe pedestrian access.

Several states are leading the way. Connecticut and Vermont adopted new road design standards; Maryland repealed its state standards and is relying on the more flexible federal standards; and Idaho, Massachusetts, Oregon, Florida, Delaware and California are rewriting their standards.

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