Mn/DOT will kick off its 25th anniversary as a multi-modal agency July 30 with a statewide celebration. Graphic by Jane Greiner

Farrah’s hair, Rocky’s muscles and Fonzie’s “aaay” dominated American popular culture the same year that Mn/DOT became the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The year was 1976, also known for the nation’s largest bash: the U.S. bicentennial.

Keeping with the spirit of ’76, Mn/DOT will commemorate over the next few months its quarter-century as a multi-modal transportation agency—beginning with a statewide celebration on July 30. Each district and Central Office will plan its own festivities for that day.

Plans underway for Central Office, for example, include a special 1976 lunch menu in the cafeteria, a 1970s fashion show with prizes, a Mn/DOT trivia contest and a photo display of employees and projects from the past 25 years, according to Donna Lindberg, Communications and Public Relations.

For more information, contact your district’s public affairs coordinator or visit the 25th anniversary Web site. Check the site often, since information will be updated as it becomes available.

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As analysts sift through piles of legislation panning for good news for transportation, it’s clear that progress this session must be measured in nuggets, not the mother lode.

"We went into session again supporting statewide, long-term, multimodal funding for transportation in Minnesota," said Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg. "Despite growing congestion and polls showing the public's support for increased funding, we're no closer to addressing the state's transportation needs than we were at the beginning of session."

Although the department’s funding was much lower than asked for, Mn/DOT fared fairly well from a policy perspective, according to Betsy Parker, Government Relations.

“We were able to push through several pieces of legislation that will help us streamline our transportation project development processes,” she said. “These include changing the process for obtaining municipal consent, receiving the authority to accept electronic bids on construction projects, and being allowed to create a single contract for both the design and the construction of highway projects.”

Other significant legislation:

§         Requires Mn/DOT to study the high occupancy vehicle lanes on I-394 and I-35W;

§         Imposes a one-year delay on construction of I-35W/TH 62 Crosstown project while a consultant studies, among other things, the 20-year projections for growth in population, economic development and traffic in the area, and explores alternative feasible designs;

§         Prohibits Mn/DOT from spending state funds to study light rail transit or commuter rail unless the funds are appropriated in legislation that identifies the route (including its beginning and ending points);

§         Allows payment of town bridge engineering costs exceeding $10,000 from the town bridge account;

§         Allows Mn/DOT to pay interest on advances of funds received from local governments for use on an interregional transportation corridor;

§         Authorizes the establishment of a special account for pavement striping;

§         Prescribes conditions under which the Commissioner may lease state rail bank right-of-way;

§         Allows state agencies and other governmental units to continue to make barter agreements.

For more information or for an outline of the provisions in the transportation funding bill and the state departments finance bill, contact Betsy Parker at 651/296-3002.

By Chris Joyce

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Shrubs create a literal sense of identity at the entrance to Minneapolis’ Bryn Mawr neighborhood at Penn Avenue and I-394.  Photos by Craig Wilkins

Turn north onto Penn Avenue from I-394 in Minneapolis and your neighborhood location will become obvious. Letters three feet high formed from Alpine currants spell it out for you—Bryn Mawr.

The signature planting is part of a beautification effort done jointly by Mn/DOT, the city of Minneapolis and neighborhood volunteers. 

The Bryn Mawr project is one of more than 15 completed through Mn/DOT’s Community Landscape Partnership Program last year. The Landscape Unit of Technical Services conducts the program.

While few spell their names in plants, each community project leaves its own “signature.” 

Recently the city of Dassel’s project led to creation of a song about the plantings that was performed by community residents on WCCO radio’s “Good Neighbor” program.

Since its inception in 1990 the project has supported more than 150 community programs throughout the state, said Todd Carroll, program coordinator.

Landscaping along 17th Street between Third Avenue and LaSalle Avenue south of downtown Minneapolis provides an open vista to the city for Stevens Square neighborhood residents.

Project designers from Mn/DOT and community volunteers use trees, shrubs and flowers to add visual interest, define a specific space or provide a welcoming community entrance. After Landscape Unit staff designs a project, community volunteers do the plantings and continue to mulch, weed and water the plants.

Mn/DOT staff work with diverse communities—from urban neighborhoods in the Twin Cities metro area to small cities in Greater Minnesota, including Park Rapids, Wadena, Houston and Lake City—to design and plant beautification projects.

“Each project beautifies the state’s highways and helps promote a sense of community interest and identity,” Carroll said. 

By Craig Wilkins

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New District 3 Right-of-Way Engineer Jody Martinson looks over drainage operations on the Hwy 210 project on which she had been project engineer.

Jody Martinson has been appointed the District 3 right-of-way engineer.

Martinson has been with Mn/DOT for seven years, progressing from graduate engineer stations to project engineer in construction. Martinson also has held responsibilities in the district materials office. She begins her new duties July 18.

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President George W. Bush announced July 11 his plans to nominate Mary Peters to serve as the new administrator of the Federal Highway Administration. Peters has been the director of the Arizona Department of Transportation since 1998.  She also chairs the Standing Committee on Planning and the Asset Management Task Force for the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials and serves on the Board of Directors of ITS America.

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Employeeline is your online source for news of your co-workers and upcoming events.

Keep up-to-date on your co-workers and learn about upcoming events by reading Mn/DOT Newsline’s companion publication, Employeeline. News in Employeeline may change more frequently than Mn/DOT Newsline, so check back often for updates.

Readers outside of Mn/DOT currently are unable to access Employeeline because it is located on Mn/DOT’s internal Web site. Plans are underway to have this information available for retirees through another format.

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