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Engineering process | Planning | Metro District Interchange Planning Review

Metro District Interchange Planning Review process

Background

The Metro District's interchange planning review (IPR) is a planning stage process that uses the qualifying criteria in Appendix F of the Metropolitan Council's (Met Council's) Transportation Policy Plan to evaluate requests for interchange additions or removals and interchange access modifications on any interstate or trunk highway in the Metro District.

Any proposed interchange or modification to an existing interchange in the Metro area should:

  • Support local comprehensive plans approved by the Met Council, as well as Minnesota Go, Thrive MSP 2040 and the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan
  • Demonstrate an objective need (i.e. go beyond subjective arguments)
  • Access only principal arterials or "A" minor arterials (in some cases, proposed principal or "A" minors)
  • Manage Access and Maintain the operational integrity of the mainline
  • Provide typical minimum interchange spacing as follows:
    • Maintain a one-mile spacing on or inside the I-494/I-694 loop
    • Maintain a two-mile spacing outside the Metropolitan Urban Service Area

Proposed interchange/modifications must NOT be for the convenience of short trips to compensate for lack of minor arterials, collector systems, and/or local roads. 

The IPR process does not:

  • Address the technical criteria of Appendix F
    • It is a planning-level process and design issues are addressed later in project development
  • Substitute for project development, layout review, environmental documentation, or any other existing process
  • Replace the Interstate Access Request (IAR) process on interstate highways
    • As a planning process, the IPR precedes the IAR
    • During the IPR the FHWA determines if an IAR is necessary (assuming the committee’s findings warrant more development of the proposal)
  • Replace the Metropolitan Council’s controlled access request, but rather precedes it
    • For coordination with the Met Council’s controlled access request, see Memo RE: Approval of Controlled Access Freeways

Interchange Planning Review Committee

The Metro Interchange Review Committee reviews proposed projects that may add or modify interchanges. The following people are members of the committee:

  • Five representatives, including:
    • The Metro District Interchange Coordinator (MnDOT)
    • Two additional MnDOT members (usually from Planning, Program Management, and/or Traffic)
    • Two Metropolitan Council representatives
  • If the proposed project involves an interstate, then two representatives from Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are included

Proposal categories

Types of interchange projects that need approval through this process are:

    • Addition (or removal) of an interchange on a principal arterial
    • Addition (or removal) of an interchange access to a principal arterial

Types of interchange projects that do not need approval through this process:

    • Preservation, safety, or mobility investments not described above (e.g., new turn lanes, added through lanes)
    • Modifications to the existing ramp(s), interchange design, or configuration not described above, including new local roadway connections to an interchange ramp or ramp terminal

Submittal and review process

Initial consultation

The project proposer (local agency and/or MnDOT representative) contacts the MnDOT Metro District Interchange Planning Review Coordinator to inquire about their proposed project and determine if their proposal needs to go through the Interchange Planning Review Committee process. The Metro District Interchange Coordinator determines the scope of analysis and the issues that the applicant must address, in accordance with Appendix F of the Met Council’s Transportation Policy Plan.

Initial request memo

The project proposer submits a written request addressing the five qualifying criteria from Appendix F. The documentation must respond to each of the five qualifying criteria, including a concept drawing and an analysis of issues to address policy concerns.

Committee review

The Interchange Planning Review Coordinator:

  • Reviews the Initial Request Memo
  • Determines the proposal’s consistency with the Appendix F qualifying criteria, Met Council's Transportation Policy Plan, Metro District's Highway Investment Plan, and local comprehensive and transportation plans
  • Has the Metro District Interchange Coordinator writes a draft Interchange Finding Letter and sends it with the proposal to other Interchange Review Committee members and relevant MnDOT area managers and engineers for review

The Interchange Planning Review Committee:

  • Reviews the proposal and draft Interchange Finding Letter for consistency with the five criteria
  • The Committee may request more information or a meeting with the project proposer
  • Recommends revisions to the language and/or overall recommendation of the initial findings

The MnDOT area managers and engineers can provide input and recommendations to the Interchange Planning Review Committee. Only the Committee members decide if a proposal meets each of the five criteria in Appendix F.

It may be necessary to repeat some of the steps above depending on the complexity of the project and the ability of the committee to reach consensus.

Findings letter

If no committee member requests an initial consultation or raises an objection within two weeks, the Metro District Interchange Coordinator finalizes the Interchange Finding Letter and sends it to the project proposer. If the Committee recommends changes, those are discussed until a consensus is reached. The agreed upon changes are incorporated and sent in the Interchange Finding Letter to the project proposer.