Designing minnesota’s I-35E MnPASS managed lane extension: Addressing public perceptions of a lane take-away

A major challenge in implementing congestion pricing is the public perception that access to the road system is being taken away. Regardless of whether the road is paid for with taxes, tolls, or operational and congestion costs, a perceived take-away can make support for such investments difficult to generate. The greater Minneapolis–Saint Paul region of Minnesota has implemented two MnPASS managed lane projects on I-394 and I-35 west in Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs and will open a third on I-35 east (I-35E) north of Saint Paul in 2015. This case study presents the results of a design alternatives study by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (DOT) for a proposed extension of the I-35E MnPASS managed lane, including results from Minnesota DOT’s outreach and education effort and a similar effort led by the Metropolitan Council for the update of the region’s long-range transportation plan. The MnPASS design alternatives included converting a general purpose lane to a priced lane. The study indicated the public would accept a take-away if there were clear and understandable benefits. Community dialogues held with I-35E stakeholders and additional regional focus groups conducted by the Metropolitan Council indicated that the public was generally not very well informed about the rationale for MnPASS lanes or managed lanes being a priority in the regional transportation plan; these results suggest that more outreach and education are needed and could help clarify the value of this approach.