MnDOT releases 1st Statewide Pedestrian System Plan

Wednesday, the Minnesota Department of Transportation released its first Statewide Pedestrian System Plan.

In addition to providing policy and investment guidance to improve places where people walk across and along Minnesota highways, the plan identifies priority areas for investments and strategies to improve walking availability and accessibility.

"Safety is our top priority at MnDOT. This plan provides an important framework and will help ensure we are meeting the needs and interests of people, today and into the future," Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher said. "Creating safe places for people to walk is essential to improving equity and mobility, addressing climate change, and ultimately providing a better quality of life for everyone."

MnDOT said the plan also sets performance measures to track progress toward creating a better pedestrian system and sets forth ideas for protecting people walking from the effects of climate change.

Work on the plan started in February 2019 and included public engagement efforts, the installation of seven pedestrian safety demonstration projects and efforts to get feedback from Minnesotans.

"This plan helps MnDOT identify opportunities and implement the right strategies on projects to make walking safer and more convenient for all Minnesotans," said Tori Nill, director of Office of Transit and Active Transportation. "While the plan doesn’t tell us exactly what to do in every situation, it does provide the tools we need to make those decisions and make sure pedestrian safety is included on every highway project."

The full plan can be seen online.