Manufacturers’ Perspectives on Minnesota’s Transportation System District 1/Northeastern Minnesota June 2017 Cover photo credits: Front cover: Large truck, ship/lighthouse, highway and snow plow (inside) - David Gonzalez, MnDOT Wind turbine blade shipment at Duluth Port - Robert Welton, courtesy of Duluth Seaway Port Authority Back cover: Congested traffic (inside) and Duluth Port - David Gonzalez, MnDOT Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................5 Purpose and Methodology .....................................................................................................................................5 Results .....................................................................................................................................................................5 Findings ...................................................................................................................................................................6 District 1 Business Priorities ...............................................................................................................................7 Characteristics that Affect the Transportation System ......................................................................................7 Recommended Next Steps ......................................................................................................................................7 MnDOT District 1 Recommendations .................................................................................................................8 MnDOT Central Office Recommendations .........................................................................................................9 District 1 Progress Update – Early Benefits ..................................................................................................... 10 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................12 Background .......................................................................................................................................................... 12 Project Design ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 Business Suggestions for Short-term Fixes, Long-term Plans .............................................................................. 13 District 1 Background ...................................................................................................................................14 Methodology ...............................................................................................................................................17 Interview Purpose ................................................................................................................................................ 17 Interview Teams................................................................................................................................................... 17 Interviewer Training ........................................................................................................................................ 18 Regional Industry Cluster Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 18 Business Recruitment .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Businesses in Other Districts ........................................................................................................................... 21 Other Industries Interviewed .......................................................................................................................... 21 Data Collection and Analysis ................................................................................................................................ 21 Questionnaire .................................................................................................................................................. 21 Results .........................................................................................................................................................22 Response Rates .................................................................................................................................................... 22 Types of Businesses Interviewed ......................................................................................................................... 22 Manufacturer’s Perspectives on Minnesota’s Transportation System – District 1 / Northeastern Minnesota 1 Industry Clusters .................................................................................................................................................. 23 Industry Clusters Interviewed ......................................................................................................................... 23 Interviewee Cluster Alignment ........................................................................................................................ 27 Number of Employees ......................................................................................................................................... 27 Geographic Distribution of Businesses ................................................................................................................ 29 Modes of Transportation Used ............................................................................................................................ 30 Customer Markets ............................................................................................................................................... 30 Findings Overview........................................................................................................................................32 District 1 Business Priorities................................................................................................................................. 32 Strong Cluster Relationships............................................................................................................................ 32 Shared Roads but Different Types of Transportation ..................................................................................... 32 District 1 Characteristics that Affect the Transportation System ........................................................................ 33 Infrastructure: Bypass and Passing Lanes ....................................................................................................... 33 Operations and Maintenance: Snow and Ice Removal ................................................................................... 33 Policy: Weight Restrictions .............................................................................................................................. 34 Communications: Road construction .............................................................................................................. 34 Other ................................................................................................................................................................ 34 Detailed Transportation Findings .................................................................................................................. 35 Infrastructure ....................................................................................................................................................... 35 Intersections .................................................................................................................................................... 35 Lanes ................................................................................................................................................................ 37 Shoulders ......................................................................................................................................................... 39 Bridges ............................................................................................................................................................. 41 Signage............................................................................................................................................................. 43 Other Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................................ 43 Duluth’s Bridges ................................................................................................................................................... 44 Operations and Maintenance .............................................................................................................................. 46 Road Conditions .............................................................................................................................................. 46 Snow and Ice Removal ..................................................................................................................................... 49 Communications 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