Manufacturers’ Perspectives on Minnesota’s Transportation System District 6/Southeastern Minnesota Summer 2018 Photo Credits: Front cover exterior: David Gonzalez/MnDOT Front cover interior: Anne Meyer/MnDOT Back cover interior: David Gonzalez/MnDOT Back cover exterior: Michael Dougherty/MnDOT Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................7 Purpose and Methodology .....................................................................................................................................7 Results .....................................................................................................................................................................7 General Findings .....................................................................................................................................................8 Infrastructure: Keeping Safe and Staying at Speed ............................................................................................9 Operations and Maintenance, Communication, and Safety: Winter Weather ..................................................9 Policy: Truck Parking ...........................................................................................................................................9 Business and Economic Considerations: Transportation for Connected, Expanding Firms ...............................9 Next Steps ...............................................................................................................................................................9 MnDOT District 6 ............................................................................................................................................. 10 MnDOT Central Office ..................................................................................................................................... 11 District 6 Progress Update – Early Benefits ..................................................................................................... 12 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................13 Background .......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Project Design ...................................................................................................................................................... 13 District 6 Background ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Methodology ...............................................................................................................................................16 Interview Purpose ................................................................................................................................................ 16 Interview Teams................................................................................................................................................... 16 Interviewer Training ........................................................................................................................................ 17 Business Selection Method .................................................................................................................................. 17 Business Recruitment .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Other Industries Interviewed .......................................................................................................................... 20 Data Collection and Analysis ................................................................................................................................ 20 Results .........................................................................................................................................................21 Response Rates .................................................................................................................................................... 21 Types of Businesses Interviewed ......................................................................................................................... 21 Industry Clusters .................................................................................................................................................. 22 Manufacturers’ Perspectives on Minnesota’s Transportation System – District 6 / Southeastern Minnesota 3 Industry Clusters Interviewed ......................................................................................................................... 22 Geographic Distribution of Businesses ................................................................................................................ 26 Number of Employees ......................................................................................................................................... 26 Modes of Transportation Used ............................................................................................................................ 27 Customer Markets ............................................................................................................................................... 28 Findings Overview........................................................................................................................................29 Infrastructure: Keeping Safe and Staying at Speed ............................................................................................. 29 Passing Opportunities ...................................................................................................................................... 29 Safe Intersections ............................................................................................................................................ 29 Congestion Management ................................................................................................................................ 30 Operations and Maintenance, Communication, and Safety: Winter Weather ................................................... 30 Policy: Truck Parking ............................................................................................................................................ 31 Economic Considerations: Transportation for Connected, Expanding Firms ...................................................... 31 Detailed Transportation Findings .................................................................................................................. 32 Infrastructure ....................................................................................................................................................... 32 Intersections and Interchanges ....................................................................................................................... 32 Lanes ................................................................................................................................................................ 36 Shoulders ......................................................................................................................................................... 40 Bridges ............................................................................................................................................................. 41 Signage............................................................................................................................................................. 43 Operations and Maintenance .............................................................................................................................. 46 Road Conditions .............................................................................................................................................. 46 Snow and Ice Removal ..................................................................................................................................... 49 Communications .................................................................................................................................................. 51 511 ................................................................................................................................................................... 51 Preferred Communication Methods ............................................................................................................... 53 Road Construction Communication ................................................................................................................ 54 Policy...........................................................................................................................................................56 Weight Restrictions .............................................................................................................................................. 56 Manufacturers’ Perspectives on Minnesota’s Transportation System – District 6 / Southeastern Minnesota 4 Spring Weight Restrictions 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