R E T H I N K I N G I - 9 4

15MnPASS Concepts Study

Appendix T15 | 1

APPENDIX T15 – MNPASS CONCEPTS STUDY

Introduction

Since 2016, MnDOT has been working with neighborhoods, community groups, district councils, local

governments and others interested in the future of I-94 between St. Paul and Minneapolis in an effort to

plan for transportation changes on and along the freeway. This effort is known as Rethinking I-94. The

work described in this technical memorandum was conducted as part of the initial phase of Rethinking I-

94 conducted between 2016 and 2018.

This memorandum documents the MnPASS Concept Development and Analysis conducted for the

Rethinking I-94 Project. The I-94 project study limits are between the West Broadway Avenue

interchange and the TH 61 interchange.

Background

MnDOT, the Metropolitan Council along with other project partners completed the MnPASS System

Study Phase II in year 2010. The purpose of that study was to evaluate major corridors within the Twin

Cities Metropolitan Area to determine the applicability and benefits of MnPASS to any given corridor.

Results from the MnPASS System Study Phase II identified the I-94 corridor as a corridor that could

potentially benefit from a MnPASS lane. Both MnDOT and the Metropolitan Council included I -94 in

their future planning and programing activities. The MnPASS System Study Phase II was the basis for

considering MnPASS in the I-94 corridor during the Rethinking I-94 effort.

Process/Methodology

Based on several key elements of the existing corridor, including existing operations (safety and

mobility), origin destination data and transit service, MnPASS concepts were developed for the I-94

corridor. These concepts were then analyzed based on the following criteria:

1. Annual travel time savings (transit)

2. Annual travel time savings (vehicular)

3. Job accessibility

4. Incremental cost for implementation (over replacement in-kind)

5. Return-on-investment

The regional travel demand model was used to determine the travel time savings and was also the basis

for the job accessibility analysis. Travel time was monetized based on a normalized value of time.

Incremental costs were based on an assumed typical section and only included the cost to add a

MnPASS (and associated impacts) and did not include any infrastructure replacement. The return-on-

Appendix T15 | 2

investment is a simple ratio between the incremental costs and the benefits (travel time savings). The

resultant ratio represents how long it would take to pay back the capital expenditure for the given

concept.

Concept Development

The following concepts were developed to locate MnPASS in the I-94 corridor. These concepts vary in

length and the extent to which they provide direct connections to specific areas. (“Direct connections”

means that direct egress/ingress ramps from the MnPASS lane would be provided that connect directly

to another MnPASS lane or a major destination.) All concepts assume the MnPASS lane is added to the

corridor, with the exception of Concept F which assumes an existing general purpose lane would be

converted to a MnPASS lane. Locations of the direct ramps are approximate and were only intended to

serve as a general location for use in the travel demand modeling evaluation. The exact location of these

connections would be determined as part of future study. The specifics of these connections will largely

be determined by future transit plans for Metro Transit and the Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

This process has begun and is explained in more detail in another technical memorandum.

F IGURE 1: CONCEPT A1: I -394 TO TH 61

Concept A1 includes MnPASS direct ramp connections at I-394, I-35W South, 11th Ave., 5th St./10th St.

and I-35E North.

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F IGURE 2: CONCEPT A2: I -394 TO TH 61

Concept A2 includes MnPASS direct ramp connections at I-394.

F IGURE 3: CONCEPT B: I -394 TO DOWNTOWN S T . PAUL

Concept B includes MnPASS direct ramp connections at I-394 and 5th St./10th St. in Saint Paul.

F IGURE 4: CONCEPT C: DOWNTOWN MINNEAP OLIS TO TH 61

Concept C includes MnPASS direct ramp connections at 11th Ave. in Minneapolis.

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F IGURE 5: CONCEPT D: DOWNTOWN MINNEAP OLIS TO DOWNTOWN ST. PAUL

Concept D includes MnPASS direct ramp connections at 11th Ave. and 5th St./10th St.

F IGURE 6: CONCEPT E: I -35W SOUTH TO I -35E NORTH

Concept E includes MnPASS direct ramp connections at I-35W South and I-35E North.

F IGURE 7: CONCEPT F : DOWNTOWN MINNEAP OLIS TO DOWNTOWN ST. PAUL, FULL LANE CONVERSION

Concept F includes MnPASS direct ramp connections at 11th Ave. and 5th St./10th St. This concept

assumes an existing general purpose lane is converted to a MnPASS lane in each direction.

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Analysis

As stated earlier, there were several criteria that were used to analyze the performance of each concept

These criteria are:

1. Annual travel time savings (transit)

2. Annual travel time savings (vehicular)

3. Job accessibility

4. Incremental cost for implementation (over replacement in-kind)

5. Return-on-investment

TRANSIT TRAVEL TIME SAVINGS

The regional travel demand model was used to determine Transit Travel Time Savings. These estimated

travel time savings were applied to the existing transit routes that would reasonably use the

I-94 corridor for each concept. These travel time savings were then annualized and monetized. Table 1

shows the results of the travel time savings calculations.

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TABLE 1 MNPASS TRANS IT EVALUATION

MnPASS Concept Number

of Bus

Routes

on I-94

Daily

Trips

One-

Way

Rides

Annual

Person

Travel Time

Saved

(hours)

Annual

Productivity

Savings

(millions)

A1 I-394 to TH 61 w/MnPASS Ramps 13 260 7,900 67,000 $1.1

A2 I-394 to TH 61 w/o MnPASS Ramps 13 260 7,900 55,000 $0.9

B I-394 to Downtown Saint Paul 8 205 6,800 31,000 $0.5

C Downtown Minneapolis to TH 61 12 250 7,600 56,000 $0.9

D Downtown to Downtown 7 195 6,600 40,000 $0.7

E I-35W to I-35E 7 195 6,600 36,000 $0.6

F Downtown to Downtown Lane

Conversion

7 195 6,600 33,000 $0.5

VEHICULAR TRAVEL TIME SAVINGS & JOB ACCESSIBILITY

The regional travel demand model was used to determine Transit Travel Time Savings. These travel time

savings were then annualized and monetized. Job Accessibility was estimated based on how many more

jobs people had access to, based on improved travel times. Table 2 shows the results of the travel time

savings and job accessibility analysis.

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TABLE 2 MNPASS VEHIC ULAR EVALUATION & JO B ACCESSIBIL ITY

MnPASS Concepts Annual Travel

Time Savings

(millions)

Job Accessibility

Change

A1 I-394 to TH 61 w/MnPASS Ramps $69.4 2.2%

A2 I-394 to TH 61 w/o MnPASS Ramps $65.3 1.6%

B I-394 to Downtown Saint Paul $29.2 1.5%

C Downtown Minneapolis to TH 61 $29.1 1.5%

D Downtown to Downtown $22.8 0.9%

E I-35W to I-35E $23.6 0.2%

F Downtown to Downtown Lane Conversion $2.0* -0.4%

*Note: This analysis does not assume a mode shift in travel (passenger vehicles to bus)

INCREMENTAL COST

For the purpose of this evaluation, only incremental costs were considered. Specifically, the cost to

replace existing infrastructure was not included. (For reference, the replacement cost to replace the

existing infrastructure is estimated at $1 billion.) The combination of both costs represents the total cost

for infrastructure replacement and MnPASS concept. An incremental cost per mile was also calculated

for reference. Table 3 shows the results of the incremental cost work, with the total cost (incremental

plus replacement cost) for reference.

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TABLE 3 INCREMENTAL COST

MnPASS Concept Incremental

Capital Costs

(billions)

Incremental

Cost per Mile

(millions)

Total

Assumed

Costs

(billions)

A1 I-394 to TH 61 w/MnPASS Ramps $1.88 $145 $2.88

A2 I-394 to TH 61 w/o MnPASS Ramps $1.67 $125 $2.67

B I-394 to Downtown Saint Paul $1.40 $145 $2.40

C Downtown Minneapolis to TH 61 $0.48 $45 $1.48

D Downtown to Downtown $0.21 $30 $1.21

E I-35W to I-35E $0.43 $50 $1.43

F Downtown to Downtown Lane Conversion $0.09 $15 $1.09

RETURN-ON-INVESTMENT

The return-on-investment is a simple ratio of the incremental cost divided by the total travel time

savings (both transit and vehicular). This calculation demonstrates how long it would take to recoup the

capital cost of the concept compared to the travel time benefits it generates. Table 4 shows the results

of the return-on-investment analysis.

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TABLE 4 RETURN-ON-INVESTMENT

MnPASS Concept Annual Travel

Time Savings

(millions)

Incremental

Cost (millions)

Return-on-

Investment

(years)

A1 I-394 to TH 61 w/MnPASS Ramps $70.5 $1.88 26.7

A2 I-394 to TH 61 w/o MnPASS Ramps $66.2 $1.67 25.2

B I-394 to Downtown Saint Paul $29.7 $1.40 47.1

C Downtown Minneapolis to TH 61 $30.0 $0.48 16.0

D Downtown to Downtown $23.5 $0.21 8.9

E I-35W to I-35E $24.2 $0.43 17.8

F Downtown to Downtown Lane Conversion $2.5 $0.09 36.0

Findings

Because the return-on-investment is based on travel time savings and incremental cost, the return-on-

investment criteria is inclusive of all three criteria. The following concepts ranked the highest in return-

on-investment:

- Concept C Downtown Minneapolis to TH 61 – 16.0 years

- Concept D Downtown Minneapolis to Downtown St. Paul – 8.9 years

- Concept E I-35W South to I-35E North – 17.8 years

Appendix T15 | 10

It is important to note that the results identified in this memorandum do not include potential benefits

of motorists changing from passenger vehicles to busses under a lane conversion condition

(Concept F). The City of Minneapolis is currently leading an investigation of this potential, which should

be considered as the process enters the environmental phase.

In addition, as MnPASS concepts are evaluated in the upcoming environmental phase of the project,

MnPASS concepts and benefits also should be evaluated in comparison to general purpose lane and

high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes.

Prepared by: SRF Consulting Group, Inc.