DMC-Related Transit Studies

Rochester is a unique city that requires a unique approach to travel demand management. Since the invention of the automobile, cities around the world have tried unsuccessfully to build their way out of traffic congestion by building more and wider roads. Rochester is taking a different approach. Based on best practices and lessons learned from other cities, Rochester is building a multi-modal transportation system that is integrated, coordinated, and sustainable for decades to come.

The DMC Development Plan introduced a transportation vision and 10 Transit Principles that will guide transportation planning. This plan is not, however, a blueprint for transit development. The purpose of the Integrated Transit Studies was to vet and update the concepts and assumptions made in the DMC Plan. Broad community perspective on transportation ideas and alternatives will be critical to achieving the modal shift from cars to transit, walking, and bicycling that is necessary to realize the DMC vision.

Overview

The DMC plan was not a blueprint but a concept for future development, it was based on a high-level assessment of conceptual needs and feasibility. The City of Rochester conducted four integrated transit studies to refine the concepts identified in the DMC Plan, generate confidence in selected projects, and answer key questions to allow the projects to advance to the design phase. Specifically, the integrated transit studies were tasked with:

Exploring how the DMC concepts can be built within public right of way with minimal impact to adjacent private property
Determining the most cost-effective use of public dollars to realize the DMC’s transportation vision
Allowing additional opportunity for public agencies, property owners, businesses and residents to participate in the development of alternatives to implement the DMC plan concepts
Laying the ground work to seek federal funding for some of these projects

Key Findings

There is a need for an integrated transportation solution that combines infrastructure and policies, programs, and incentives.
The transportation solution should accommodate all types of users and modes. The bike and pedestrian networks should be increased without reducing traffic lanes.
The implementation of the transportation solution should be phased based upon measurable demands. The initial phasing and prioritization of projects will be determined in 2018.
Diverse funding is required and now is the time to engage with potential funders/developers.
Transit should be at-grade, rubber-tired, and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). BRT is reliable, comfortable, flexible and less capital intensive.
A Transportation Management Association should be launched in Rochester in order to facilitate and encourage alternate modes of transportation.

Presentations

Resolutions of Acceptance

Common Council of the City of Rochester Resolution 237-18
Acceptance of the ITS Final Report, dated June 20, 2018, as an updated and refined framework for the development and implementation of the transportation goals of the DMC Development Plan.
Destination Medical Center Corporation Resolution No. 69-2018
Accepting Destination Medical Center Transportation and Infrastructure Program Integrated Transit Studies Final Report, and Providing Direction for Additional Study and Recommendations

Summaries & Technical Reports

Integrated Transit Studies Executive Summary

Reports and Technical Memorandums

Timeline

In 2016, the Rochester City Council approved the funding to begin work on the four studies. Consultant teams for each study were selected and began work in earnest in fall of 2016. It was anticipated that the majority of the work would be accomplished in 2017. The work of consultants provided an abundance of detailed analysis of various desirable options in each scenario which were reviewed and further evaluated in order to identify a final recommended package of feasible and cost effective transportation improvements to support the DMC Development Plan. As a result of the need to complete this final step of fusing the best elements of the various scenarios into a single recommended plan, the Integrated Transit Study work continued into early 2018. In April 2018, the Rochester City Council and DMCC Board were asked for preliminary acceptance of the key findings and preliminary recommendation. Both entities may give direction for further study or direction for changes. In April 2018 these studies were presented to the public. In June 2018, the Rochester City Council and DMCC Board formally accepted the recommendations and provided direction for additional study and recommendations.

Funding

The DMC Plan identified a potential investment in infrastructure to be $1.8 billion, supported by up to $1.3 billion in public funds. Due to local fiscal limitations and the competitive nature of federal grants, this number may not be realistic. What is known is that there will be $585 million in DMC funding plus federal funding and additional developer funding that could possibly reach a combined total of $900 million for public infrastructure. A realistic estimate for transportation funding (not including parking) is $325-$375 million. The planning studies and design phases of transportation projects typically use about 10% of the total budget ($35-50 million), with 1-2% ($5-10 million) of that going towards the initial assessments of concepts and identification of best cost projects.

Transit Design Principals

Section seven of the DMC Development Plan called transportation investment "the connective fabric that ties the DMC vision together" and upon which hinges future economic development. The trajectory of that investment was set according to ten transportation principles outlined in the plan. Those principles continue to guide planning efforts. They are:

Make it easy, affordable, and convenient for people from southeast
Minnesota and around the world to get to downtown Rochester
Bring 23-30% of the workforce to downtown Rochester on transit by 2035
Create a park-once downtown environment connected by a frequent downtown circulator
Build shared-parking prioritized for economic development
Create world-class streets, designed for people
Create an exceptional place for healthy, human-powered transportation
Form a downtown Rochester access authority
Invest in sustainable transportation infrastructure and programs that reduce the ecological footprint of the city
Use DMC funding to leverage public and private transportation infrastructure funding
Establish and maintain a transportation network that is accessible and inclusive to people of all ages, abilities, and states of wellness

Past Events:

April 23, 2018: City of Rochester Integrated Transit Studies Public Conversation Session #3

4:00 - 7:00 pm, Mayo Civic Center Suite 102/103 at Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, Minnesota
5:30 pm: Remarks from Steve Rymer, Rochester City Administrator and Lisa Clarke, Executive Director, DMC EDA

Join us to continue the conversation on the future of transportation in downtown Rochester. The City of Rochester is conducting four integrated transit studies to support and advance the DMC Plan. On April 23, we will share the findings from these studies and the preferred solutions.

Attend this event to:

Learn about the needs identified and solutions recommended by the Integrated Transit Studies
Observe case studies that illustrate magnitude of project and relevance to Rochester
Provide your input on Preferred Solutions

Click here for the Public Conversation Session #3 Flier
Click here for a flier on the Integrated Transit Studies

May 30, 2017: City of Rochester Integrated Transit Studies Public Conversation Session #2

5:00 - 7:00 pm, Mayo Civic Center Suite 102/103 at 30 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, Minnesota

Join us to continue the conversation on the future of transportation in downtown Rochester. The City of Rochester is conducting four integrated transit studies to support and advance the DMC Plan. On May 30, we will share what we are learning from these studies and would like to receive your input on work-to-date.

Attend this event to:

Learn about the progress of the four integrated transit studies since January 2017
Provide your input on the work-to-date
Collaborate to help identify which outcomes and components improve user experience

Click here for the Public Conversation Session #2 Flier
Click here for a flier on the Integrated Transit Studies

January 24, 2017: City of Rochester Integrated Transit Studies Public Conversation Session #1

4:00 - 8:00 pm, 4th Floor of the UMR University Center at 111 South Broadway, Rochester, Minnesota

Join us to start the conversation on the future of transportation in downtown Rochester! The City of Rochester is conducting four integrated transit studies to support and advance the DMC Plan. During Session #1, we will share what we are learning from these studies and would like to receive your input on downtown transportation needs.

Attend this event to:

Learn about the four integrated transit studies and preview the data collected
Provide your prospective on downtown transportation needs
Collaborate to help identify alternatives to be studied further

Click here for the Public Conversation Session #1 Flier
Click here for a flier on the Integrated Transit Studies

October 27, 2016: Transit Technology Workshop

A wide variety of transportation modes are available to support the successful implementation of the transportation principles in the Destination Medical Center (DMC) Plan. The modes vary with respect to speed, reliability, accessibility, visibility, connectivity, flexibility, capital cost, and operating cost.

The City of Rochester sponsored a Transit Technology Workshop on October 27, 2016 to introduce the community to both proven and evolving technologies for potential application in downtown Rochester. The information presented in the workshop will inform the development of initial transit options to be considered in the Transit Circulation Study.

Use the links below to learn more about what was shared at the workshop:

Rochester Planning Initiatives

City-wide planning initiatives

Planning 2 Succeed: Rochester's Comprehensive Plan Update (Completed early 2017)
The document, entitled Planning 2 Succeed (P2S), is intended to guide the growth of the community. Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department staff have spent the past several months exploring the land use, transportation, infrastructure, and fiscal impacts of several growth scenarios on the Rochester community.
Transit Development Plan (2016-2017)
Rochester Public Transit (RPT) is completing a Transit Development Plan (TDP) which will guide the City’s transit system for the next five years. Proposed service improvements include: a longer service day, more night routes, Sunday service, and ultimately more frequency of buses and more opportunities for people to ride transit.

Downtown Rochester

Integrated Transit Studies (2016-2017)
The City of Rochester's Integrated Transit Studies are working to vet and update the concepts and assumptions made in the DMC Plan. Upon the completion of the studies in December 2017, projects will be able to advance to the design phase.
Downtown Rochester Master Plan (Completed 2010)
The Rochester Downtown Master Plan is the culmination of a nearly yearlong collaborative effort by the City of Rochester, the Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota Rochester, the Rochester Downtown Alliance and the Rochester Area Foundation. The Master Plan presents a vision of what downtown can become and will provide direction and guidance to city leaders, downtown stakeholders and all of the individuals and organizations whose decisions will shape the future of downtown.
DMC District: St. Mary's/2nd Street Public Realm Study Design (2016-2017)
St. Marys Place establishes a civic square and monumental gateway at one of the primary entry points to Rochester.
DMC District: Heart of the City Public Space Design (2016-2017)
The heart of downtown, this district creates a true center of Rochester, a crossroads where Mayo Clinic, commercial, retail, and residential meet.
DMC District: Discover Square Development (TBD)
A new address for the future of bio-medical, research, education and technology innovation, Discovery Square is a keystone to the DMC economic development strategy.
DMC District: Downtown Waterfront (TBD)
The downtown waterfront transforms the perception of Rochester as a medical campus to a vibrant destination city.

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Contact Information

DMC-Related Transit Studies

Integrated Transit Studies Executive Summary

Reports and Technical Memorandums

Past Events:

Rochester Planning Initiatives