Smart growth means anticipating what lies ahead, and that’s exactly what local leaders did at the recent DMC Transportation Work Session.
Members of the DMC Corporation Board of Directors, the DMC Economic Development Agency (EDA) Board of Directors, the Rochester City Council, and the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners came together with nearly 40 community members for a highly-engaged exchange of information about the future of transportation for Rochester.
ROCHESTER, Minn. (June 14, 2017) – The Destination Medical Center Corporation (DMCC) Board of Directors held a Transportation Work Session today to provide an update on findings since the DMC Transportation Workshop in April.
“A sustainable, comprehensive transportation plan is essential to the success of DMC. Today, we had a valuable discussion about Rochester’s needs, now and in the future,” said Lt. Gov. Tina Smith, chair of the DMCC Board. “Together with the Mayor, City Council, Olmsted County Board, and the EDA Board, we looked closely at design options, with the goal of making transportation work better for people in the DMC district and throughout Rochester and the region.”
Transportation is at the forefront of urban planning and growth, and Rochester leaders are exploring how to best meet the needs of all as the Destination Medical Center initiative continues to take shape.
Transportation goals for Rochester include moving 23-30% of the workforce downtown via transit by 2035, connecting downtown districts with a circulator, and creating a world-class place for regional transit arrival and departure.
By air
Rochester International Airport recently welcomed its first-ever United Airlines flight bringing the city another step closer to creating the high quality of service necessary to support the growth expected as a result of DMC.
A sustainable transportation model is pivotal to the success of the DMC vision. And from practical solutions like dedicated bus lanes to more futuristic ideas like driverless shuttles, the topic brought dozens of community members together for the first of four Public Conversations highlighting transit for Rochester’s downtown.
The informal open house, held on January 24 at the University of Minnesota Rochester, provided the public with a chance to hear from transportation consultants about the four integrated transit studies being conducted and offer their feedback on what they see working best for Rochester’s future.
The city of Rochester is conducting four integrated transit studies to support and advance DMC’s plan. On January 24, study consultants will host the first of four public conversations to share their findings and listen to the thoughts of attendees on transportation in downtown.
Richard Freese is the director of the city’s Public Works Department and feels that Rochester is a unique city requiring 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 or wider roads,” Freese says.