Planning and research
The Minnesota Department of Transportation oversees a statewide transportation system, which also includes people who ride bicycles.
Planning
Statewide Bicycle System Plan
The Statewide Bicycle System Plan presents MnDOT’s vision and goals for bicycle transportation, implementation strategies, and performance measures to evaluate progress towards achieving this vision. The Plan strives for a future in which bicycling is safe, comfortable, and convenient for all people.
MnDOT District Bicycle Plans
MnDOT’s District Bicycle Plans are a key step toward realizing the vision of the Statewide Bicycle System Plan. MnDOT and local partners worked together to identify roads and paths for future bicycle investment. Each District also created a scoring system based on policy from the Statewide Bicycle System Plan to guide future improvements.
MnDOT Bicycle Route Planning Guide (PDF)
The Bicycle Route Planning Guide serves as a blueprint to develop and designate long distance bicycle routes in Minnesota, including United States Bicycle Routes (USBR) and the Minnesota Bicycle Route Network (MBRN). The Guide details seven steps for designating a route from route planning inception to management.
Research
Economic impact and health benefits of bicycling
Long-term MnDOT plans identified bicycling as an integral part of Minnesota’s transportation system. MnDOT contracted with the University of Minnesota to complete a project to better understand the economic and health impacts of bicycling in Minnesota.
Data
Bicycle and pedestrian traffic counts
The Minnesota Pedestrian and Bicyclist Counting Program, started in 2013, set out to build a network of automated people counters (both permanent and portable) to collect non-motorized traffic data, and develop methodology for analyzing, validating, evaluating, and managing it.
Minnesota Active Transportation Plan Map
MnDOT has created a database of local active transportation plans that also allows local partners to suggest additional plans to be added.