| ROUNDTABLE TO ADDRESS I-394 MNPASS MARCH 8
The Humphrey Institute's State and Local Policy Program and the University
of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies will sponsor a roundtable
discussion on "I-394 MnPass--A New Choice for Commuters"
on Tuesday, March 8, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon in the Mississippi Room
on the third floor of Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Avenue
SE, Minneapolis. The event is free and open to the public.
The signs are up, and the I-394 MnPASS express lanes are scheduled
to open in May 2005. MnPASS will allow solo drivers to choose a faster,
more reliable commute on I-394 for a fee. Drivers will need to open
a prepaid MnPASS account, install a MnPASS transponder and follow
some simple rules. Carpools and bus riders will continue to travel
for free. How will the I-394 MnPASS project be evaluated? The Minnesota
Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has commissioned an extensive
independent evaluation of this first-of-its kind project for Minnesota.
Cambridge Systematics, a a transportation research and evaluation
firm, is conducting an evaluation of the project using technical data
that is being collected before and after the project opens. The Humphrey
Institute's State and Local Policy Program is conducting a three-phase
panel survey with NuStats, a national survey research firm. The results
of the baseline survey conducted in November and December 2004 will
be presented and discussed.
Agenda
9:30 a.m. Continental brunch
10:00 "I-394 MnPASS - A New Choice for Commuters: How Will It
Be Evaluated?"
Moderator: Bob Johns, director, Center for Transportation Studies,
University of Minnesota
Panel
- Nick Thompson, I-394 MnPASS project manager, Minnesota
Department of Transportation
- Susan Sheehan, I-394 MnPASS Evaluation Coordinator,
Minnesota Department of Transportation
- Doug Sallman, technical evaluation project manager,
Cambridge Systematics
- Lee Munnich, director, State and Local Policy Program,
Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
- Johanna Zmud, president, NuStats
11:15 Roundtable Discussion with Audience
12:00 p.m. Adjourn |
