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_1 More people, more trips Slowing the growth in congestion Since 1970, the population of the Twin While growth is a good thing, it poses challenges, as anyone who has Cities metropolitan area has grown by traveled in peak-hour traffic can attest. In 1990, 30 percent of the region's 767,000, or more than 40 percent. freeway lanes were congested during peak periods; by 2000, the figure had During this same period, the region grown to 60 percent. In the Council's 2004 survey of metro area residents, has seen: traffic congestion ranked as the No. 1 concern, outpacing crime, education •More women entering the workforce. and housing. Between 1970 and 2000, the proportion There are no "silver bullets" that will eliminate congestion. But the of women in the Twin Cities workforce Council's Transportation Policy Plan contains policies and strategies increased from 48.8 percent to 71.4 P designed to slow the growth in congestion and improve mobility. percent. Consistent with the 2030 Regional Development Framework–the umbrella •Dramatic growth in auto ownership. chapter of the Council's metropolitan development guide–the In 1970, a third of the households in the Transportation Policy Plan calls for: Twin Cities metropolitan area had two cars. By 2000, the figure had increased to •Planning and investing in multi-modal transportation choices 62 percent. In 2000, there was slightly based on the full range of costs and benefits. more than one car for every licensed driver in the metro area. ■Encouraging mixed-use development in centers along transportation corridors that better links housing,jobs and ■Increased suburbanization and decen- � amenities, and reduces the need for single-destination trips. tralization. In 1970, 54 percent of the !„ ■Making more efficient use of the regional transportation region s households were outside of system by encouraging flexible work hours, telecommuting, Minneapolis and St. Paul. By 2000, the ridesharing and transit ridership. figure had risen to 73 percent. Similarly, the share of the region's jobs located ■Focusing highway investments first on maintaining and outside of the central cities grew from 44 managing the existing system, and second on slowing congestion. percent in 1970 to 69 percent in 2000. ��, ■ Building transit ridership by expanding the current bus ■Rapid growth in the adjacent counties, system and developing a network of dedicated rail and/or where large numbers of the adult bus "transitways." population commute to work in the ■Encouraging local communities to implement a system of fully seven-county area. interconnected arterial and local streets, pathways and bikeways. Today, more people are making more trips and traveling longer distances, with suburb-to-suburb commutes exceeding thosefrom the suburbs to the central r cities. Il BY 2030, the region is expected to add 3 g P nearly 1 million people, 470,000 households and 560,000 jobs. This will generate an additional 4 million daily - �Q -w r ' ' Q"`�° m trips, a 37 percent increase in travel on s7o- our region's roadways. — - e