Reducing the risk of traffic crashes and harm to all users of our transportation system regardless of travel mode.

1. Reduce Crash Frequency and Severity: Based on crash history and future crash prediction, work to reduce the incidence of all motor vehicle and non-motor vehicle (pedestrian and cyclist) crashes, with an emphasis on serious injury and fatal crashes. Consider the context of each transportation corridor and safety needs by existing and potential modes of travel using the corridor.
2. Implement Safe System Features: Implement improvements that align with Federal Highway’s Safe Systems Approach and are proven Crash Reduction Measures at locations with an existing crash history. Also implement proven Crash Reduction Measures at locations without an existing crash history as a proactive improvement.
3. Vision Zero: Support North Dakota’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) “Vision Zero” as a goal to move toward zero fatal resultant crashes.

Promoting the economic vitality of the MPO area by working to ensure transportation facilities fit with and support their surrounding community context and long-term community goals.

1. Safe and Reliable Freight Movement: Enhance the safe, efficient, and reliable movement of freight and goods including investments in congestion reduction and safety improvements on critical urban freight corridors and other designated freight corridors.
2. Support Other Regional Plans:
   1. Support transportation investments as identified in the most recent MPO Regional Freight Study.
   2. Promote transportation design and investments that enhance the local economy as promoted in local community planning documents.
   3. Support the efforts of local jurisdictions’ land use planning, ensuring that new land use plans are well-coordinated with the MTP and other MPO transportation planning efforts.
3. Support Efficient Development Patterns: Promote transportation investments that support infill/efficient development patterns.

Providing a transportation system that is secure from man-made disaster and adaptable to severe weather, major economic changes, and other shocks. Impacts to the built and natural environment are avoided, minimized, and mitigated to the greatest extent possible.

1. Minimize Environmental Impacts: Strive to avoid and minimize the transportation system’s impacts on the natural and built environment. Identify multimodal transportation system impacts through planning and as necessary, mitigate impacts to the greatest extent feasible.
2. Integrate Multimodal Design into New Development: Plan for and address multimodal transportation system impacts/sufficiency when planning new developments.
3. System Security: Enhance transportation security and resiliency by developing strategies to address critical transportation assets identified that will facilitate the rapid movement of first responders and support incident management during times of emergency.
4. Reduce and / or mitigate Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): Implement strategies and projects that reduce the rate of VMT growth to reduce transportation emissions and the associated environmental and air quality impacts. Implementing strategies that reduce VMT growth has broad benefits, such as the opportunity for shorter trips, more transportation connections, reduced transportation costs, and the opportunity to utilize modes other than automobile travel.

Providing for the efficient and reliable movement of people, connecting people and where they live to goods, services, and jobs with multiple options with a focus on predictable travel times. This goal also places an emphasis on improving the efficiency in how transportation projects are delivered.

1. Promote Reliable Vehicle Travel: Implement strategies and projects that increase transportation system reliability by reducing unexpected or non-recurring incidents and bottlenecks to make travel time more predictable.
2. Improve Management of Corridor Access Points: As part of transportation corridor reconstruction projects and the establishment of new corridors, manage access points consistent with street function in order to further safety and mobility needs.
3. Reduce Single Occupant Vehicle Travel: Support future development that would result in reduced motor vehicle trips/increased use of travel options other than single occupant vehicles.
4. Promote the Efficient Delivery of All Transportation Projects. Identify additional ways to complete the transportation project development process more quickly, saving time and money.
5. Promote the Efficient Delivery of Complementary Multimodal Improvements with Roadway Construction Projects: Construct active transportation and transit improvements with complementary roadway projects to promote the efficient delivery of construction projects.

Maintaining transportation assets, including roadway pavement and bridges, active transportation facilities, and transit capital, in a state of good repair.

1. Pavement and Bridge Condition: Maintain pavement quality and bridges at acceptable levels.
2. Signage and Pavement Marking Condition: Maintain street signage and pavement marking in order to preserve visibility.
3. Bicycle and Pedestrian System Condition: Maintain the current bicycle & pedestrian system.
4. Transit Capital Condition: Maintain transit fleet, equipment, and facilities in a state of good repair as identified within the Transit Development Plan.
5. Signal, Lighting and ITS Condition: Maintain traffic signals, lighting, and other transportation ITS assets at acceptable levels. (2045 Objective - Infrastructure Condition)
6. Proactively Manage Pavement: All MPO participating jurisdictions should cost-participate in the data collection of pavement system condition on a 4/5-year cycle.

Incorporating emerging trends and technologies into the transportation system. This includes innovative infrastructure deployment (such as for electric vehicles or autonomous travel), using innovative mobility options, and utilizing innovative data sources to make more informed decisions.

1. ITS Maintenance and Planning: Maintain and enhance Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) already in use locally and their evolution, such as dynamic signal phasing, driver information systems, and vehicle detection systems.
2. Manage the System Through Technology: Consider the application of ITS to help mitigate the need for capital-intensive projects and associated impacts.
3. Plan for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: Champion further testing and integrating autonomous and connected vehicles in the transportation system. Coordinate with NDDOT on statewide planning, the State Transportation Management Center development, and other opportunities related to connected and autonomous vehicles in order to best position the MPO area for the future.
4. Plan for Electric Vehicles: Accommodate electric vehicle market trends through planning efforts and development opportunities, such as promoting the expansion of charging stations. Continue to coordinate with NDDOT on statewide planning and other opportunities related to electric vehicles in order to best position the MPO area for the future.
5. Leverage Data for Decision Making: Apply well-vetted and appropriate data sets available to help support more intelligent local decision-making regarding transportation planning, design, and investments.

Providing enhanced infrastructure and connections for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other modes of active transportation; transit is integral to transportation in the MPO area and compliments both active transportation and passenger auto transportation.

1. Transit Coordination: Coordinate planning and project development with transit agencies to improve transit route efficiency, safety, system productivity, and community awareness by implementing transportation investments that support the transit system.
2. Implement Transit and Rideshare Strategies: Improve transit and rideshare opportunities for travelers commuting into the MPO area from both outside and within the urban area.
3. Transit Security: Provide a safe and secure environment for transit system riders.
4. Bicycle and Pedestrian Project Implementation: Improve bicycle and pedestrian system accessibility, connectivity, and safety by promoting or implementing transportation investments identified in recent MPO planning documents.
5. User Education: Improve the awareness and safety for all users of the regional multimodal transportation system through education on rules and responsibilities.
6. Reduce Multimodal Gaps: Improve the continuity of the multimodal systems for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders; through improved network connections, reduced circuity, and reduced system gaps.
7. Multimodal Coordination: Improve the coordination between planning for active transportation and transit to ensure transit stops/timing points are safe and well connected to the active transportation system; improve first-mile/last-mile connectivity.
8. Implement Complete Streets: Implement transportation projects that accommodate active transportation and transit where feasible. Overall, streets in the MPO area will become more accommodating for active transportation and transit.

Improving transportation infrastructure so that people from all walks of life have access to affordable and reliable transportation options; included consideration of how transportation benefits and impacts all members of the community.

1. Connect Disadvantaged Neighborhoods: Plan projects and programs that safely connect disadvantaged populations to the surrounding transportation system, with a focus on all modes of transportation. Also provide projects within or adjacent to disadvantaged populations that respond to each community’s desired multimodal mobility and accessibility, and safely connect disadvantaged populations to needed services as proposed in MPO planning studies.
2. Proactive Community Engagement: Implement early community engagement in the transportation project development process that includes as many impacted and potentially impacted populations as possible. As applicable, engagement will be focused on the neighborhood level, consistent with the MPO’s Public Participation Plan.
3. Minimize Impacts on Disadvantaged Populations: Balance impacts and burdens stemming from multimodal transportation improvements amongst populations within the MPO region.