Friday, May 11, 2012
Joins us for The Future of Transportation Finance: Who Will Pay? A Forum Hosted by James L. Oberstar
An opportunity to hear from the CEO of BNSF Railway, the CEO of AASHTO, and Mr. Oberstar!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM (CT)
Humphrey School of Public Affairs
Cowles Auditorium
301 19th Avenue S.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
RSVP through EventBrite
As gas prices rise and vehicles become more fuel efficient, gas tax revenues have not kept up with funding requirements for the nation's transportation system. The question is who will pay to maintain and make necessary improvements in the nation's transportation system in the future? Congress and the Administration are currently stymied on the transportation funding problem, and states are struggling to find new funding solutions. James L. Oberstar, Member of Congress (1975 to 2011) and Chair of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (2007 to 2011), will host a forum to discuss the future of transportation funding and who will pay. The speakers will discuss what should be the basic principles for funding transportation, how we do it now, and how we should do it in the future. The forum will include a participant discussion led by Mr. Oberstar.
Host: James L. Oberstar
Speakers:
Jack Basso, Chief Operating Officer, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
Matthew Rose, Chairman and CEO, BNSF Railway Co.
Stephen Lockwood, Senior VP, PB Consult, Parsons Brinckerhoff
James Whitty, Manager, Office of Innovative Partnerships and Alternative Funding, Oregon Department of Transportation
Discussion Panel:
Tom Sorel, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Transportation
Janet Kavinoky, Executive Director, Transportation & Infrastructure, US Chamber of Commerce
Bill Goins, Worldwide Account Manager, FedEx Services
John Hausladen, President and CEO, Minnesota Truckers Association
Margaret Donahoe, Executive Director, Minnesota Transportation Alliance
Participant Discussion
Click here to RSVP
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Torger Reve on Global Knowledge Hubs - May 15
Register Here
Torger Reve, international expert on economic competitiveness, will present his research on Norwegian Global Knowledge Hubs: superclusters of knowledge-based industrial development. He will explain how nations, regions and cities must now compete to be the most attractive locations for knowledge-intensive industries. Following the presentation, a panel of Minnesotan experts will discuss the implications of knowledge hubs for Minnesota's economic competitiveness. The audience will also be asked to join the discussion during a question and answer session with Torger and the Minnesota panel.
About Torger Reve: Professor Reve has extensively researched Norway's maritime global knowledge hub and will describe how Norway developed its unique global position by combining three major factors: ocean, technology, and knowledge. Reve's Norwegian perspective will be used to present implications for Minnesota. He will explain how interaction between organizations with different specialties is essential for innovation and is a key driver for knowledge transfer among enterprises and how nations, regions, and cities must now compete to be the most attractive locations for knowledge-intensive industries. Professor Reve is the Wilh Wilhelmsen Chair in Strategy and Industrial Competitiveness at the BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway. He also heads the Center for Maritime Competitiveness. Reve has a Ph.D. in marketing from Northwestern University. He also holds two masters degrees in business administration from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen, Norway, and a B.A. degree in liberal arts from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
CERS Study Shows Fewer Deaths, Fewer Tax Dollars Spent Since Minnesota Primary Seat Belt Law Passed
On March 26, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety released a study conducted by the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety that showed Minnesota has had 68 fewer traffic deaths since the state's seat belt law changed from a secondary to primary law in June 2009.
Researchers examined crash and health statistics from the State of Minnesota to determine that, controlling for all other factors, including Minnesota's already declining traffic fatalities, 68 fewer people had died and there were 320 fewer incapacitating injuries from traffic crashes, than would have been expected had the law not been changed.
These saved lives and serious injuries meant that $45 million was not spent on hospital bills, of which nearly $10 million would have been paid directly by Minnesota payers through programs like such as Medicare, Medicaid and other government insurance programs.
A longer description of the work can be found on the Humphrey School website.
The full study is currently available on website of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Monday, February 6, 2012
Humphrey School Supports MnDOT Task Forces on Mileage-Based User Fees and Public-Private Partnerships
The Humphrey School's State and Local Policy Program facilitated the process and provided technical support for two Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) task forces in 2011. The two reports are now available on-line:
Report of Minnesota's Mileage-Based User Fee Policy Task Force
The Mileage-Based User Fee (MBUF) Policy Task Force appointed by MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel, was formed to identify and evaluate issues related to potential future implementation of an MBUF system in Minnesota. Under a potential MBUF system, drivers would be charged based on the number of miles they drive, regardless of the type of energy source used to propel the vehicle, and instead of being charged by the gallon for fuel consumed in operating a vehicle. Over a period of six months, the Task Force discussed and evaluated the overall MBUF concept and related issues, determined benefits and concerns, considered potential system design options and preferences and formulated policy objectives, findings and recommendations. The Task Force was comprised of 25 Minnesotans representing a broad range of experience in the transportation industry, from both a public and private sector standpoint, the economic development community and a privacy expert.
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Transportation: Policy Task Force Recommendations
The Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Transportation Policy Task Force was convened by MnDOT in April 2011 to identify and examine the potential for expanding the use of PPPs in Minnesota, and to recommend strategies for implementation. The Task Force concluded that many factors are affecting Minnesota's ability to build and maintain its transportation infrastructure, and these limitations are negatively impacting mobility and economic growth. If appropriately implemented, PPPs can effectively leverage traditional resources used for transportation infrastructure and significantly contribute to the timely and cost effective delivery of projects. However, PPP tools should only be used to supplement, and not replace, traditional funding sources. The PPP Policy Task Force consisted of two dozen members that included state legislators, local-elected officials, transportation, business, labor, environmental and community leaders.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Kris Nelson
I was saddened to learn today that my good friend and colleague Kris Nelson died in his sleep last night. Kris, who worked for the University of Minnesota's Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) for many years, taught a capstone workshop on economic and community development with me for Humphrey School grad students each spring semester. Kris who was CURA's "neighborhood guy" always handled the community development side, while I focused on economic development.
I always enjoyed Kris' lecture about his community development efforts in the Whittier Neighborhood during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Last fall, Kris joined me and Burke Murphy in teaching a new course on economic competitiveness and industry clusters. We enjoyed teaching together and learning along with the students on their team projects.
Kris touched many people in his life. He had a huge network and always seemed to know who was doing what in the community. Kris could always find the right speaker to talk about development issues for our class.
This is a great loss for our community. Kris was a great friend and I will miss him dearly.
Lee Munnich
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Humphrey Students Propose Plans for Southwest Light Rail Transit Stations
Humphrey graduate students proposed development strategies for five stations located on the proposed Southwest Light Rail Transit (LRT) line for a capstone workshop taught by Lee Munnich and Kris Nelson. The five team projects were completed and presented to clients from the Bryn Mawr Neighborhood in Minneapolis and the cities of St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie.
The South Gateway: Increasing the Viability of Penn Station in Bryn Mawr by Arthur Huang, Brian Lafferty, Marshall Moore, and Kay Qualley
Heart of the Park: Wooddale Station Redevelopment Framework by Anders Imboden, Lindsey Knutson, Lyssa Leitner, and Kelly Muellman
Blake Road Station: A Global Village in a Midwestern Town by Brett Costain, Jennifer Halcrow, Andrea Long, and Cedric Williams
Shady Oak Station Strategy Report by Avital Barnea, Brynn Hausz, and Kurt Wayne
Golden Triangle Station Area Development Plan by Dale Cooney, Matt Fyten, and Shaker Rabban
Friday, April 8, 2011
James L. Oberstar, "Putting America First in Transportation"
Martin Olav Sabo Lecture Series
Friday, May 6, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Center
Mr. Oberstar recently joined the Humphrey School of Public Affairs as a visiting scholar and chair of the advisory board for the University of Minnesota's Center for Excellence in Rural Safety. He will discuss his vision for transportation, Putting America First -- that is, ahead of our parochial, partisan, personal interests in transportation.
The Martin Olav Sabo Lecture Series, which began in 2002, is a forum for distinguished individuals to address the challenges of public service for our states and nation. This series honors the public service career of former Congressman Martin O. Sabo.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Register here.
A weblog produced by the State and Local Policy Program and the Regional Planning and Policy area at the University of Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Afairs
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