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3-C

Continuing, Cooperative, and Comprehensive: By Federal regulation the APO must follow a 3-C planning process.

ADT

Average Daily Traffic: The total number of vehicles that cross a specific point along a roadway over a number of days divided by the number of days. For example, a automated traffic counter might record the following daily traffic over three days: 10,000 on day 1; 12,000 on day 2; 8,000 on day 3. The ADT is calculated thus: 10,000+12,000+8,000=30,000/3 days=10,000 vehicles (on average) per day.

ALOP

Annual Listing of Obligated Projects: A status report on transportation projects for which funding was obligated in previous years.

APO

Saint Cloud Area Planning Organization: The organization designated by agreement between the Governor, local unit of government, and relevant agencies as being responsible for carrying out the terms of 23 USC Sec. 134. The APO is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Saint Cloud urban area.

ATAC

Active Transportation Advisory Committee: A sub-committee of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) which focuses on the identifying and addressing the needs of active transportation modes such as bicycling and walking.

ATP

Area Transportation Partnership: These committees of local governments, relevant agencies, and MnDOT staff were created by MnDOT to enhance regional intergovernmental planning and increase cooperative development of the four-year State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

CPG

Consolidated Planning Grant: A combination of planning grant funds from the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.

CSAH

County State Aid Highway: A roadway that is operated and maintained by a county but for which the county receives state aid funding. Generally, the state views these roadways as key facilities for statewide or regional mobility.

FHWA

Federal Highway Administration: The Federal administration responsible for monitoring and facilitating the construction and maintenance of the National Highway System. The APO is a recipient of an annual planning grant from FHWA.

FTA

Federal Transit Administration: The Federal administration responsible for monitoring and facilitating the operations and capital improvement of public transit providers. The APO is a recipient of an annual planning grant from FTA.

GIS

Geographic Information Systems: A framework for gathering, managing, and analyzing spatially-related data. For example, GIS can be used to map crash reports in order to determine which roadway intersections are experiencing the highest crash rates.

IIJA

The Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (public law 117-58) signed into law on Nov. 15, 2021. Part of the law establishes federal funding authorizations for surface transportation for the years 2022-2026.

MnDOT

Minnesota Department of Transportation: The State department with which the APO coordinates on transportation issues and which has oversight responsibilities for ensuring the APO complies with applicable Federal and State requirements.

MPA

Metropolitan Planning Area: The geographic area in which the APO carries out its planning activities. The MPA must include at least the US Census-defined urban area, but may also include any additional urban or urbanizing areas and/or commuter travel-sheds as deemed appropriate by the member jurisdictions of the APO.

MPCA

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: The State agency responsible for monitoring environmental quality and enforcing environmental regulations in Minnesota.

MPO

Metropolitan Planning Organization: An organization designated by agreement between the Governor of a state, units of local governments of an urban area, and relevant agencies as being responsible for carrying out the terms of 23 USC Sec. 134. Any urban area of more than 50,000 people must have an MPO. As of 2015, there were 408 MPOs in the United States. The Saint Cloud APO is the MPO for the Saint Cloud metropolitan area.

MTP

Metropolitan Transportation Plan: The regional transportation plan with at least a 20 year planning horizon, developed cooperatively between the units of government and relevant agencies which are members of the APO.

RFP

Request for Proposals: This is a document used to procure consultant services. The RFP outlines the goals and objectives of a project or study and provides a not-to-exceed budget. Interested consultants then respond by writing and submitting a proposal to provide the required services.

SEP

Stakeholder Engagement Plan: The document that identifies when and how the APO will engage the public during the planning process. In Federal regulations, this document is called the "Public Participation Plan." The APO's SEP also includes our Title VI and Limited English Proficiency Plan.

SRTS

Safe Routes to School: A national initiative that works to make it safe, convenient, and fun for students to walk and bike to and from school.

STBGP

Surface Transportation Block Grant Program: Flexible funding from the Federal Government that may be used by states and localities for projects to preserve and improve the conditions and performance on any Federal-aid highway, bridge or tunnel project on any public road, pedestrian or bicycle infrastructure, and transit capital purchases, including intercity bus terminals.

TA

Transportation Alternatives: Funding from the Federal Government that may be used by state and localities for projects including, but not limited to, the creation of facilities for pedestrians and bicycles, environmental mitigation or habitat protection related to highway construction or operations, as well as infrastructure and non-infrastructure related to Safe Routes to School (SRTS) activities.

TAC

Technical Advisory Committee: The TAC is a committee of planners and engineers representing the local member governments and relevant agencies which is responsible for providing technical advice and guidance to the Policy Board and APO staff.

TAZ

Traffic Analysis Zone: A geographic area used in the Travel Demand Model (TDM). TAZs are assigned socio-economic attributes such as population, number of households, square feet of commercial space, and other data relevant to trip production or attraction.

TH

Trunk Highway: A major roadway connecting two or more cities that is operated and maintained by the State Department of Transportation and is the recommended or preferred route for long-distance and freight trips. In Minnesota, Trunk Highways are numbered, such as TH-15 or TH-23 and they may also be designated as MN-15 or MN-23.

TDM

Travel Demand Model: A computer model used to forecast traffic and traffic congestion under a variety of land use and roadway network conditions.

TPMR

Transportation Performance Monitoring Report: An annual report on how the transportation networks are functioning relative to the APO's adopted performance measures. The TPMR is a product of the APO's Transportation System Performance Monitoring (TSPM) program.

TIP

Transportation Improvement Program: The document that programs Federal funding for surface transportation projects within the MPA.

TSPM

Transportation System Performance Monitoring: An APO program in which staff collect and analyze transportation performance data in order to discover problem areas and help prioritize the programming of transportation improvement projects. The Transportation Performance Monitoring Report (TPMR) is a product of the TSPM.

UPWP

Unified Planning Work Program: A Federally required statement of work identifying the planning priorities and activities to be carried out by the APO staff. The UPWP includes the APO's annual budget and it identifies any special studies and consultant contracts for the fiscal year.

GET INVOLVED

Overview

Public input is vital to our planning process for a couple of reasons. First, we are planning for studies and projects that are funded by taxpayers, and so it is important that taxpayers have a voice in how their money is spent. Second, we believe strongly that as a community we are collectively smarter than any single individual among us. Therefore, by involving more people and hearing more voices in the planning process, we can write higher quality, more implementable plans that meet more needs.

This page is all about how you can be involved in our process.

Our Stakeholder Engagement Plan

The SEP will help members of the public and affected organizations understand how to participate effectively in the APO’s planning processes.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has a website devoted to steps that public agencies can take to ensure their public meetings are fully accessible. It’s included in our SEP by reference, but can also be seen by clicking this link: Meeting on a Level Playing Field

Current Public Input Opportunities

Saint Cloud Metro Bus is proposing several changes to the APO’s FY 2025-2028 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Click HERE to find out more.

Current Public Surveys

Saint Cloud Metro Bus is proposing to amend the APO’s FY 2025-2028 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Click HERE to share your thoughts with us by participating in our latest survey.

 

Results of Recent Past Surveys

Here are the results from some recent online surveys:

  1. Between Dec. 18, 2024, and Jan. 17, 2025, APO staff solicited public input on proposed changes to the 2025-2028 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  2. Between Aug. 8 and Sept. 7, 2024, APO staff solicited public input on the draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) Looking Ahead 2050. You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  3. Between July 17 and Aug. 16, 2024, APO staff solicited public input on the draft 2025-2028 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  4. Between July 3 and Aug. 2, 2024, APO staff solicited public input on several proposed changes to the 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  5. Between April 17 and May 17, 2024, APO staff solicited public input on a proposed change to the 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  6. Between Feb. 14 and March 15, 2024, APO staff solicited public input on two proposed changes to the 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  7. In December 2023/January 2024, APO staff solicited public input on several proposed changes to the 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  8. In July/August 2023 APO staff solicited public input on the draft 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  9. In March/April 2023, APO staff solicited public input on one proposed change to the 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  10. In February/March 2023, APO staff solicited public input on several proposed changes to the 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  11. In December 2022/January 2023, APO staff solicited public input on the six proposed visioning themes as part of the Looking Ahead 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) development. You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
  12. In December 2022/January 2023, APO staff solicited public input on several proposed changes to the 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). You can see those survey results by clicking HERE.
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      Assurances

      English

      The Saint Cloud Area Planning Organization (APO) fully complies with the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Executive Order 12898, Executive Order 13116 and related statutes and regulations. The APO is accessible to all persons of all abilities. A person who requires a modification or accommodation, auxiliary aids, translation services, interpreter services, etc., in order to participate in a public meeting, including receiving this agenda and/or attachments in an alternative format, or language please contact the APO at 320-252-7568 or at admin@stcloudapo.org at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting.

      Somali

      Ururka Qorsheynta Deegaanka ee Cloud Cloud (APO) wuxuu si buuxda u waafaqsanahay Cinwaanka VI ee Xuquuqda Xuquuqda Rayidka ee 1964, Cinwaanka II ee Sharciga Naafada Mareykanka ee 1990, Amarka Fulinta 12898, Amarka Fulinta 13116 iyo qawaaniinta iyo qawaaniinta la xiriira. APO waa u furan tahay dhammaan dadka awooda oo dhan. Qofka u baahan dib-u-habeyn ama dejin, caawimaad gargaar ah, adeegyo turjumaad, adeegyo turjubaan, iwm, si uu uga qeyb galo kulan dadweyne, oo ay ku jiraan helitaanka  ajendahaan iyo / ama ku lifaaqan qaab kale, ama luqadda fadlan la xiriir APO. 320-252- 7568 ama at admin@stcloudapo.org ugu yaraan toddobo (7) maalmood kahor kulanka.

      Spanish

      La Organización de Planificación del Área de Saint Cloud (APO en inglés) cumple plenamente con el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, con el Título II de la Ley sobre los Estadounidenses con Discapacidad de 1990), de la Orden Ejecutiva 12898, de la Orden Ejecutiva 13116 y los estatutos y reglamentos relacionados. La APO es accesible para todas las personas de todas las capacidades. Una persona que requiere una modificación o acomodación, ayudas auxiliares, servicios de traducción, servicios de interpretación, etc., para poder participar en una reunión pública, incluyendo recibir esta agenda y/o archivos adjuntos en un formato o idioma alternativo, por favor, contacta a la APO al número de teléfono 320-252-7568 o al admin@stcloudapo.org al menos siete (7) días antes de la reunión.