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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.

SRTS PLANNING EFFORTS

Ongoing safe routes to school planning initiatives in the APO region

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information, contact:

 

Alex McKenzie

Associate Transportation
Planner

 

Quick Links

Current Planning Efforts

Previous SRTS Planning Efforts

Planning Grant Opportunities

 

What is Safe Routes to School (SRTS)?

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is an effort to improve walking and bicycling conditions for youth and to encourage more active lifestyles. SRTS programs improve safety, reduce traffic, and improve air quality near schools through a multidisciplinary approach that is structured around the 6 Es.

Additional information can be found on the Minnesota Safe Routes to School website.

Graphic depicting the differences between equality and equity.

Infographic utilized with permission from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Equity

Prioritizing positive outcomes for students from lower-income households; Black, Indigenous, and other students of color; students with disabilities; and other students who face disproportionate barriers to walking, biking, and rolling to school. Equity in SRTS means that every student is able to safely, comfortably, and conveniently walk and bike to school, regardless of race, cultural identity, tribal affiliation, immigrant or refugee status, language, gender or sexual identity, income, religion, and whether or not a student receives special education, has a physical or mental disability, or is homeless or highly mobile.

Equity recognizes that different people have different barriers to living healthy, fulfilled lives. In order to allow people to get the same outcome, we need to understand the different barriers and opportunities that affect different groups and craft our policies, programs, and overall approaches with those various challenges and needs in mind.

Equity allows resources to be provided on the basis of need. Communities disproportionately impacted by safety, health, or transportation access inequities are provided appropriate resources to address their individual needs. Therefore, resource allocation may differ between communities.

Pleasantview Elementary School students painting the pavement as part of a SRTS demonstration project in Sauk Rapids.

Pleasantview Elementary School students painting the pavement as part of a SRTS demonstration project in Sauk Rapids.

Engagement

Working with students, families, school staff, and community members and organizations, especially those from priority equity groups, to create and implement SRTS initiatives. Successful SRTS efforts depend on an actively engaged team to find meaningful ways to contribute to building a culture of walking and bicycling in their community.

Engineering

Developing equity-focused changes to the built environment, designed and prioritized through community engagement. Engineering improvements focus on making changes to streets, trails, and sidewalks to improve walking and biking conditions. These improvements generally aim to reduce vehicle speeds, address conflict points, and provide fully accessible sidewalks and crossings near schools.

Education

Providing students and other community members, especially those from priority equity groups, with skills and knowledge about walking, biking, and rolling. Education programs aim to teach students safe walking and biking behaviors, help improve kids’ bike riding skills or provide information to families about different transportation options that are available. Education programs can also include driver safety campaigns in the vicinity of schools — partnering with police, community groups, or others.

Encouragement

Safety Town program offered at Sts Peter and Paul Catholic School in Richmond.

Safety Town program hosted at Sts Peter and Paul Catholic School in Richmond.

Normalizing a culture of walking, biking, and rolling through incentive programs, events, and activities that center on priority equity groups. Encouragement events help inspire students and parents to try walking or biking to school, and they can help make active transportation part of the culture of the school community.

Evaluation

Measuring how SRTS initiatives are implemented (process evaluation) and what their impacts are (outcome evaluation), especially how initiatives engage with and support priority equity groups. By helping to identify specific issues and monitor trends over time, evaluation strategies ensure that SRTS initiatives are effective. Data collection should occur at the beginning of a SRTS program and then at periodic intervals over time.

 

Current Planning Efforts

During the 2024-2025 school year, the APO is working with the Sartell-Saint Stephen School District to complete SRTS plans for three schools: Pine Meadow Primary School (PMPS), Riverview Intermediate School (RIS), and Sartell Middle School (SMS).

Sartell-St. Stephen SRTS Plan TimelineHow to Get Involved

Thank you to all of those who participated in either the online survey or the mapping activity (a special shout out to those of you who did both). Over the course of the next few months, APO staff will be reviewing your comments together with our local partners (City of Sartell, Sartell Police Department, and Sartell-St. Stephen School District staff) as we work to develop SRTS plans for PMPS, RIS, and SMS. Check back for more updates on the planning efforts and for future opportunities on how to get involved.

Previous SRTS Planning Efforts

Saint Cloud APO staffers have been working with schools across the APO’s planning area to develop SRTS plans since the 2018-2019 school year. This has included planning efforts with St. Cloud School District ISD 742 as well as Sauk Rapids-Rice School District ISD 47.

SRTS Plans

APO staff have continued to engage these community partners in ways to implement various components of the approved SRTS planning efforts.

Planning Grant Opportunities

The following is a list of several active transportation planning grant opportunities/solicitations in which schools and/or communities can apply to receive funding assistance to develop and implement SRTS efforts. For those interested in infrastructure grant opportunities, please consult the Grant Opportunities page.

SRTS Planning Assistance Grants

Solicitation Status: CLOSED.
Solicitation Deadline: Jan. 17, 2025.

Project Duration: July 2025 – June 30, 2026.

More information can be found HERE.

The SRTS Planning Assistance grants are available to schools and communities to develop comprehensive SRTS plans. Plans are either completed by the respective regional development organization or a statewide SRTS consultant.

SRTS Boost Grants

Solicitation Status: CLOSED.
Solicitation Deadline: Jan. 17, 2025.

Project Duration: July 2025 – June 30, 2026.

More information can be found HERE.

The SRTS Boost grant supports communities with existing plans or other comprehensive SRTS approaches to promote non-infrastructure projects for schools to keep walking and bicycling to school safe, easy, and fun for students.

Active Transportation Planning Assistance Grant

Solicitation Status: OPEN.
Solicitation Deadline: Nov. 22, 2024.

Project Duration: Spring 2025 – June 30, 2026.

Application
Active Transportation Planning Assistance Solicitation.
Application Assistance (Word Document)

More information can be found HERE.

The Active Transportation Planning Assistance Grant is a state program designed to help communities create active transportation plans with the help from a consultant. The intent of the program is to help more people safely walk, bike, and roll to destinations where they live, work, and play. These plans will:

  • Analyze existing conditions.
  • Engage the community.
  • Identify ways to improve infrastructure.
  • Identify ways to encourage active transportation.

MnDOT will award up to $1 million worth of consultant support each year from 2024 through 2026. Funding will not be provided directly to the applicant, instead, funds will be directed to a MnDOT selected consultant. No matching funds are required.

Eligible applicants include:

  • Cities.
  • Special park districts.
  • Counties.
  • Federally-recognized Tribal Nations.
  • Regional Development Organizations.
  • Metropolitan Planning Organizations.
  • Non-profit organizations and other groups (with letter of support from local government who will own the plan), including not-for-profit higher learning institutions.