The Metropolitan Council today approved the updated 2030 Transportation Policy Plan (TPP), the region’s long-range transportation investment plan.

Scott County is considering legal action over the plan. (See story on this web page.)

The new plan includes significant revisions to the highway and aviation chapters, based on ongoing studies during 2009-10.

The update also includes the first significant update to the aviation chapter since 1996, and reflects the recently updated 2030 long-term comprehensive plan for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

The highway chapter revisions are primarily based on results from the Metropolitan Highway System Investment Study (MHSIS), a joint study completed by the council and MnDOT this year. The study recommended options for long-term congestion mitigation, as well as strategies for increasing safety and optimizing the capacity of the metro-area highway system with lower cost, high-benefit projects and Active Traffic Management investments.

“This plan identifies a realistic vision for transportation in our region for the next 20 years,” said Council Chair Peter Bell. “The plan is honest about funding expectations, and the system-wide approach to managing congestion on metro-area highways will also help the region achieve aggressive transit goals.”