The Livability Initiative
MnDOT's Livability Initiative recognizes all the ways that transportation impacts our daily lives beyond just getting from one place to another. We collaborate with partners, community members, planners, and engineers to create projects that fix infrastructure needs and address broader community needs linked to transportation. These needs can include cleaner air, affordable housing, or feeling safe walking home at any time of day.
The Livability Initiative is based in the Metro District. It's inspired by Rethinking I-94 but applies to the entire district. Currently, we're working with three project teams: Rethinking I-94, Highway 252 and I-94, and I-494: Airport to Highway 169. In 2025, we will identify a set of pilot projects to show how livability can be integrated into the agency’s project and planning processes.
We use two main guides in our work: the Livability Framework and the Guiding Commitments. The Framework explains what livability means—it recognizes the different community goals linked to transportation. The Guiding Commitments help us engage with communities to understand challenges and opportunities related to livability. These guides help us leverage partnerships and use transportation facilities and services to achieve broader community goals.
