MnDOT’s State Fair booth helps connect public

Published 9:28 am Wednesday, August 20, 2014

ST. PAUL — Looking for a free state highway or bicycle map? Have burning questions about a road project near you? Want to know how to drive a roundabout?

Information about these and other transportation-related topics can be found at the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s exhibit at the 2014 Minnesota State Fair Thursday through Labor Day.

MnDOT’s booth this year has doubled in size and has a new location in the Education Building, 1372 Cosgrove St. The theme is “Get Connected: How Transportation Affects YOU,” and shows the numerous ways transportation connects Minnesota residents and businesses with their community, region and world. The display also highlights how transportation improvements along busy corridors help the economy by keeping traffic and freight moving; how use of innovative technology on projects shortens traffic impact and improves safety; and how the projected growth of traffic and freight during the next 15 years will affect the state’s aging infrastructure.

Email newsletter signup

“The fair gives MnDOT the opportunity to hear from Minnesotans from all over the state about their transportation experiences,” said MnDOT Commissioner Charlie Zelle. “Stop by and chat with us. We want to hear about what’s important to you and your family.”

New this year, fairgoers are invited to sit in the “rest area” of MnDOT’s booth to view short videos depicting a range of transportation projects and innovations. These include showing a snow storm from the driver’s seat of a snowplow to seeing the Larpenteur Avenue Bridge slide into place through time-lapse photography to illustrating the impact to traffic when drivers use/don’t use the zipper merge.

Fairgoers will also have the opportunity to win a MnDOT T-shirt or Minnesota transportation history book by completing a short survey and submitting it into a daily drawing.

In addition to MnDOT’s presence in the Education Building, state transportation workers will be driving a snowplow in the State Fair’s daily 2 p.m. parade on Friday, Wednesday and Aug. 29.