Corridors of Commerce

Corridors of Commerce | Readiness Advancement

Readiness Advancement

Up to 10% of Corridors of Commerce funds available in each fiscal year may be allocated for the following readiness advancement activities:

• Planning
• Scoping
• Predesign
• Preliminary engineering
• Environmental analysis

Any share of funds not allocated to readiness advancement activities must be distributed back to the program. Funds are for project development sufficient to meet the eligibility and scoring criteria of the program.

$22 million in Corridors of Commerce funding carried over from FY2023 will be used to fund the 2025 Readiness Advancement Activity.

Eligibility requirements

The Corridors of Commerce law specifically lays out program eligibility guidelines.

• Consistent with MnDOT’s Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan (SMTP)
• On the Trunk Highway System within the Metro District, or on the National Highway System (NHS) within a Greater Minnesota district
• Placement into at least one project classification category
• May be, but is not required to be, identified in the 20-year state highway investment plan

Regional balance

To ensure regional balance throughout the state, Minnesota Statutes 161.088 requires that all available program funds be distributed according to the following regional allocations:

• Metro projects: At least 25% and no more than 27.5% of the funds are for projects that are located within, on, or directly adjacent to an area bounded by marked I-494 and I-694 (based on current program funding, no funds available for metro readiness advancement activities as part of the 2025 solicitation)
• Metro connector projects: At least 35% and no more than 37.5% of the funds are for projects that are located wholly or primarily within a greater metropolitan county and outside of the Metro Project boundary identified above.
• Regional center projects: At least 35% and no more than 40% of the funds are for projects that are outside of the two boundaries identified above.

Percentages will be calculated using total funds under the program over the current and prior two consecutive project selection rounds. The calculations include awards for readiness advancement activities.

Project selection process

The process for identifying, evaluating and selecting readiness advancement activity nominations under the program is done in phases. Find full descriptions and other details of each phase in the Readiness Advancement Projects program guidance document (Word).

Phase 1: Project solicitation

MnDOT will use an online nomination process that allows for an interested party, including an individual, business, local unit of government, corridor group, or interest group, to submit a future project needing to complete readiness advancement activities for consideration.

• Corridors of Commerce Readiness Activity Nomination Form

Phase 2: Local screening and recommendations

MnDOT will distribute nominations received during the open solicitation to local screening entities. Screening entities identified within the statute:

• Metropolitan Council in consultation with the Transportation Advisory Board
• Greater Minnesota area transportation partnerships (ATPs)
• Each of the following greater metropolitan counties:
  • Anoka
  • Carver
  • Chisago
  • Dakota
  • Hennepin
  • Isanti
  • Ramsey
  • Scott
  • Sherburne
  • Washington
  • Wright

Screening entities must consider all the submitted nominations for its area. Consideration shall include soliciting input from members of the legislature who represent the area for review, comment, and nonbinding approval or disapproval. Additionally, MnDOT district offices will review submitted budgets for accuracy. Any budgets needing revision can be recommended for scoring with a stipulation of receiving a revised budget.

Each screening entity may select up to two nominations to recommend for readiness advancement funding. Each recommendation must identify the comments and approvals or disapprovals provided by a member of the legislature.

Phase 3: Project scoring

All nominations recommended by a Local Screening Entity, that have been determined to be eligible for the program, will be scored. Up to 100 Points will be awarded for each of the eight criteria. The maximum possible score is 800 points. Full descriptions of each criterion can be found in the Readiness Advancement guidance document.

Once recommendations have been received from local screening entities, MnDOT will complete a scoring assessment. Recommended nominations must be scored using all the following criteria, as required by law:

• Return on investment
• Economic competitiveness
• Freight efficiency
• Safety
• Regional connections
• Policy objectives
• Community consensus
• Project Deliverability

Phase 4: Project ranking selection

Upon completion of nomination scoring, MnDOT will develop ranked lists based on the total score for each of the regional project categories.

Phase 5: Public information

MnDOT will publish information regarding the selection process on the department's website. The information will include the following:

• Lists of all readiness advancement activity nominations submitted for consideration and all nominations recommended by the screening entities
• Scores and ranking for each nomination
• Overview of each selected nomination amounts and sources of funding

Additional program guidance

MnDOT will not award funding to a nomination that does not meet all the applicable state and federal laws, even if it scores the highest in the program.

Information will be shared with selected nominations for future projects anticipated needing to complete an initial greenhouse gas impact assessment as part of the readiness advancement activity.

Program schedule