In the united states, improved multimodal (and intermodal) approaches are required to reduce transportation costs and urban congestion and provide effective rural access. The minnesota department of transportation (mn/dot) has been actively involved in multimodal planning for several years and has incorporated it into a variety of planning activities including the strategic plan. Mn/dot's view is thatan effective solution to the nation's transportation problems must be based on a multimodal family of vehicles concept. In urban areas, the new concepts must be applied in congested highway corridors. Such approaches also include development of light rail transit and super-speed trains. In rural areas, minnesota is concentrating on its rail service improvement program and freight access improvement program. Aspects of public and legislative support, financial alternatives, and private sector involvement in minnesota's multimodal planningare also discussed. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1305, Finance, planning, programming, economic analysis, and land development 1991.
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