Karl F. Rolvaag, Governor 1963 LEGISLATIVE HIGHWAY INTERIM COMMISSION Senator Norman Larson, Chairman Senator Donald Sinclair Senator A. O. Sundet Representative D. W. Fisher Representative August B. Mueller U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Rex M. Whitton, Federal Highway Administrator "A comprehensive study should be made of In calling for this study of traffic safety needs, the State Legislature has laid the groundwork for an important program to provide Minnesota citizens of today and tomorrow with the safest and most efficient transportation system possible. But more importantly, perhaps, this action also indicates that the legislature fully recognizes its responsibility in planning this program on the best and most accurate data available. It is only through such soundly based planning that legislation designed to serve the people can be effective. Most of the functions under study were created by the legislature years ago to accommodate the motoring public of another era. Since the advent of the "automotive age," new and more complex demands have been made on these functions, and will continue to be made in increasing numbers in the years ahead. This is particularly evident in the areas of motor vehicle registrations, licensed drivers, and vehicle miles traveled. As shown in Charts 1 and 2, the number of motor vehicles in use in Minnesota by 1985 (excluding trailers and other non-powered vehicles) will increase more than 50 percent from this year's 1,723,000 to 2,629,000. Vehicle travel mileage, about 16 billion in 1964, will reach 27 billion, or an increase of 70 percent. The number of licensed drivers expected in 1985 will be 2,800,000 again as many as today's 1,880,000. à half While these projections indicate the enormous growth of highway use over the next two decades, they also indicate the challenge facing Minnesota in providing services to accommodate this use. 7. I THAL |