ARDC Planning

09/04/2026

Minnesota volunteer drivers give older adults, people with disabilities, and others access to healthcare, delivered meals, and other key services.

ElderCircle is a valued member of the Arrowhead Regional Coordinating Council and part of the mission to improve access, availability, and options for transportation services in northeastern Minnesota.

See the comment section below for more resources on being a volunteer driver with ElderCircle or other organizations in the Arrowhead!

ARDC Planning is a Division of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission.

09/03/2026

Have you heard about Minnesota Department of Transportation's new toolkit for helping teachers, school staff, families, and communities support safe walking and rollin' to school!

On My Way! can help schools meet state requirements for active transportation safety education. There is also technical assistance available for educators, schools and school districts as they roll out On My Way! to students.

Check it out below!

ARDC Planning is a division of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission.

Backpack? Check. Notebook? Check. New walking and biking education tools? Check!

We recently launched On My Way! This new education program helps schools meet the state requirements for active transportation education. Students in grades K-2 learn safe walking skills, and grades 3-8 learn both walking and biking safety skills. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4qSoCvM

09/02/2026

Check out this great interview with one of our Arrowhead Regional Transportation Coordinating Council (RTCC) members!

CW Transportation Services LLC, along with the other regional non-emergency medical (NEMT) providers in our region, have played a large role in ARDC’s partnership with CTS’s Empowering Small Minnesota Communities program.

Special thanks to University of Minnesota Duluth Professor David Beard for connecting Fox 21 News to our local providers to showcase the need for a strong NEMT system in our region.

Established in 2017, the Arrowhead RTCC’s mission is to improve access, availability, and options for transportation services in northeastern Minnesota through improved communication, coordination, and collaboration.

We are working with the University of Minnesota on a project called Research, Maps, and Storytelling: Tools for Identifying and Responding to the Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Needs of the Arrowhead Region of Minnesota.

https://www.fox21online.com/news/local/superior-man-helps-non-emergency-medical-ride-shortage-with-transportation-service/article_952dbae2-dedf-4824-b758-f26fbec0404b.html

ARDC Planning is a division of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission.

🚐 🩺🚌

Warren Little of Superior has worked in healthcare from nursing homes to hospitals, he saw a recurring issue, the lack of non-emergency medical transportation.

08/25/2026

Save the date!

Join us September 24th for the DAWN Business Resource Summit & Pitch Competition in northeastern Minnesota. A day of funding panels, expert connections, and a live pitch competition featuring up to 10 local entrepreneurs.

RSVP: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/Ld1QuRbLRA
Apply to Pitch: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/AXmaWN5rmm

ARDC Planning is a Division of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission. We are proud to be an advisory committee member supporting NORTHSPAN on this great project.

08/07/2026

ARDC Planning is excited to be working alongside City of Tower and Breitung Township - MN to update their shared Comprehensive Plan.

We invite everyone with a connection to Tower and Breitung to participate by taking a community survey, and attending a community meeting!

Survey link here: surveymonkey.com/r/tower-breitungplan

And learn more on the project website at: www.ardcplanning.org/towerbreitung

Please help spread the news!
Tower-Soudan Lake Vermilion Area Events Board
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
Lake Vermilion Cultural Center
Prospector Loop ATV Trail System
Tower Soudan Lake Vermilion Lions
Vermilion Country School
Tower Soudan Golden Eagles

ARDC Planning is a Division of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission.

A Comprehensive Plan is a long-range guide for local decisions about land use, housing, transportation, infrastructure, economic development, natural resources and community facilities. Community i…

07/23/2026

We are proud to share that Arrowhead Regional Development Commission was recently been recognized with a 2026 Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) for its leadership and collaboration with many partners whom together have formed the Northland Climate Resilience Collaborative.

ARDC Planning's Climate Resiliency Planner Deanna Geelhoed who helps lead the Collaborative says:

“Climate impacts don’t stop at jurisdictional boundaries, and neither should our response. This project is helping local governments, Tribal Nations, agencies, and organizations build the relationships needed to coordinate action across the region.”

Thanks to BusinessNorth for sharing an article about this award, and the many partners that have been working together in a regional collaboration on climate resilence, increasing staff capacity, and building a shared understanding of one another's work.

https://www.businessnorth.com/newsmakers/ardc-honored-with-2026-impact-award/article_fd35e5ff-55cd-4880-8b02-ef5937e77d6e.html

07/17/2026

ARDC is proud to partner with Discover The Range in support of the Arrowhead Coalition of Trails (ACT) and the Trail Town model for regional economic development.

This project is funded through a Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Regional Trails Grant, made possible by taxes paid by Minnesota’s mining industry.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation and to our partners across the region for their commitment to strengthening our trail communities, expanding outdoor recreation opportunities, and helping local towns explore the benefits of the Trail Towns model.

Together, we’re building momentum, supporting local economies, and celebrating the incredible trail assets of the Arrowhead.

Check out this article from the The Timberjay Newspapers about our recent meeting in Soudan, MN.

https://www.timberjay.com/stories/trails-as-economic-development,34941

ARDC Planning is a Divison of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission.

SOUDAN- A newly formed group is hoping to help area communities recognize the value of area trails in building the region’s tourism economy. The Arrowhead Coalition of Trails (ACT) began with the …

06/30/2026

Learn more about the Bridge to Health Survey and how it has been an important source of data on the health status of adults in northeastern Minnesota and Douglas County, Wisconsin for more than two decades.

There is also a conference coming up on September 25, 2026 and registration for the one day conference is open now.

Learn more here: https://bridgetohealthsurvey.com/

Northeast SHIP Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging

ARDC Planning is a Division of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission.

A community-supported adult health status survey covering the Northland About A valued source of information on key health indicators for adults in the Northeastern Minnesota/Northwestern Wisconsin region for more than 25 years. GO Data Survey reports, data dashboards, and instructions for obtaining...

06/26/2026

Just a reminder that the Arrowhead Coalition of Trails Community Meeting is coming up in the City of Calumet on Monday, June 29th from 5-7pm at the Calumet Public Library!!

Learn more below:

ARDC Planning is joining Discover The Range in Calumet on June 29, 2026 for a public Trail Town Community Meeting!

We’re hoping to gather a strong group of residents, stakeholders, and trail enthusiasts to help shape the future of our region’s growing trail network.

Meet at the Calument Public Library

• Monday, June 29, 2026 (5:00–7:00 PM)
• Calumet Public Library, 932 Gary St., Calumet

This free event is a chance for the community to:

• Learn about the benefits of our expanding trail-based economy
• Explore strategies to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities
• Discuss priorities for future investment and collaboration

Please share this post with folks who may be interested in attending! Thank you for helping us bring more voices to the table on June 29th—every participant truly makes a difference. You can register for the event here: https://bit.ly/3S8jxCg

Calumet Public Library City of Calumet Mesabi Trail Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce - Grand Rapids Minnesota Itasca Driftskippers Northern Lights Nordic Ski Club

06/25/2026

Check out the Minnesota Department of Transportation Greater Minnesota Transit Plan and offer comments online through July 25, 2026!

ARDC Planning staff served on the Plan Advisory Committee for this planning process. Hope you'll lend your voice to help guide the future of transit in Greater Minnesota!

ARDC Planning is a division of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is seeking public input on its Greater Minnesota Transit Plan, with comments accepted online through July 25.