Highway bottlenecks growing across United States

July 12, 2010
In 10 years, an additional 1.8 million trucks will be on the road; and in 20 years, for every two trucks today, another one will be added

In 10 years, an additional 1.8 million trucks will be on the road; and in 20 years, for every two trucks today, another one will be added.

Already bottlenecks on major highways used by truckers every day are adding millions of dollars to the cost of food, goods, and manufacturing equipment for American consumers. As a result, according to a new report released July 8, the transportation system that supports the movement of freight across America is facing a crisis.

At joint news conferences in Des Moines IA, Memphis TN, and Harrisburg PA, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) released “Unlocking Freight,” an analysis of America’s freight system that finds our highways, railroads, ports, waterways, and airports require investments well beyond current levels to maintain--much less improve--their performance. The report identifies key projects in 30 states that would improve freight delivery and dependability, and offers a three-point plan to address what is needed to relieve freight congestion, generate jobs and improve productivity.

AASHTO President and Mississippi Department of Transportation Executive Director Larry L “Butch” Brown said, “The simple fact is: No transportation, no economy. They are inseparable. We must invest to maintain and strengthen the American ‘transconomy.’ Congress must invest in all transportation modes; from waterways to roads and rails to get us where we need to be as a competitive nation. Millions of jobs and our nation’s long-term economic health depend on it.”

Despite more long-distance freight being moved by intermodal rail, the report finds that trucks will still carry 74% of the load. On average, 10,500 trucks a day travel some segments of the Interstate Highway System today. By 2035, this will increase to 22,700 commercial trucks for these portions of the Interstate, with the most heavily used segments seeing upwards of 50,000 trucks a day. From 1980 to 2006, traffic on the Interstate Highway System increased by 150% while Interstate capacity was increased by just 15%.

In a related news conference releasing the report in Pennsylvania, Governor Edward Rendell stood at the Norfolk Southern Intermodal Facility in Harrisburg and said, “This report outlines what’s at stake if we fail to invest to meet the growing demands on our transportation infrastructure. This includes the roads, rails, and seaports we need to move raw materials and goods to market and keep our economy globally competitive.”

MVC Vice-President and Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Thomas Sorel said, “The Port of Duluth-Superior is an example of hundreds of freight-related projects in desperate need of greater investment. It’s one of the largest inland seaports in the world, serving iron ore and coal docks, grain elevators, and specialized cargo facilities lining the industrial waterfronts of Duluth MN and Superior WI. Yet the infrastructure is currently deficient in terms of capacity, physical condition, and safety.”

“The nation's multimodal freight transportation system directly affects economic development, current and future jobs, and the quality of life in our communities,” said Ohio DOT Director Jolene M Molitoris, MVC incoming vice-president. “Today the nation's freight transportation system supports more than 10 million jobs, from couriers, truckers, laborers, shippers, railroad conductors, and mechanics to postal carriers, warehouse operators, and stock clerks. Now, think about how many more jobs will be added as the industry grows over time and you begin to see yet another reason why this study is so important.”

In Memphis, Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely hosted a news conference along with Dan Flowers, the head of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, and other state and local officials, industry, and businesses. Nicely said, “To accommodate this predicted growth in freight movement, we need to think nationally, regionally, and on a multi-modal level. Central to this effort should be the creation of a National Multimodal Freight Plan to ensure that transportation investments are coordinated and made where most needed. By linking trucks, rail, waterway transport, and aviation, freight can be moved more efficiently throughout the nation.”

Each year, 147 million tons of freight pass through Tennessee by way of trucks, rail cars, and barges. Nearly half of Tennessee’s gross domestic product comes from the movement of goods and more than half of the statewide employment is in goods-dependent industries. The segment of I-40 through Tennessee and Arkansas alone accounts for nearly one-third of the nation’s busiest truck miles.

A current strain on the movement of freight in the Tri-State region is the lack of vehicular and rail crossings along the Mississippi River, according to Nicely. Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas are currently working to develop a third Mississippi River bridge crossing--dubbed the Southern Gateway Project.

Unlocking Freight is the second in a series of reports generated by AASHTO to identify the need to increase capacity in our transportation system. For more information and to see state examples of freight capacity needs, go to http://expandingcapacity.transportation.org.