|
21st Century Freight Mobility
|
August 2004
Prepared for the National
Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) by ICF International with DELCAN, Inc.
The U.S. economy is dependent on an efficient
and reliable freight transportation system. Our highways,
ports, waterways, railways, airports, warehouses, distribution
centers, and intermodal and other facilities make up
a complex system that shippers rely on to move products
to markets. The performance of that system has direct
implications for the productivity of the U.S. economy,
the costs of goods and services, and the global competitiveness
of our industries.
|
 Please refer to our Terms
of Use policy regarding acceptable use of content
on the ICF International Web site. |
Table of Contents
|
Table of Contents |
2 |
E. |
Executive Summary |
3 |
|
E.1 |
Freight Transportation
and the U.S. Economy |
3 |
|
E.2 |
A Gathering Storm |
4 |
|
E.3 |
Growth in the Demand
for Freight Transportation |
11 |
|
E.4 |
The Role of Government |
14 |
1. |
Context and Project Overview |
16 |
2. |
Freight and the Economy |
18 |
|
2.1 |
Freight Transportation
and Economic Productivity |
19 |
|
2.2 |
Examples of System
Strain and Potential Degradation |
24 |
3. |
Capacity and Performance
Challenges |
29 |
|
3.1 |
Highway Capacity Issues |
30 |
|
3.2 |
Rail Capacity Issues |
34 |
|
3.3 |
Water Freight Capacity
Issues |
36 |
|
3.4 |
Air Cargo Capacity Issues |
40 |
|
3.5 |
Summary of Freight Transportation
Capacity Issues |
41 |
4. |
Expected Increases in
the Demand for Freight Transport |
43 |
|
4.1 |
Demand
Factors |
43 |
|
4.2 |
Demand Forecasts |
50 |
|
4.3 |
Summary of Forecasts and Interpretation
of Trends |
54 |
5. |
Possible Types of Government
Responses |
62 |
|
5.1 |
Some
Fundamental Guiding Principles |
63 |
|
5.2 |
A Spectrum of Options |
64 |
Appendix A. Information
on Pipelines |
67 |
Appendix B: A Review
of Relevant Policies and Policy Research |
68 |
|
B.1 |
Overview
of Existing Laws, Regulations, and Financing Mechanisms |
68 |
|
B.2 |
Recent Policy Recommendations and
Developments |
70 |
|
B.3 |
Recent Legislation |
75 |
Download the Complete Report
|
