Transportation--Invest in our Future: America's Freight Challenge
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
May 2007
As trade barriers fall around the world, a new trade barrier is rising around the American continent. Congestion at the nation's ports, on its highways, and along its railroads is becoming the new tariff of the 21st Century. This congestion increases travel times, it disrupts tightly planned supply chains, and it raises the costs of doing business with America and in America. The effect of rising congestion is like a tax-only it escalates every year without a vote of the people. This congestion tax can be repealed only if the United States adopts a new vision and new strategy for a global, 21st Century American transportation system.

AASHTO produced this report for the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission to warn national policy makers of this impending crisis. AASHTO also proposes a series of far-reaching policies that must be adopted if America is to retain its competitive advantage.
Read the full report: "Transportation--Invest in our Future: America's Freight Challenge"

America's Gateway: A National Goods Movement Corridor^TM
National Economic Impact of the San Pedro Bay Port Complex
Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and the Alameda Corridor Transportation Agency
March 2007
The San Pedro Bay Port Complex, comprised of the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, in partnership with the Alameda Corridor Transportation Agency (ACTA) is "America's Gateway," a vital component of the national economy. The port complex serves as the busiest container seaport in the nation and the fifth busiest in the world, moving more than 40 percent of the nation's imported cargo, generating jobs, income and tax revenue in every state in the country. This study summary shows the economic impact of the port complex.
Read the full report: "America's Gateway: A National Goods Movement Corridor^TM"

Freight Facts and Figures (2006)
Office of Freight Management Operations, U.S. DOT
November 2006
"Freight Facts and Figures 2006" is a snapshot of the volume and value of freight flows in the United States, the physical network over which freight moves, the economic conditions that generate freight movements, the industry that carries freight, and the safety, energy, and environmental consequences of freight transportation.
Read the full report: "Freight Facts and Figures 2006"

The State of American Business 2007
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
2007
"The State of American Business 2007" highlights transportation as a key priority and discusses launching an infrastrcture capacity initiative to address transportation, logistics, energy and telecommunications.
Read the full report: "The State of American Business 2007"

2010 and Beyond: A Vision of Americas Transportation Future (2004)
U.S. DOT
May 2006
Congestion is one of the single largest threats to our economic prosperity and way of life. Whether it takes the form of trucks in traffic, cargo stuck at overwhelmed seaports, or airplanes circling over crowded airports, congestion is costing America an estimated $200 billion a year.
Read the full report: "National Strategy to Congestion on America's Transportation Network."

National Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America's Transportation Network
U.S. DOT
May 2006
Congestion is one of the single largest threats to our economic prosperity and way of life. Whether it takes the form of trucks in traffic, cargo stuck at overwhelmed seaports, or airplanes circling over crowded airports, congestion is costing America an estimated $200 billion a year.
Read the full report: "National Strategy to Congestion on America'S Transportation Network."

The Freight Story: A National Perspective on Enhancing Freight Transportation
FHWA Freight Analysis Program
Report No.: FHWA OP-03-004, November, 2002
Efficient, safe, and secure freight transportation helps form the foundation upon which our nation's economic strength rests. Improvements in the efficiency and reliability of freight transportation have been the engine of prosperity and competitive advantage.
Read the full report: "The Freight Story: A National Perspective on Enhancing Freight Transportation."

Principles for a U.S. Public Freight Agenda in a Global Economy
The Brookings Institution Series on Transportation Reform
January, 2006
The changing nature of the American economy-particularly increased overseas manufacturing and "just in time" delivery supply chain operations-directly impacts America's infrastructure needs especially when it comes to the movement of goods by freight, be it by truck, train, ship, or plane. In this paper, the authors argue that, rather than the Balkanized approach of the past, a systems-based and multimodal agenda for the nation's freight needs, involving regional coordination, public-private partnership, and federal funding recognition of the same is necessary to maintain America's competitiveness and economic well-being.
Read the full study: " Principles for a U.S. Public Freight Agenda in a Global Economy"

Framework for a National Freight Policy
U.S. DOT Office of Transportation Policy
DRAFT: April 10, 2006
The U.S. freight system faces significant capacity constraints at key freight gateways, and the Department of Transportation doesn't have the tools--or the authority--to remedy all of the problems on its own. To bring together public and private stakeholders around a common vision, the U.S. Department of Transportation proposes this Framework for a National Freight Policy.
Read the full study: "Framework for a National Freight Policy"

National Highway System (NHS) Connectors
Section 1106(d) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) directed the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a review of the National Highway System (NHS) freight connectors that serve seaports, airports, and other major intermodal terminals and report to Congress. The objectives were: (1) evaluate the condition of NHS connector highway infrastructure to major intermodal freight terminals; (2) review improvements and investments made or programmed for these connectors; and (3) identify impediments and options to making improvements to the intermodal freight connectors. These and other related studies are available here.
FHWA website on National Highway System Intermodal Freight Connectors Condition and Investment Study

Corridors for Toll Truckways: Suggested Locations for Pilot Projects
Reason Public Policy Institute
Policy Study 316, February 2004
Trucking companies indicate that they would be willing to pay tolls to obtain the productivity gains from expanded LCV (Longer Combination Vehicles) operations, and the toll revenues offer serious potential as funding source for such truckways.
Read the full study: Connector Study 316 PDF

Intermodal Freight Connectors: Strategies for Improvement
American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (Cambridge Systematics)
NCHRP Project 8-36, Task 30
August 2003
The purpose of this project is to scan the literature, survey existing project experience to identify potential actions and strategies, assess their viability, and provide guidance for advancing the implementation of freight intermodal connector improvements.
Read the full report: Intermodal Freight Connectors: Strategies for Improvement

Freight Rail Transportation: Long-Term Issues
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
January, 2006
This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) paper-prepared at the request of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure-reviews trends in the demand for and supply of freight rail transportation.
Read the full study: "Freight Rail Transportation: Long-Term Issues"

Freight-Rail Bottom Line Report
American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO)(Cambridge Systematics)
This document presents AASHTO's views concerning the capacity of the nation's freight transportation system, especially the freight-rail system, to keep pace with the expected growth of the economy over the next 20 years. It describes the freight-rail industry, analyzes its benefits to the nation, estimates investment needs and the capacity of the industry to meet these needs, and quantifies the consequences of not investing in freight rail, including the impact on highway congestion and condition.
Read the full report: "Freight Rail Transportation: Long-Term Issues"

Latin American Trade and Transportation Study, Phase I Latin America is poised for growth and the recent boom in exports is a sign of things to come. Trade liberalization, which includes lowering and eliminating tariffs, combined with economic restructuring and privatization in Latin America presents huge trade potential. The purpose of LATTS is to identify trade opportunities with Latin America, evaluate infrastructure investments needed to support growth in international trade, and develop strategies to guide infrastructure investments..
Southeastern Transportation Alliance
September, 2003
Read the full study: Latin American Trade and Transportation Study, Phase I