Freight Intermodal Connectors Study
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Contact Information: Freight Feedback at FreightFeedback@dot.gov
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Operations
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
FHWA-HOP-16-057
April 2017
Table of Contents
Current National Highway System Freight Intermodal Connector System
Chapter 2. Trends Impacting Freight Intermodal Connectors
Chapter 3. Connector Characteristics, Use, Condition, and Performance
General Characteristics of Freight Intermodal Connectors
Freight Intermodal Connector Truck Volumes
Pavement Condition of Freight Intermodal Connectors
Connector Truck Travel Speeds and Congestion
Governance and Stakeholder Coordination
Planning for Case Study Connector Level of Service
Connector Improvement Projects
Identified Funding Programs for Case Study Connector Improvements
Chapter 5. Connector Performance Impacts on Goods Movement and Supply Chains
Impact of Pavement Maintenance Costs
Impact on Vehicle Operating Costs
Chapter 6. Summary of Key Findings and Options for Future Research
Key Findings on Designation of Freight Intermodal Connectors
Key Findings on Characteristics and Use of Freight Intermodal Connectors
Key Findings on Condition and Performance of Freight Intermodal Connectors
Key Findings on Data Availability for Freight Intermodal Connectors
Key Conclusions Related to Planning for Freight Intermodal Connectors
Options for Future Research for Freight Intermodal Connectors
Appendix. Funding Programs for Freight Intermodal Connectors
List of Figures
Figure 1. Graph. Containerized Traffic at U.S. Ports, 1980 to 2013—In Twenty Foot Equivalent Units.
Figure 2. Chart. U.S. Rail Intermodal Traffic, 1989 to 2013—Millions of Containers and Trailers.
Figure 3. Graph. Landed Weight for All-Cargo, Air Cargo Operations—In Thousands.
Figure 4. Graph. Liquid Pipeline Transportation in U.S.—2009 to 2013.
Figure 5. Graph. Intermodal Component of Federal Highway Administration Freight Efficiency Index.
Figure 6. Graph. Distribution of Intermodal Connector Annual Average Daily Traffic—2013.
Figure 7. Graph. Distribution of Intermodal Truck AADT—2013.
Figure 8. Map. Port of Savannah-to-Atlanta Truck Trip Components.
Figure 9. Map. Desire Lines for Port of Savannah Truck Trips.
Figure 10. Map. Destinations of Trucks Leaving BNSF Yard.
List of Tables
Table 1. Number of Freight Intermodal Connectors by Mode—2000 to 2014.
Table 3. Summary of Impacts of Trends on Intermodal Connectors for Each Mode.
Table 4. U.S. Warehousing Employment—1998 to Present.
Table 5. Distribution of Segment Lengths for Freight Intermodal Connectors.
Table 6. Average Length of Connectors by Functional Classification.
Table 7. Number of Connectors by Owner and Functional System Code.
Table 8. International Roughness Index Categories.
Table 9. Average International Roughness Index Rating by Length of Connector.
Table 10. Average Speeds of Intermodal Connectors by Rural/Urban Designation (miles per hour).
Table 11. Average Speeds of Intermodal Connectors by Pavement Condition (miles per hour).
Table 12. Case Study Locations.
Table 13. Summary of Connector Traffic Volume Data.
Table 14. International Roughness Index Ranges and Categories.
Table 16. Connector Pavement Rating by Mode—2013.
Table 17. Percent of Case Study Connectors with Congestion by Mode.
Table 18. Average Truck Speeds by Facility Type and Time Period—April 2014.
Table 19. Planned Improvements for Intermodal Connectors.
Table 20. Funding Sources for Select Freight Intermodal Connectors.
Table 21. Cost to Improve Connectors to Good Pavement Condition.
Table 22. Cost to Improve Connectors to Good Pavement Condition by Mode.
Table 23. Increase in Vehicle Operating Costs on Freight Intermodal Connectors.
Table 24. Annual Cost of Delay on Freight Intermodal Connectors.
Table 25. Annual Cost of Delay on Freight Intermodal Connectors by Mode.
Table 26. Atlanta to Savannah Travel Time.
Table 27. Examples of Successful Intermodal Connector Projects.
List of Abbreviations and Symbols
AADT—Annual Average Daily Traffic
AADTT—Average Annual Daily Truck Traffic
AASHTO—American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
BNSF—Burlington Northern and Santa Fe
CMAQ—Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program
CMP—Congestion Management Plan
DOT—Department of Transportation
EDA—Economic Development Administration
FAA—Federal Aviation Administration
FAST—Freight Action Strategy
FASTLANE—Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies
FDOT—Florida Department of Transportation
FHWA—Federal Highway Administration
GARVEE—Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles
GIS—Geographic Information Systems
HERS—Highway Economic Requirements System
HERS-ST—Highway Economic Requirement System—State Version
HPMS—Highway Performance Monitoring System
HSIP—Highway Safety Improvement Program
ICAT—Intermodal Connector Assessment Tool
IRI—International Roughness Index
LRTP—Long-range Transportation Plan
MAP-21—Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act
MPO—Metropolitan Planning Organization
NCHRP—National Cooperative Highway Research Program
NHFN—National Highway Freight Network
NHFP—National Highway Freight Program
NHPP—National Highway Performance Program
NHS—National Highway System
NMFN—National Multimodal Freight Network
NPMRDS—National Performance Monitoring Research Data Set
SIS—Statewide Intermodal System
STBG—Surface Transportation Block Grant Program
STIP—Statewide Transportation Improvement Programs
TEA-21—Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
TEU—Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit
TIFIA—Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act
TIP—Transportation Improvement Program
VMT—Vehicle Miles Traveled
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