Research Projects
In FY 2007, FHWA Office of Planning awarded three (3) freight-related projects through STEP. This activity, part of the annual solicitation process to stakeholders, encourages private sector participation and showcases best practices. Two will be complete in 2008, another continues through 2009:
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Developing a Guidebook for Engaging the Private Sector in Freight Transportation Planning granted to the Wilbur Smith Associates. The project proposes to develop a "best-practice" guidebook that supplements the FHWA Resource Center’s Engaging the Private Sector in Freight Planning Workshop. It is a 12-month long, $75,000 effort (October 2007- October 2008);
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Building Capacity between Public and Private Sectors in the Freight Community granted to the National Association of Regional Councils. The project proposes to host two peer-exchanges and a freight summit meeting, develop a resource manual, and identify possible performance measures in involving the private sector in freight planning. It is a 12-month long, $100,000 effort (October 2007- October 2008); and,
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Integrating the Evaluation of Freight Corridor Projects into the Congestion Management Process, and Long Range Transportation Planning granted to the Puget Sound Regional Council. The project proposes to collect truck data in the Puget Sound Region, develop freight performance measures, incorporate them into CMP and MTP using simulation tools and other congestion management strategies, and document the effort so that it is replicable in other regions. It is a 24-month, $60,000 effort (October 2007 - October 2009).
For FY 2008 FHWA Office of Planning awarded one (1) freight-related project through STEP. This activity, part of the annual solicitation process to stakeholders, encourages private sector participation and showcases best practices.
- University of Southern California - METRANS: "A Freight Analysis and Planning Model" research would provide a functional model that can be integrated with existing travel demand forecasting software packages and will provide a useful tool for practitioners to address freight planning issues, leveraging work already conducted on the Argos model for the Southern California region.
Project 36-09, NCHRP Synthesis #358
Statewide Travel Forecasting Models
TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 358: Statewide Travel Forecasting Models examines statewide travel forecasting models designed to address planning needs and provide forecasts for statewide transportation, including passenger vehicle and freight movements. The report explores the types and purposes of models being used, integration of state and urban models, data requirements, computer needs, resources (including time, funding, training, and staff), limitations, and overall benefits. The report includes five case studies, two that focus on passenger components, two on freight components, and one on both passenger and freight.
Project 8-47, NCHRP Report #570
Guidebook for Freight Policy, Planning, and Programming in Small and Mid-Sized Metropolitan Areas
TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 570: Guidebook for Freight Policy, Planning, and Programming in Small- and Medium-Sized Metropolitan Areas explores how freight policy, planning, and programming processes can be most effectively designed, initiated, and managed in metropolitan areas of these sizes. The report examines lessons learned from experiences in small- and medium-sized metropolitan areas that resulted in more effective consideration of freight issues in policy, planning, and programming decisions.
Project 8-53
Integrating Freight into Transportation Planning and Project-Selection Processes
The objective of this project is to develop a framework for incorporating freight needs for all modes into transportation planning and priority programming by state, regional, metropolitan, local, and special transportation agencies. This framework should be presented in a guidebook format and illustrated with examples of best practices for considering freight in transportation planning and priority programming decision making.
Project 35-11
Links between Transportation and Economic Development
The synthesis will cover the lessons learned from business, economic and development research that can shed light on the causal and behavioral mechanisms creating economic development impacts from transportation projects. The synthesis will identify key findings from empirical research studies that can help transportation planners to identify the incidence and distribution of business and economic development benefits. (If feasible, how these relationships have changed over time will be explored and reported in the synthesis.) It will derive and report information that may be used to screen proposed transportation investments to determine whether expected development impacts are reasonable, relative the importance of other factors. The report will serve as a resource for states interested in prioritizing and planning projects using the best available information on how different economic development impacts can come from different types of transportation investments in different settings.
Project 8-42
Rail-Freight Solutions to Roadway Congestion
The objective of this project is to develop a Guidebook for assessing the merits of public investment in rail-freight solutions to relieve roadway congestion and for applying tools that demonstrate how best to incorporate rail-freight into urban and intercity transportation decision making.
Project 8-43
Methods for Forecasting Freight Movements and Related Performance Measures
The objective of this project was to develop an analytical framework for forecasting freight movements at the state level. This framework includes (1) a tool kit of data collection techniques, analytical procedures, and computer models; (2) management approaches and decisionmaking procedures; and (3) performance evaluation methods that can guide states in establishing priorities for improving their transportation systems to best accommodate increase freight demand.
Project 33-12
Freight Transportation as a Good Neighbor
This synthesis will highlight 1) effective working relationships in locating, operating, expanding, or redesigning facilities, 2) solutions for the physical integration of sites with the surrounding land use, 3) methods (incentives, funding, etc.) for resolving issues, and 4) environmental and other types of remedies. Successful examples of balancing freight transportation and community interests will be included. These examples may include, but are not limited to challenges associated with grade crossings/separation, terminals/warehouses, intermodal connectors and facilities, and mainline infrastructure, in a variety of geographical areas (local, regional, national, and international).
Freight Projects - TRB Research-in-Progress
The TRB's Research in Progress (RiP) website contains the Research In Progress (RiP) Database and a data-entry system to allow users in State Departments of Transportation to add, modify and delete information on their current research projects. The RiP database now contains over 9300 current or recently completed transportation research projects. Most of the RiP records are projects funded by Federal and State Departments of Transportation. University transportation research is also included.
Contact Information
| Spencer Stevens Office of Planning spencer.stevens@dot.gov Phone: 202-366-0149/717-221-4512 |
Carol Keenan Office of Freight Management & Operations carol.keenan@fhwa.dot.gov Phone: 202-366-6993 |
