Regional Freight Mobility Plan Scoping Process
Open House February 8, 2012
What important issues should be addressed to ensure the efficient and effective freight movement in our region?
That will be a chief topic of open houses designed to get public input into the development of a scope of work for a Freight Mobility Plan for the Greater Charlotte Bi-State region. The open houses are being held by the Catawba Regional Council of Governments and the Centralina Council of Governments.
“We are asking anyone impacted by freight movement to come out and tell us your concerns and issues – freight shippers, businesses, economic developers, local governments, transportation officials, the general public – your participation is critical to the success of this effort,” said Wendy Bell, Catawba Regional Council of Governments’ (CRCOG) Senior Planner.
This first open house was held in Charlotte on Monday, January 30, 2012. The next open house will be held in Rock Hill on:
Wednesday, February 8, 1-3 p.m.
Manchester Meadows Conference Room
337 E. Mt. Gallant Road, Rock Hill, SC
In 2011, a Regional Transportation Study Policymakers Group recommended ongoing coordinated transportation planning for the region and suggested that a freight plan should be the first product. The Greater Charlotte Bi-State 14-County Region is one of the fastest growing in the nation, competes internationally and has emerged as a logistics hub. But it is one of the few regions in U.S. without a freight plan.
“To ensure a robust and resilient region, it is essential that we plan for freight movement and transportation in general on a regional level,” said Randy Imler, CRCOG Executive Director. “Transportation issues transcend jurisdictional boundaries. U.S. economic activity is increasingly becoming focused in regions, not cities. Regional planning that incorporates the public and private sectors enhances economic growth.”
A Regional Freight Mobility Plan would:
- Develop a regional strategy for freight movement, incorporating trucking, marine cargo, rail freight and air cargo, and intermodal connections between them;
- Examine current and future freight issues as the region looks to planning for a sustainable transportation system for the future;
- Be developed through public-private sector coordination with input from freight stakeholders, economic development interests, and local, regional, state and federal transportation agencies; and
- Develop recommendations, priorities and strategies to address issues such as congestion and mobility, safety and security, sustainable funding, maintenance and preservation, land use coordination, and the environment.
The Regional Freight Mobility Plan process has two phases. In the Scoping Phase which is underway, an initial set of open houses will identify issues to be addressed in a scope of work for the plan. A Stakeholder Steering Committee will take that feedback and develop a draft scope and deliverables for public feedback at a second set of open houses in early March.
In the second phase of the process, a Freight Mobility Plan will be developed using continued public and stakeholder input and open houses. Phase 2 would get underway in late 2012 after funding has been identified, and a consultant secured. The development of a coordinated regional Freight Mobility Plan is expected to take from late 2012 through 2013.
Other regions have recognized important transportation and economic benefits from regional freight planning. Potential outcomes of a Regional Freight Mobility Plan include:
- Institutionalizing freight and freight logistics into regional transportation planning;
- Improved freight flow and efficiency as well as reduced congestion and pollution;
- Regular dialogue between public entities and the private freight sectors on transportation funding and projects;
- Improved coordination between transportation and land use planners and freight users and transportation providers;
- Identification of freight-related congestion bottlenecks;
- Recommended network operations policy changes;
- Increased coordination on incident management;
- Time of day flexibility for truck routes.
If you have any questions about the open house, contact Wendy Bell, Catawba Regional Council of Governments’ Senior Planner, 803-327-9041, or wbell@catawbacog.org.
(803) 327-9041
