AASHTO Report Cites Need for More Infrastructure Investment
The U.S. freight industry’s growth and the lack of expansion in its transportation system are leading to a “crisis,” according to a new report by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
“Unlocking Freight,” AASHTO’s analysis of the nation’s freight system, said that the industry required investment “well beyond current levels” to maintain performance, and even more to improve it.
AASHTO and state officials released the report at joint news conferences Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa; Memphis, Tenn.; and Harrisburg, Pa.
AASHTO President and Mississippi Department of Transportation Executive Director Larry “Butch” said that transportation and the economy are “inseparable. We must invest to maintain and strengthen the American ‘transconomy.’”
Speaking in Des Moines, Brown said that “Congress must invest in all transportation modes; from waterways to roads and rails to get us where we need to be as a competitive nation. Millions of jobs and our nation's long-term economic health depend on it.”
The report identifies key projects in 30 states that would improve freight delivery and dependability, and offers a three-point plan to address what is needed to relieve freight congestion, generate jobs and improve productivity.
AASHTO said that between 1980 and 2006, traffic on the international highway system increased by 150%, while interstate capacity increased by only 15%. The resulting bottlenecks cost an estimated $19 billion in delays, according to American Trucking Associations.
Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell (D), speaking at Norfolk Southern’s intermodal facility in Harrisburg, said the report “outlines what’s at stake if we fail to invest to meet the growing demands on our transportation infrastructure. This includes the roads, rails, and seaports we need to move raw materials and goods to market and keep our economy globally competitive.
“As the gateway to the Northeast, Pennsylvania gets more than our share of truck traffic," Rendell said. “In fact, Pennsylvania is one of six states — along with Arkansas, California, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas — that collectively account for 88 percent of the most heavily used truck routes.”
