Federal-Industry Waterway Governance Mapping

This project will produce the first comprehensive governance map of the U.S. inland waterway system, documenting how federal agencies, waterway commissions, port authorities, operators, industry associations, and advisory bodies exercise authority, coordinate responsibilities, and influence decisions across planning, operations, maintenance, and emergency response. While the inland waterway system depends on a complex interplay of federal ownership, federally authorized navigation channels, industry-operated vessels, federally maintained locks and dams, state commissions, port authorities, cooperative working groups, and advisory committees, there is currently no resource that synthesizes this institutional architecture into a clear, accessible structure. The research will analyze agency documentation, statutory authorities, standing committee structures, and operational guidance, complemented by targeted interviews with practitioners, to clarify how decisions flow through the system and how organizations interact across routine and non-routine conditions. The final product will provide a governance map and a narrative analysis that identifies gaps, redundancies, and friction points in the institutional landscape. This work will support planners, policymakers, and operators and offer a foundational understanding of how governance arrangements shape reliability, resilience, and system performance.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $160,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3552348331

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC)

  University of Arkansas
  4190 Bell Engineering Center
  Fayetteville, AR  United States  72701
• Performing Organizations:

  Texas A&M Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135
• Principal Investigators:

  Mantero, Vince

• Start Date: 20260315
• Expected Completion Date: 20270314
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Governance; Inland waterways; Mapping
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Policy;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01988661
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3552348331
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: May 1 2026 7:58PM