Analytical Tools for Freight Infrastructure Investments

A thorough study of alternative freight infrastructure investments relies on analytical tools to develop the information needed by decision makers. Decisions affecting the freight system are made at many levels of government and must consider externalities such as land use and the environment. There is a need to improve the foundation of data and analysis on which to build a strategy for dealing with growing freight demand and severe capacity constraints. The objective of this project is to recommend analytical tools that transportation agencies can use to assess freight infrastructure investments. These tools should help agencies estimate the public benefit or return on the infrastructure investment and facilitate comparison among alternative improvements, including those in different modes. They should be appropriate and feasible for public agency use. This study will identify gaps and weaknesses in public and private data sources and their adequacy for analysis of the freight transportation system. Improvements needed to further advance the development of tools should be identified. The report should include strategies for communicating the applicability and value of different analytical tools and will include recommendations for improvements in collection, analysis, and use of data. The tools recommended should be congruent with a general description of the operations of the freight transportation system and measures of system performance. They should also be consistent with the results of NCFRP Project 5, Review of Freight Investment Decision-Making Processes in the Public Sector.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1580
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yert been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $600000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  NCFRP 08

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  University Transportation Centers Program
  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  National Cooperative Freight Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001
• Start Date: 20070703
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• Source Data: RiP Project 13668

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Demand responsive transportation; Freight transportation; Infrastructure; Investments; Land use; Research projects; Shipper demand
• Uncontrolled Terms: Capacity constraints
• Subject Areas: Finance; Freight Transportation; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01543770
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Cooperative Freight Research Program
• Contract Numbers: NCFRP 08
• Files: RIP
• Created Date: Nov 21 2014 1:05AM