Target Completion Date: August 31, 2026 Environment, Planning, and Economics
With respect to freight, demand continues to grow alongside population and economic growth and trucking plays a critical role in the supply chain and economy whereby trucks carry over 19 billion tons of freight valued at more than $18 trillion annually in the United States. A Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) goal is to improve freight velocity and freight resiliency, and Virginia’s Transportation Plan includes elements of freight planning such as mid-and long-term planning, and strategic actions for freight investments as well as freight performance measures and critical freight corridor designations. With respect to elements critical for the efficient movement of freight four topic areas will be explored as part of this research effort: (1) industrial land-use, (2) truck parking, (3) freight resiliency, and (4) mobility innovations.
Effective and efficient movement of goods is driven by how localities plan for land developments that will generate or attract significant truck trips. Virginia legislation has encouraged jurisdictions to identify freight corridors in their comprehensive plans, however there is limited knowledge of proactive policies for industrial developments at the local level. The purpose of the research is to examine local planning practices and reviews of proposed industrial sites and to develop guidance with respect to industrial land-use, truck parking, freight resilience, and mobility. The value of this research is fourfold: it would set out the scale of the problem, especially its impact on highway maintenance costs; provide a catalog of useful local practices; provide the state of the practice in land development reviews; and provide information that can help the Department better engage with localities.
Last updated: December 12, 2024
Please note that this file is not ADA compliant. Choose one of below options:
