Methodology for Evaluating Large Truck Access to Intermodal and Other Facilities

Abstract

In a recent project for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), researchers were tasked with developing a method to evaluate objectively the access for large trucks between intermodal or other truck-traffic-generating sites and the National Highway System (NHS). The routes evaluated were the actual roadway segments used by trucks traveling between intermodal or other facilities and the NHS. The choice to evaluate specific heavily used roadway segments, as opposed to evaluating an entire highway or roadway corridor, was based on the recommendation of Kentucky’s Intermodal Advisory Panel, which advises the KYTC on intermodal issues. This allowed researchers to identify the actual problems being experienced, even when the routes included segments of many different highways and jurisdictions. Part of this study included the development of objective measures that could be used for comparing and prioritizing sections. The methodology that was developed and is currently being used to evaluate routes to 50 truck-trip generators throughout Kentucky is documented. The procedure begins with a telephone survey of site operators/managers to identify route problems. Each route is evaluated with respect to three types of features: subjective, point, and continuous. The ranking of each point and continuous element as “preferred,” “adequate,” or “less than adequate” is converted to a relative urgency rating by assigning relative weights for truck volume and section length. Point and subjective features are identified for spot improvements when appropriate. Finally, the overall route is graded on a subjective scale of 1 to 10.