Abstract
Interest continues in intermodal transportation planning, including the identification of needs for intermodal connectors on the National Highway System (NHS). FHWA, in response to a requirement in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, is conducting an Intermodal Connectors Condition and Investment Study on recent improvements and impediments to transportation on NHS intermodal connectors. Similarly, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is collecting information about intermodal connector needs as part of its 1999 update of the Oregon Highway Plan, as well as its ongoing development of an Intermodal Management System (IMS). ODOT’s efforts to develop intermodal connector cost estimates for the Highway Plan update are described, and the ways in which ODOT uses IMS performance measures to help identify intermodal needs and impediments are discussed. A comparison is provided of results using ODOT’s procedures versus FHWA’s conditions and investment checklist. Overall, ODOT’s and FHWA’s procedures are complementary, and differences are minor. Together, their results will help increase understanding of the location, condition, and extent of impediments and improvements needed for intermodal freight transportation movements nationally and also at the state and local levels.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.