Virginia Freight Element Fi Virginia Freight Element FOREWORD The Virginia Freight Element (VFE) is a component of VTrans2040, Virginia’s multimodal long-range transportation plan, and serves as the state’s freight plan. This Foreword summarizes the items required in a state freight plan as noted in FHWA guidance and how each is addressed in the Virginia Freight Element, or elsewhere: Identify significant freight system trends, needs, and issues within the State. The Virginia Freight Element describes trends in the following locations: . Freight demand trends are located on Pages 4-1 through 4-19. Current and forecast levels of commodity types, tonnages and value by mode are discussed. Economic trends related to freight are described on Page 9-1 to the top of Page 9-7. Trends in the Major Industry Sector Shares (this relates to freight demand) of the Virginia Economy, appear on Page 9-5. Trends in terms of how Virginia and the broader region are supporting freight transportation in recent initiatives appear on Pages 6-2 to 6-4. The appendix report, Economic Context of Freight Transportation in Virginia, includes a thorough description of trends in freight demand and the role of freight transportation in the Virginia economy. The appendix report, Economic Corridors Analysis, details modal flows for 10 sections of Virginia’s Corridors of Statewide Significance and shows how local (non-through) freight movements affect the local economies of the state. Trends concerning freight condition and performance by mode are detailed on Pages 7-1 through 7-15. National freight trends, including technology trends, with a potential impact on Virginia are shown on Pages 6-9 to 6-16. Freight trends as they relate to VTrans2040 scenario planning are described on Pages 6-17 to 6- 20. Needs and issues are described in the following sections: . An assessment of strengths appears on Pages 6-1 to 6-2. A summary of freight challenges and needs is presented on Pages 6-4 to 6-8. Needs from truck drivers’ perspectives are presented on Pages 8-2 to 8-5. Chapter 11, contains a comprehensive list of policy, program and project recommendations. Each recommendation contains a brief paragraph labeled “Discussion” which summarizes the need or issue that the recommendation addresses. For example, the “Discussion” that accompanies recommendation PO5, reads, “First/last mile connectors are widely acknowledged to be a weak link in the freight transportation system. The connectors can be enhanced through a combination of access controls, operational improvements and targeted capacity enhancements, and a careful analysis and vetting process. By providing statewide, consistent guidance about design and right of way protection for first/last mile connections, Virginia can protect and improve accessibility to freight generators.” F1 Virginia Freight Element Describe freight policies, strategies, and performance measures that will guide the State’s freight- related investment decisions. Freight policies are described in the following sections: . State and Federal planning needs are described on Pages 1-3 to 1-4. Strategic goals and objectives are listed on Pages 2-1 to 2-2. A description of national freight policy and freight goals appears on Pages 2-2 to 2-3. Selected and relevant Virginia performance measures that are part of regular performance reporting appear on Pages 2-3 to 2-7. A discussion of performance-based decision making driven by federal policy and regulations appears on Pages 2-8 to 2-9. A discussion of governing FAST Act freight provisions appears on Pages 5-1 to 5-5. A discussion of the State’s current decision-making processes and institutions appears on Pages 5-5 to 5-10. A discussion of proposed strategies to improve freight transportation in Virginia appears on Pages 11-1 to 11-4 as recommendations PO1 to PO12. Describe how the plan will enable the State to meet the national multimodal freight policy goals (49 U.S.C. § 70101[b]) and the national freight program goals (23 U.S.C. § 167). At the end of Chapter 11, Freight Improvement Strategies, starting on Page 11-14, a tabular cross-walk of the investment strategies and the national freight goals is provided. This table illustrates that there are multiple strategies to address each of the national freight goals. List, as applicable, multimodal critical rural freight facilities and corridors designated under the National Multimodal Freight Network (49 U.S.C. § 70103), and the critical rural and urban freight corridors designated under the National Highway Freight Program (23 U.S.C. § 167). Appendix A includes Information regarding Critical Rural and Urban Freight Corridors and the status of the designation process. Describe innovative technologies and operational strategies, including freight intelligent transportation systems, that improve the safety and efficiency of freight movement . This appears on Pages 6-11 to 6-15. Describe improvements to mitigate the deterioration of roadways serving heavy vehicles. Pages 5-7 to 5-8, after Virginia Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP), describe Virginia’s asset management process. Pages 7-1 and 7-2 describe the system wide condition and performance of Virginia’s pavement and bridges. Pages 6-4 and 6-5 (Overall Condition and Design of Roadway Infrastructure and Truck Size and Weight Limits) outlines the challenges to maintenance on rural roads. Provide an inventory of facilities within the State with freight mobility issues, and describe potential strategies to address such issues for State-owned or operated facilities. An analysis of truck freight delay using heavy vehicle volumes and NPMRDS speed data appears on Pages 7-5 to 7-6. This is a special purpose analysis conducted for the VFE. F2 Virginia Freight Element . An assessment of truck parking needs appears on Pages 7-8 to 7-9. A description of rail bottlenecks is provided on Page 7-12. Port-related access and mobility issues are described on Pages 7-13 to 7-14. Airport cargo-related access and mobility issue are described on Pages 7-14 to 7-16. Strategies and recommendations to address mobility issues are described in the following Chapter 11 locations: – Pages 11-7 to 11-8, Technology Strategies. – Pages 11-8 to 11-12, Infrastructure-related Strategies. – In addition, Figure 11-1 identifies the locations of 139 Virginia Multimodal Transportation Plan recommendations that will benefit freight mobility. The full list of recommendations appears in Appendix B. Consider any significant congestion or delay caused by freight movements and potential strategies to mitigate that congestion or delay. Pages 6-7 to 6-8 describes port issues that create congestion and delay for all vehicles. Pages 7-13 to 7-14 describes port expansion projects that will help address the issue. Pages 7-14 to 7-15 describe cargo airport access issues and potential solutions. Rail at-grade crossings and solutions are discussed on Pages 3-7, 7-14, 7-10 to 7-11 (safety discussion), in an improvement recommendation in PO9 on Page 11-3, and P10 on Page 11-7. Include a freight investment plan listing priority projects and funding mechanisms. Pages 10-1 to 10-3 contain Information regarding the Freight Investment Plan with details pertaining to fiscal constraint in Appendix D. Consult with the State Freight Advisory Committee, as applicable. Consultation with the freight advisory groups and stakeholders is documented on Pages 8-1 to 8-5. The Virginia Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board, Port of Virginia, Virginia Department of Aviation, and Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority present the Virginia Freight Element in compliance with the Federal Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act of 2015 (FAST Act). F3 Virginia Freight Element TABLE OF CONTENTS Importance of Freight in Virginia ........................................................................................................... viii Compliance with Federal Law: FAST Act .................................................................................................. ix Virginia’s Freight Challenges .................................................................................................................... ix Virginia’s Freight Improvement Strategies .............................................................................................. ix Virginia’s Fiscally Constrained Freight Investment Plan .......................................................................... ix 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1-1 Purpose .................................................................................................................................................. 1-1 Freight Element Development Process .................................................................................................. 1-2 State and Federal Planning Needs ......................................................................................................... 1-3 FAST Act Requirements .......................................................................................................................... 1-3 2. Strategic Goals and Objectives .......................................................................................................... 2-1 VTrans Goals and