Eastern North Carolina Regional Freight Mobility Plan Final Report prepared for Greenville Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization prepared by Cambridge Systematics, Inc. with Baseline Mobility Group, Inc. Kimley-Horn & Associates Cherry Consulting of the Carolinas, Inc. October 31, 2019 www.camsys.com final plan Eastern North Carolina Regional Freight Mobility Plan Final Report prepared for Greenville Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization prepared by Cambridge Systematics, Inc. 1201 Edwards Mill Road, Suite 130 Raleigh, NC 27607 with Baseline Mobility Group, Inc. Kimley-Horn & Associates Cherry Consulting of the Carolinas, Inc. date October 31, 2019 (Note: Revisions Adopted June 14, 2020) Eastern North Carolina Regional Freight Mobility Plan Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................... ES-1 Stakeholder Outreach ........................................................................................................................ ES-1 Regional Goods Movement Profile .................................................................................................... ES-2 Highway Profile ........................................................................................................................ ES-2 Railroad Profile ........................................................................................................................ ES-3 Maritime Profile ........................................................................................................................ ES-3 Air Cargo Profile ....................................................................................................................... ES-4 Pipeline Profile ......................................................................................................................... ES-4 Economic and Industry Supply Chain Profile ..................................................................................... ES-4 Population Trends .................................................................................................................... ES-4 Employment Trends ................................................................................................................. ES-4 Commodity Flow and Economic Futures ........................................................................................... ES-6 Commodity Flow Profile ........................................................................................................... ES-6 County Level Trade..................................................................................................... ES-7 Economic Futures and Trends ................................................................................................. ES-8 Rail-Related Developments ........................................................................................ ES-8 Development Plans for North Carolina Global TransPark (NCGTP) .......................... ES-9 Logistics Freight Market Assessment ................................................................................................ ES-9 SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................................ ES-9 Cargo-Oriented Development Opportunities and Requirements ...........................................ES-10 SWOT Findings ......................................................................................................................ES-11 Needs Assessment ..........................................................................................................................ES-11 Key Findings ..........................................................................................................................ES-11 Summary Findings and Recommendations .....................................................................................ES-12 Freight Policy Findings and Recommendations ....................................................................ES-12 Highway and Bridge Findings and Recommendations ..........................................................ES-13 Rail Infrastructure Findings and Recommendations ..............................................................ES-14 Port Findings and Recommendations ....................................................................................ES-14 Airport Findings and Recommendations................................................................................ES-15 Freight and Logistics Findings and Recommendations .........................................................ES-16 1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Eastern North Carolina Region .................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Organization of the Report ......................................................................................................... 1-2 2.0 Stakeholder Outreach ........................................................................................................................ 2-1 Cambridge Systematics, Inc. i Eastern North Carolina Regional Freight Mobility Plan 2.1 Regional Freight Advisory Council ............................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Focus Groups ............................................................................................................................ 2-3 2.3 Freight and Industry Stakeholder Interviews ............................................................................. 2-3 2.4 Freight Mobility Survey .............................................................................................................. 2-4 2.5 Summary .................................................................................................................................... 2-5 3.0 Regional Goods Movement Profile ................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Data and Methodology ............................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Highway/Trucking Profile ........................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2.1 Regional Priority Highway Freight Network .................................................................. 3-1 3.2.2 System Use and Demand ............................................................................................. 3-4 3.2.3 System Performance .................................................................................................... 3-4 Level of Service ............................................................................................................ 3-4 Safety ............................................................................................................................ 3-4 At-Grade Crossings ...................................................................................................... 3-4 Highway-Rail Accidents ................................................................................................ 3-4 Pavement Conditions .................................................................................................... 3-4 Bridge Conditions.......................................................................................................... 3-5 Future Interstate Highways ........................................................................................... 3-8 3.3 Railroad Profile ........................................................................................................................ 3-10 3.3.1 Railroad System .......................................................................................................... 3-10 3.3.2 System Use and Demand ........................................................................................... 3-13 3.3.3 Level of Service .......................................................................................................... 3-15 3.3.4 Trends and Implications for Rail Growth..................................................................... 3-17 3.4 Marine Port Profile ................................................................................................................... 3-18 3.4.1 Inventory of Marine Assets ......................................................................................... 3-18 Deepwater Ports ......................................................................................................... 3-18 River Ports .................................................................................................................. 3-18 Neighbor Ports ............................................................................................................ 3-18 3.4.2 Port of Morehead City Activity/Demand ...................................................................... 3-19 3.4.3 Port Challenges .......................................................................................................... 3-20 3.4.4 Port of Morehead City Future Growth ......................................................................... 3-20 3.5 Air Cargo Profile ......................................................................................................................