Regional Freight Network Plan Highways of Commerce FINAL REPORT Adopted: April 2010 Prepared for: Prepared by: Staff to TPO This report was financed in part by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and the Florida Department of Transportation. Table of Contents Section Page 1.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................1‐1 Purpose and Scope of Study.................................................................................................1‐1 What Are Highways of Commerce?.......................................................................................1‐3 Why Are They Important?....................................................................................................1‐3 Economic Activity Centers....................................................................................................1‐4 Identifying Highways of Commerce.......................................................................................1‐4 2.0 Regional Freight Stakeholder Participation............................................................................2‐1 Stakeholder Interview/Survey Results...................................................................................2‐1 Findings ..............................................................................................................................2‐1 Importance of the Transportation System.............................................................................2‐2 Largest Industries, Manufacturers, and Shippers ...................................................................2‐2 What is Shipped?.................................................................................................................2‐3 Market Trends.....................................................................................................................2‐4 Significance of Intermodal Facilities......................................................................................2‐5 Corridors Critical to Business Success....................................................................................2‐6 Freight Issues or Needs Affecting Critical Links ......................................................................2‐7 Programmed Projects ........................................................................................................2‐10 Santa Rosa County.............................................................................................................2‐10 Escambia County...............................................................................................................2‐10 Okaloosa County ...............................................................................................................2‐10 3.0 Analysis of Freight Traffic by TPO Area..................................................................................3‐1 Source of Data.....................................................................................................................3‐1 Florida‐Alabama TPO...........................................................................................................3‐1 Okaloosa‐Walton TPO..........................................................................................................3‐5 Bay County TPO...................................................................................................................3‐9 Rail, Water and Air Freight.................................................................................................3‐14 4.0 Identifying and Prioritizing Freight Needs..............................................................................4‐1 Freight‐Related Issues and Needs.........................................................................................4‐1 Prioritizing Freight Issues & Needs........................................................................................4‐5 5.0 Recommendations...............................................................................................................5‐1 Florida‐Alabama TPO...........................................................................................................5‐1 Okaloosa‐Walton TPO..........................................................................................................5‐4 Bay County TPO...................................................................................................................5‐5 Appendices A. Stakeholder Interview/Survey Forms B. Compilation of Stakeholder Responses C. Commodity Flow Data by TPO and FDOT District Three D. Truck Volume Maps Cover photo courtesy of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Regional Freight Network Plan Page i April 2010 List of Tables Table Page 1‐1 Recommended Regional Highways of Commerce ..................................................................1‐5 2‐1 Corridors Cited as Critical to Business Success.......................................................................2‐6 2‐2 Freight Issues and Needs......................................................................................................2‐7 3‐1 Top Water Borne Commodities ..........................................................................................3‐14 3‐2 Top Rail Borne Commodities ..............................................................................................3‐15 3‐3 Top Air Borne Commodities ...............................................................................................3‐15 4‐1 Freight Corridor Prioritization Criteria and Scoring.................................................................4‐6 4‐2 Identification and Prioritization of Stakeholder Issues and Needs.........................................4‐10 List of Maps Map Page 1‐1 Regional Freight Network Plan Study Area ............................................................................1‐2 1‐2 Florida Alabama TPO – Economic Activity Centers & Highways of Commerce..........................1‐6 1‐3 Okaloosa‐Walton TPO – Economic Activity Centers & Highways of Commerce........................1‐7 1‐4 Bay County TPO ‐ Economic Activity Centers & Highways of Commerce..................................1‐8 4‐1 Freight Needs & Issues ‐ Florida‐Alabama MPA......................................................................4‐2 4‐2 Freight Needs & Issues ‐ Okaloosa‐Walton MPA....................................................................4‐3 4‐3 Freight Needs & Issues ‐ Bay County MPA.............................................................................4‐4 4‐4 Major Economic Activity Centers, Florida‐Alabama TPO.........................................................4‐7 4‐5 Major Economic Activity Centers, Okaloosa‐Walton TPO........................................................4‐8 4‐6 Major Economic Activity Centers, Bay County TPO.................................................................4‐9 List of Figures Figure Page 3‐1 Florida‐Alabama TPO Top 5 Outbound Commodities (Annual Tons)........................................3‐2 3‐2 Florida‐Alabama TPO Top 5 Inbound Commodities (Annual Tons)...........................................3‐2 3‐3 Florida‐Alabama TPO Top 5 Outbound Commodities (Annual Truck Loads) .............................3‐3 3‐4 Florida‐Alabama TPO Top 5 Inbound Commodities (Annual Truck Loads)................................3‐3 3‐5 Florida‐Alabama TPO Top 5 Outbound Commodities (Value $)...............................................3‐4 3‐6 Florida‐Alabama TPO Top 5 Inbound Commodities (Value $)..................................................3‐5 3‐7 Okaloosa‐Walton TPO Top 5 Outbound Commodities (Annual Tons).......................................3‐6 3‐8 Okaloosa‐Walton TPO Top 5 Inbound Commodities (Annual Tons) .........................................3‐6 3‐9 Okaloosa‐Walton TPO Top 5 Outbound Commodities (Annual Truck Loads)............................3‐7 3‐10 Okaloosa‐Walton TPO Top 5 Inbound Commodities (Annual Truck Loads)...............................3‐8 3‐11 Okaloosa‐Walton TPO Top 5 Outbound Commodities (Value $)..............................................3‐9 3‐12 Okaloosa‐Walton TPO Top 5 Inbound Commodities (Value $).................................................3‐9 3‐13 Bay TPO Top 5 Outbound Commodities (Annual Tons).........................................................3‐10 3‐14 Bay TPO Top 5 Inbound Commodities (Annual Tons)............................................................3‐11 3‐15 Bay TPO Top 5 Outbound Commodities (Annual Truck Loads) ..............................................3‐12 3‐16 Bay TPO Top 5 Inbound Commodities (Annual Truck Loads).................................................3‐12 3‐17 Bay TPO Top 5 Outbound Commodities (Value $) ................................................................3‐13 3‐18 Bay TPO Top 5 Inbound Commodities (Value $)...................................................................3‐14 Regional Freight Network Plan Page ii April 2010 1.0 INTRODUCTION Purpose and Scope of Study The purpose of this plan is to identify existing and future “highways of commerce” and transportation improvements needed to enhance the economic competitiveness of the region. The plan focuses on the planning areas for three Transportation Planning Organizations (TPOs) in the Florida panhandle, namely: • Florida‐Alabama TPO, consisting of Pensacola and the urbanized parts of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida and