GOODS MOVEMENT IN CALIFORNIA: A CALTRANS PERSPECTIVE

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ACADEMY January 2006 RICHARD NORDAHL CHIEF OFFICE OF GOODS MOVEMENT DIVISION OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

OVERVIEW Federal and State Legislative Requirements/Directions Governor’s Strategic Growth Plan GMAP – GM Outside the Box Planner Roles and Partnerships

FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, in its preamble, calls upon the States to, “…develop a National Intermodal Transportation System that serves the mobility needs of people and freight.” Federally mandated state transportation planning and funding statutes (Title 23, United States Code, Section 135) requires the states to:

FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS Increase the accessibility and mobility options available to people and freight; Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes throughout the state, for people and freight; and Provide transportation users and providers, such as freight shippers and carriers, reasonable opportunity to provide input regarding state plans and funding programs.

DRAFT NATIONAL FREIGHT POLICY Newest effort is being led by the USDOT Office of the Secretary. It is just now being shared as a discussion draft, and will be discussed actively at the Transportation Research Board Meeting in January. Vision: The United States domestic freight transportation system will perform efficiently and reliably, supporting the availability of goods and the nation’s economic growth without jeopardizing environmental health. Overarching Strategies – Communicate benefits and challenges, and improve system performance through collaborative actions.

STATE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS The “…goal of the State is to provide adequate, safe, and efficient transportation facilities and services for the movement of people and goods at a reasonable cost.” (Government Code 14000c) “A comprehensive multimodal transportation planning process should be established which involves all levels of government and the private sector in a cooperative process to develop coordinated transportation plans.” (GC 14000d)

STATE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS “The powers and duties of the Department shall include coordinating and assisting, upon request of various public and private transportation entities, in strengthening their development and operation of a balanced, integrated, mass transportation, highway, aviation, maritime, railroad, and other transportation facilities and services in support of statewide and regional goals.” (GC 14030b).

GOVERNOR’S STRATEGIC GROWTH PLAN This is an overall $107 billion proposal for transportation, including $12 billion in transportation bonds. Significantly, 1/3 ($4 billion) of the bond proceeds is for trade infrastructure and impact mitigation. Part of the question then becomes what other percentage of available funds will be committed to goods movement. It builds significantly off the Goods Movement Action Plan.

Goods Movement Action Plan – Outside the Box As fractured of a process as it is, the GMAP is an attempt to do a systematic review of the goods movement needs and impacts of the State- transportation, environmental, technology, economic, financial, public safety & security. This is not just a highway exercise. For example, rail issues, needs, and improvements are being explicitly considered. There is an explicit recognition that there are significant, substantial & adverse environmental, community, and public health impacts of goods movement that must be addressed.

Goods Movement Action Plan – Outside the Box There is growing understanding that there must be simultaneous and continuous investments in infrastructure improvements and environmental mitigation (work in progress). The response must be joint. It must build on a partnership of all parties. It requires public and private investments and actions. It must be based on faith, equity, and trust. It must bring about a demonstrateable change in system performance and quality of life.

GM ROLE CATEGORIES Partnerships Planning (and Policy) Programming (Funding) Project Development Operations/Maintenance Communication/Education Performance Measurement Research

PARTNERSHIPS Principle: Build partnerships and understandings with the public and private sector, including other infrastructure providers, carriers, and shippers and receivers on issues and solutions. Principle: All interactions are to proceed based on collaborative, business-to-business relationships. Such relationships are to be based on accountability, of the State to operate efficiently, keep its promises, and seek innovative solutions to new and old problems.

PARTNERSHIPS Legislative – Congressional Delegation, State Legislators Federal Government – U.S. DOT (FHWA, FTA, FRA, Maritime Administration), U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security State Agencies – California Transportation Commission, Business, Transportation & Housing Agency (BTH), Environmental Protection Agency/Air Resources Board, California Highway Patrol

PARTNERSHIPS Regional and Local Governments – Metropolitan Planning Organizations (e.g., SCAG), County Transportation Commissions (e.g., LACMTA, SANBAG), local cities, counties and planning agencies Private Industry – Carriers (shipping lines, railroads, trucking firms), terminal operators, shippers, receivers, interest groups General public – Includes environmental, community based organizations and advocacy groups and individual citizens.

PLANNING Principle: Build the program of action based on overall policy, desired outcomes, system analysis, project evaluation and selection, and performance measurement. Principle: The planning approach must be flexible, that is a balancing of federal, state, regional and local objectives and individual needs. No one size fits all. Planning must also be done in a cooperative, inclusive and open fashion, involving all interested freight interests, public and private. It must be continuing, and it must be comprehensive.

DISTRICT PLANNING PROGRAM ELEMENTS Develop/enhance goods movement stakeholder partnerships and dialogues – infrastructure providers, users, and impacted communities. Develop goods movement system studies/analyses, including the identification of: Goods movement transportation network, including major generators/receivers; Performance of that network (i.e., including design, operational, safety, maintenance, access and capacity deficiencies and other issues);

DISTRICT PLANNING PROGRAM ELEMENTS Factors/variables that are driving system performance changes (e.g, international trade growth, truck/rail industry changes, goods movement land-use development); System deficiencies; and Improvement alternatives, including project evaluation and selection. Develop goods movement improvement project lists, priorities, and PIDS.

DISTRICT PLANNING PROGRAM ELEMENTS Advocate study and project programming in OWPs, RTPs, RTIPs/FTIPs, the ITIP, and the SHOPP. Work with local planning agencies to consider goods movement requirements. Monitor land-use and system changes that may impact system performance. Expand goods movement data resources, information and expertise.

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT Principle: To determine how the system is performing, to guide decision-makers and analysts in recommending appropriate action. Performance outcomes and measures are being identified by BTH and the Department under the Transportation System Performance Measures project. Nine performance outcome/measure areas have been identified. They are Mobility/Reliability/ Accessibility; Productivity; System Preservation; Safety; Environmental Quality; Coordinated Transportation and Land Use; Economic Development; Return On Investment; and Equity.

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT Eight freight performance measures have been identified. They are: Travel time – interregional; Travel time – intraregional; Travel time reliability – Percent on-time performance; Travel time reliability – Variance in travel times, interregional and intraregional trips; Modal facilities inventory; Truck volumes by axle/percent of corridor capacity; Total emissions and rates (by ton-mile) – statewide, regional air basin; and Percent increase in goods movement over baseline.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS Greater recognition of goods movement planning as separate, distinct, planning subject and discipline. Expanded multimodal policy, planning and funding commitment focus. More creative funding partnerships and arrangements.

CONCLUSIONS A legislative and policy foundation exists for goods movement planning. A comprehensive planning effort is vital to responding to goods movement issues. Partnerships, both informational and financial, will become even more important keys to our success in resolving the problems before us. Our performance will be measured by how well we set the context and tell our story, and how well the system actually performs.