1. Arkansas’ State Freight Plan
Arkansas River (M40)/StrongPorts Workshop
July 28, 2016
Michael Henry, P.E.
Transportation Planning and Policy Division
Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department

2. The Plan Arkansas’ first compressive Freight Plan Cambridge Systematic
Notice to Proceed was given on April 24,2015
Draft expected in September
Will cover all modes of transportation

3. Freight and the Arkansas Economy
$51 Billion of output from freight dependent sectors
43 percent of the total economic output from the state of Arkansas

4. Freight and the Arkansas Economy
781,000 employees in freight dependent sectors
50 percent of the total employment in Arkansas

5. How is the Freight Moved?

6. Arkansas’ Commodity Distribution

7. How is the Freight Moved?
Arkansas as over 16,400 miles of highways, 2,662 miles of rail, 1,000 miles of navigable waterways, 77 commercial airports, and over 217,000 miles of pipeline

8. Top Waterway Commodities
Commodity
Tonnage (1,000’s)
Percent of Total
Inbound
Outbound
Intra
Total
Farm Products 9
6,408 1
6,418
37%
Waste or Scrap Materials
2,337
199
100
2,636
15%
Nonmetallic Minerals
442
168
1,785
2,395
14%
Petroleum or Coal Products
634
1,175
141
1,951
11%
Primary Metal Products
1,589
326
1,915
Chemicals or Allied Products
690 49
738 4%
Coal
373 36
410 2%
Metallic Ores
278 42 5
Fabricated Metal Products 89
113
202 1%
Food or Kindred Products
148 50
198
All Others
109
111
220
6,697
8,676
2,035
17,409
100%

9. Waterway Demand
Port of Osceola has the highest volume of traffic. The main commodities shipped from there are Metal Scrap, Blast Furnace products, and grains.
The port of Memphis is next highest volumes with Petroleum Refining Products and oil kernels, nuts, and seeds.
The Port of Fort Smith is 4th on the volumes and the most popular products shipped are gravels and sands.

10. MKARNS Historical Tonnage Moved
Year
Millions of Tons
2004
12.9
2005
12.3
2006
12.8
2007
12.1
2008
11.0
2009
10.8
2010
11.1
2011
10.6
2012
11.4
2013
12.2
2014
11.7

11. Ports and Waterway Needs
Port Needs
Waterway Needs
MKARNS 12-ft Channel
Critical maintenance on locks, dams, and dredging
Upgrading locks with tow equipment
Greater utilization of the MKARNS
Grant program for ports
Marketing program for ports
Road Improvements
Rail Improvements
Other Land-based Improvements
Maritime Improvements
Equipment
With all of these needs the estimated cost for ports and waterways for the next 25 years is estimated to be around $750 million.

12. Questions???