Freight Planning

The TPB is committed to giving full consideration to freight and goods movement needs in the overall regional transportation plan, through enhanced consideration of freight movement information, stakeholder outreach and input, and understanding of critical freight needs.

In recent years, the U.S. Department of Transportation has placed increasing emphasis on freight planning as metropolitan areas face increasing pressures from growing freight traffic through their highways, railroads, seaports, and airports.  SAFETEA-LU identifies freight planning as a key consideration for metropolitan planning. Economic considerations, including freight, are a key component of the TPB Vision.

Estimated Regional Commodity Flows by Direction of Movement
By Value	By Weight

The TPB, therefore, addresses freight planning in the regional transportation planning process.  While this region is not a large freight generator or goods producer, its large population and vibrant economy demand a responsive freight system. The region lies at the crossroads of several important national freight corridors and its highways and rail systems accommodate high volumes of through traffic. Mounting highway and rail congestion affects not only passenger travel, but also freight movement. Much of the growth in freight is occurring against a backdrop of continued growth in non-freight passenger movement, which especially presents challenges to metropolitan transportation systems. All regions depend upon the movement of goods, and the efficient flow of commodities will benefit the regional economy. 

In 2007, TPB commissioned a regional freight planning study for the metropolitan area. The study examined the state of freight movement in the region, and identified ways to improve consideration of freight in the regional transportation planning process. Following recommendations of this study, the TPB is actively working over the next several years to bolster the consideration and involvement of freight considerations and stakeholders in its processes, as well as coordinating with important freight planning activities of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia Departments of Transportation.

According to the study, the TPB region’s freight profile reflects its service-oriented economy, primarily a consumer of goods, not a producer. Approximately 222 million tons of goods, worth approximately $200 billion are transported to, from or within the Washington region annually.  In addition, an estimated additional 314 million tons of goods travel through the region annually (through-trips), worth approximately $1.2 trillion.

The top freight commodities by weight transported to, from, or within the region are gravel, natural gas, selected coal products (used for some regional power generation), products of petroleum refining (excluding gasoline, aviation fuel, and fuel oil), and waste/scrap materials. The value of freight moving inbound to the region is nearly twice that of the value of freight moving outbound, reflective of the region’s consumer and service-based economy and its relatively small manufacturing sector.  Machinery, textile/leather, and electronics are the top freight commodities moving to, from, or within the region by value.

The TPB region’s freight transportation system is served by a variety of modes.  Approximately three-quarters of freight traveling to, from, or within the Washington, D.C. region is transported by truck.  The remainder of goods is transported by rail, air, water, or a combination of modes.  Each mode of transportation has characteristics that are appropriate for the movement of one type of commodity or another.  For example, rail is well-suited for moving heavy, bulk freight traffic.  In the region, the top commodities by weight being transported by rail are gravel and coal.  In contrast, air transportation is well suited for transporting light, high-value, time sensitive goods, such as electronics and precision equipment.

Major highways constitute significant components of the region’s freight transportation system, including freeways and arterial highways.  Note that trucks are prohibited certain of the region's highways, such as on I-66 inside the Beltway and federal parkways including the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Major rail lines run east-west and north-south through the region and are served by two Class I railroads, Norfolk Southern and CSXT.  All of the region’s major international airports handle air cargo, with Washington Dulles International Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) handling the majority.

A small portion of goods is transported by water in the region.  The Washington region is situated between two major ports, the Port of Baltimore and the Port of Hampton Roads/Norfolk. Those ports and surrounding jurisdictions play a large part in the goods movement of the Washington region, with goods often trucked to or from these ports.

Looking to 2030, the TPB region is projected to experience a significant growth in freight, at a somewhat higher rate growth rates nationally.  All transportation modes are projected to move more tonnage to, from, and within the region by 2030.  Air cargo tonnage is projected to rise the fastest, growing by nearly 500 percent.

TPB is working to utilize a number of strategies to ensure full consideration of freight in the regional planning process. Activities include maintaining contacts with key persons in the freight field, hosting a dedicated freight subcommittee as well as other freight planning-related special events, including a freight section on the TPB's Web site, and compilation and analysis of key freight movement data.

To maintain the active, consumer economy of the region it is necessary to have reliable service and the consistent availability of goods.  The TPB's full consideration of freight when planning for the region’s transportation system will help ensure that goods are able to flow efficiently.