California Department of Transport, Caltrans, announced the public consultation on its California Freight Mobility Plan which will improve business and community freight connections over the next 20 years.
“Our freight system faces much of the same issues as the state highway system: congestion and questions about how to make it more environmentally and economically sustainable. Freight movement is critical to our economy, generating about USD 2.2 trillion each year and the amount moving through California is expected to continue to grow,” Caltrans Director Laurie Berman said.
Federal and state mandates require each state to update its freight plan five years to identify trends and plan for them so Caltrans is proactively seeking early and meaningful public input to understand and incorporate public priorities into the Freight Mobility Plan 2019.
The U.S. Department of Transport will rely on the plan and other state plans as it shapes a national freight plan. Projects identified in California’s plan will be eligible to apply for a higher percentage of federal funding.
Caltrans is developing the plan in partnership with the California State Transport Agency, California Freight Advisory Committee, freight stakeholders, public agencies, Native American tribal governments and environmental, air quality and labor advocacy groups to provide the framework for safe, sustainable, reliable and efficient movement of freight and people.
This plan is especially important because California is a national and global trade leader. Of the country’s internationally traded consumer products, about 40 percent is transported through California’s seaports on the Pacific Rim.
The plan will be finalized by December 2019.
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