CALTRANS SEEKS PUBLIC’S INPUT ON STATEWIDE FREIGHT
MOBILITY PLAN
Oakland – With the economic recovery expanding, California’s
highways, seaports, and railroads are again teeming with freight being
transported across the state and on to the rest of the nation. Caltrans has
invested billions of dollars in projects aimed at improving freight movement and
reducing its environmental impacts, and this summer it will ask the public to
weigh-in on the future of freight movement in California.
Caltrans
will host a public workshop on June 24 in the Caltrans District 4 office
building cafeteria at 111 Grand Avenue in Oakland. The workshop will last from 4:00 p.m. until
7:00 p.m. During that time, we will solicit input on the draft California Freight
Mobility Plan (CFMP), which lays out a vision for all the ways freight is moved,
including seaports, air cargo, railroads, and trucking. While promoting
economic competitiveness, the plan will also benefit the environment and promote
public health by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.
“To
maintain and improve California’s status as the eighth-largest economy in the
world, we must create a multimodal freight plan that sustains freight jobs,
improves transportation, protects the environment and our communities,” said
Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.
The
U.S. Department of Transportation will rely on the CFMP and other state freight
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.
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. With 12 seaports, California has an unparalleled geographic trade position
on the Pacific Rim.
California
has set aggressive goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve a
sustainable environment. The freight plan’s goal is to transition the freight
industry to zero or near zero emissions by 2050. California has already made
progress in reducing freight’s effects through better engines, cleaner fuels,
infrastructure changes, and improved operations.
Caltrans
has accomplished much to improve freight in California over the last few years.
Some of the more notable freight projects include:
·
Otay
Mesa East Port of Entry: This project is an innovative, tolled land port of
entry designed to significantly reduce border wait times and expedite the flow
of goods between California and Mexico. Caltrans broke ground on the project
last year.
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·
Cordelia
Truck Scales: In July 2013, a new $100 million truck complex opened along
eastbound Interstate 80 near Fairfield in Solano County. The state-of-the-art
facility fast-tracks inspections for more than two million trucks annually that
travel from the Port of Oakland on I-80 through Northern California.
·
Gerald
Desmond Bridge: At 515 feet tall, the new Gerald Desmond Bridge when completed
will be tall enough to allow the world’s largest ships to pass under and enter
the Port of Long Beach’s inner harbor, increasing the Port’s capacity to handle
more cargo. Currently, about 15 percent of the nation’s international
containerized trade is moved by trucks across the existing bridge. The new
bridge will have three lanes in each direction, allowing a more efficient flow
of goods and people.
·
Colton
Crossing: This rail project was completed last year, $109 million under budget
and eight months ahead of schedule. Most trains entering or leaving Southern
California used the at-grade rail-to-rail crossing, which resulted in significant
congestion on commuter and freight rail lines. A new elevated overpass has
removed that chokepoint. The project will deliver an estimated $241 million in
travel time savings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions 34,000 tons annually.
Caltrans
is developing the CFMP in partnership with the California State Transportation
Agency, the freight industry, public agencies, Native American tribal
governments, and advocacy groups. The plan will be finalized by the end of this
year. To view the draft plan, informational materials, and to receive more
details on the public workshops, please visit: www.cfmp.dot.ca.gov.
Those
unable to attend a meeting in person, can comment by email (cfmp@dot.ca.gov.) or send a letter or a
completed comment card to: California Department of
Transportation, Division of Transportation Planning, Office of
System, Freight, and Rail Planning, 1120 N Street, MS 32, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Comments must be submitted by July 31, 2014.
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