As Central Florida’s population grows and the demand for goods and services increases, efficient, cost-effective freight movement becomes more critical. Everything we buy – clothing, groceries, furniture, construction supplies and more – arrives as freight. Well thought-out freight planning improves safety, economic competitiveness, air quality, and traffic flow, resulting in a thriving economy.
ASSESSING FREIGHT NEEDS
To get a better grasp of freight needs for the year 2050, we first had to understand the current situation. Planning began with an assessment of the types of goods coming to and through the region, where they come from, and how freight moves. This identified freight deficiencies and opportunities in the transportation system.
Results showed that of the more than 100 million tons of freight flowing throughout our region each year, about 80% of our goods move by truck, with the remaining 20% moving by rail, sea, and air. The freight needs assessment revealed three areas where opportunities for improvement exist: 1) capacity and congestion; 2) community impacts, including air quality and safety; and 3) institutional and regulatory bottlenecks.
Freight and Goods Movement Element of the 2050 Plan
MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS
Addressing current and future freight needs requires complex solutions in these areas:
- Infrastructure: Investments in the physical transportation system, such as building new facilities (roads, rails, ports, truck parking), reconstructing existing ones, or maintaining the current system.
- Operational: Solutions that focus on improving efficiency and flow of the existing system, including synchronizing traffic signals, improving signage, or providing real-time traffic data to dispatchers and drivers.
- Institutional: Solutions focusing on policies, regulations, and governance issues at the regional, state, and federal levels.
PLANNING FOR FREIGHT GROWTH
Preparing for freight growth will put Central Florida in a position to prosper economically. By 2050, freight demand is expected to grow by up to 70%. This growth will generate jobs and income. Check out the Transportation Improvement Program to learn more about freight improvements coming to the region.
REGIONAL FREIGHT NETWORK
A regional freight network highlights the most important roadways for freight movement within Central Florida. While all roads play a role, this network ensures critical freight corridors receive focused attention and resources. Having an identified network also helps to identify future freight opportunities and to help identify gaps in data collection and strategies to plan, design, and operate the identified freight network.
The designated network represents a partnership between MetroPlan Orlando and local agencies in the region to support development of a plan to optimize freight movement in Central Florida, while being sensitive to community impacts. The freight network is shown in its entirety in Chapter 7: Freight and Goods Movement of the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan.
REGIONAL FREIGHT PLAN ARCHIVE
Visit our archives to view other freight planning documents.