presented to Lower Hudson Valley Stakeholder Forum

1
Regional Freight Plan Project New York
Metropolitan Transportation Council

• presented toLower Hudson Valley Stakeholder
  Forum
• presented byCambridge Systematics, Inc.
• with
• Edwards and Kelcey, Inc. Konheim and Ketcham,
  Inc.
• Eng-Wong, Taub and Associates The Tioga Group
• Keiser and Associates, Inc. TranSystems
  Corporation
• KKO and Associates, Inc. Roberta Weisbrod
• co-sponsors
• Rockland Business Association
• Westchester County Association
• Westchester Department of Transportation
• November 30, 2000

2
Agenda

• Overview of project scope and schedule
• Overview of public outreach program
• Summary of internal and external freight data
  scans
• Description of Existing Freight Flows
• Modal summaries
• Highway/CVO, rail/intermodal, ports, and air
• Preliminary conclusions
• Discussion/question and answer

3
Project Schedule
4
NYMTCs Objectives for This Study Include

• A Regional Freight Plan that contains timely
  descriptive narratives of the current freight
  delivery system
• Recommendations for capital projects, policies,
  and programs
• Suggestions for further freight transportation
  planning and
• Public education of freight transportation
  characteristics and issues from the point of view
  of shippers, carriers, and other affected
  stakeholders

5
Structure of Existing Conditions Analysis

• Modal background and overview
• Markets
• Historic trends
• Institutional structure/business environment
• Physical facilities
• Operations
• Policies and regulations
• Future trends and planned improvements
• Conclusions, issues, and constraints

6
Stakeholder Outreach and Involvement

• Objectives
• Solicit public and industry input at key project
  milestones
• Forum 1 - Defining the regional freight system
• Forum 2 - Definition of assessment of needs
• Forum 3 - Assessment of improvements and
  solutions
• Forum 4 - Selection and implementation of freight
  strategies
• Develop a constituency for implementation of the
  freight action plan developed by this project

7
Stakeholders
Business Modes Highways/commercial vehicles Rail
system Ports/waterborne commerce Air
cargo Roles Shipping Receiving Warehouse
distribution Third party logistics Engineering Tra
de and business associations
Government NYMTC and other MPOs County/city
transportation and planning agencies Elected
officials interested in freight issues
Transportation Policy Groups Research and policy
organizations Regional planning Transportation
advisory groups Economic development associations
8
Input Methods

• Meetings - Four regional forums
• Question and answer
• Discussion of presentations
• Website
• Project documents
• Meeting information
• Feedback

Http//webservices.camsys.com/nymtcfreight
9
Summary of Internal Scan

• Purpose of this effort was to ensure that the
  study made effective use of all relevant freight
  transportation work completed to date in the
  region
• Collected all identified and available material
  describing the physical and operational
  characteristics of the regions freight
  transportation system
• Material was reviewed, summarized, and prepared
  as input to the existing conditions report
• This collection will provide the project team
  with a comprehensive reference library throughout
  the project

10
Example Projects Included in the Internal Scan

• Cross Harbor Freight Movement MIS (Conducted for
  NYCEDC in 2000)
• Port Development and Investment Planning Study
  (Conducted for PANYNJ in 1998)
• Strategic Plan for the Re-Development of the Port
  of New York (Conducted for NYCEDC in 1999)
• Long Island Transportation Plan 2000 (MIS)
  (Conducted for NYSDOT in 1998)
• Arlington Yard Intermodal Facility (Conducted
  for SIEDC in 1998)
• Bronx Arterial Needs MIS Existing Conditions and
  Problem Identification Report (Conducted for
  NYSDOT in 1999)

11
Overview of External Scan

• Metropolitan freight planning best practices
  from other MPOs were identified from four
  perspectives
• Mandate
• Freight planning missions, visions, and goals
• Organization
• Public/private sector coordination
• Resources
• Funding and staff resources for freight planning
• Projects and programs
• Innovative freight planning activities

12
Projects and Programs

• Many innovative freight projects and programs
  exist
• Puget Sound Regional Councils FAST-CAST program
• Public-private partnership to improve freight
  mobility along the corridor between Everett and
  Tacoma by improving railroad grade crossings and
  port access
• Alameda Corridor
• Public-private partnership to construct a 20 mile
  rail link connecting the ports of Los Angeles and
  Long Beach to a transcontinental rail transfer
  facility

13
Summary

• There are many examples of excellent metropolitan
  freight planning programs, all with similar
  characteristics
• Clearly defined, attainable goals for the
  regions freight transportation system
• A high degree of public agency and private sector
  involvement in the freight planning process
• A designated freight expert within the
  organization
• A move toward the development of freight-specific
  models and databases
• A willingness to think outside the box in
  developing and funding freight improvement
  projects

14
Existing Freight Flows
15
Annual Tons of Freight Arriving in the NYMTC
RegionBy Origin
16
Annual Tons of Freight Leaving the NYMTC
RegionBy Destination
17
Top Inbound Commodities for the NYMTC RegionBy
Weight and Value
Inbound by Weight
Inbound by Value
13
13
17
3
21
3
11
5
4
14
5
5
10
5
5
9
6
10
13
7
8
13
Machinery, excluding electrical
Rubber or miscellaneous plastics products
Food or kindred products
Lumber or wood products, excluding furniture
Electrical machinery, equipment, or supplies
Petroleum or coal products
Apparel or other finishedtextile products
Pulp, paper, or allied products
Clay, concrete, glass, or stone products
Food or kindred products
Lumber or wood products, excluding furniture
Fabricated metal products
Transportation equipment
Secondary Cargos and Drayage
Primary metal products
Secondary Cargos and Drayage
Other
Chemicals or allied products
Other
Chemicals or allied products
Waste or scrap materials
Instruments, photographic goods, optical goods,
watches, or clocks
18
Top Outbound Commodities for the NYMTC RegionBy
Weight and Value
Outbound by Value
Outbound by Weight
1
2
8
18
3
20
3
30
4
6
5
11
7
5
8
6
9
24
6
8
8
8
Pulp, paper, or allied products
Petroleum or coal products
Secondary Cargos and Drayage
Chemicals or alliedproducts
Secondary Cargos and Drayage
Instruments, photographic goods, optical goods,
watches, or clocks
Printed matter
Food or kindred products
Fabricated metal products
Machinery, excluding electrical
Food or kindred products
Apparel or other finished textile products
Primary metal products
Waste or scrap materials
Printed matter
Other
Clay, concrete, glass, or stone products
Petroleum or coal products
Electrical machinery, equipment, or supplies
Other
Transportation equipment
Chemicals or allied products
19
Mode Share for Total Commodity Flows by Weight
1
1
2
0
26
0
73
97
Regional Mode Split (by weight)
Hudson Valley Mode Split (by weight)
20
County-Level Goods Movement Summary
11
27
43
45
31
2
26
15
Hudson Valley Goods Movement Summary
Regional Goods Movement Summary
Note Through trips are defined as those trips
that have both an origin and destination outside
the NYMTC region.
21
Summary of New York State Waste

• Trends show a growth in waste tonnage of about 25
  percent while the amount being exported has
  increased by more than 300 percent
• These trends have created a charged political
  environment and a critical need for efficient
  transport of waste within and out of the region
• New York Citys Solid Waste Management Plan was
  approved on November 29 by the City Council it
  calls for 100 percent export of the Citys waste
  concentrating on water and rail transportation

All NYS Waste (residential, institutional, and
businesses) millions of tons/year
1988 1997 Percent Growth Total 24.0 29.9 25 Expo
rt 1.1 4.6 318 Percent Exported 5 15
Source - NYSDEC Draft Solid Waste Management Plan
1999-2000 update.
22
Modal Summaries
23
Highways and Commercial Vehicle Operations

• Roadway database
• Physical attributes
• Operational attributes
• Major truck route profiles and route-specific
  issues
• Overall system issues implementable projects

24
Roadway Database

• Physical attributes
• Number of lanes
• Usable shoulders
• Restrictions/clearances
• Operational attributes
• AADT
• Truck percent
• LOS or speed

25
Regional Truck Network
26
Truck AADT
27
Truck Route ProfileI-287 Cross Westchester
Expressway (CWE)

• 3 lanes EB and 3 lanes WB
• Usable 810 shoulders
• Vertical Clearances of at least 140
• Trucks prohibited in the left lane
• 100,000 AADT
• 5 percent trucks during the AM and PM peak
  periods
• 10 percent trucks during off-peak periods
• Speed limit is 55 mph
• At congested areas, especially west of the Saw
  Mill River Parkway
• Average speed in the AM peak direction is less
  than 10 mph
• Average speed in the AM off-peak direction is
  30-50 mph
• Average speed in the PM peak direction is 25 mph
• Average speed in the PM off-peak direction is 50
  mph

Sources - Final Report for Long Term Needs
Assessment and Alternative Analysis I-287/Tappan
Zee Bridge Corridor, April 2000. I-287 Final
Design Report/FEIS, June 1997. I-287 Amended
Design Report/Re-Evaluation, February 2000.
28
Truck Route IssuesI-287 Cross Westchester
Expressway (CWE)

• CWE is the only east/west segment of the National
  Highway System in Westchester County
• Bottleneck - Weaving area in WB direction between
  Saw Mill River Parkway and NYS Thruway has an
  accident rate five times the statewide average
• Bottleneck - Connector ramp from NYS Thruway to
  the CWE (Exit 8 eastbound) has a tight radius and
  the design speed (35 mph) is substantially lower
  than the mainline (60 mph)
• Bottleneck - Heavy congestion at the Sprain Brook
  Parkway ramps to the CWE

Sources - Final Report for Long Term Needs
Assessment and Alternative Analysis I-287/Tappan
Zee Bridge Corridor, April 2000. I-287 Final
Design Report/FEIS, June 1997. I-287 Amended
Design Report/Re-Evaluation, February 2000.
29
Through Trips on the Network

• Through moves represent 11 percent of freight
  flows in the NYMTC region
• Largest number of through moves is on
  I-95/GWB/CBX because it is the key through route
  for moves to the Northeast
• Level of service on this corridor signifies the
  worst degree of congestion (F), resulting in high
  costs to the carrier
• Motor carrier can avoid this congestion by using
  Newburgh-Beacon Bridge or Tappan Zee Bridge, but
  these routes may impose elongated travel distances

30
Terminal and Warehouse Access Trips

• Freight flows with one trip end inside the region
  and the other end outside represent 74 percent of
  total flows
• I-95/GWB/CBX and other corridors in the region
  used for these trips have bad congestion (LOS E
  or F), resulting in high costs to motor carriers
• I-95/NJ Turnpike/US 1-9 is an important New
  York/northern New Jersey corridor because of
  concentration of ports, rail terminals,
  intermodal terminals, warehouses, and
  manufacturing plants this corridor has
  acceptable travel conditions and moderate
  congestion

31
Distribution and Interplant Moves

• Freight flows wholly within the region total 15
  percent of total flows
• Conditions on freight corridors east of the
  Hudson are LOS E or F in some time periods and
  there are other types of restrictions (I.e.,
  weight, width, height, and length)
• Freight flow is from west to east of the Hudson
  River
• Warehouses and distribution centers are in the
  West
• Businesses and population are in the East
• Motor carriers have high costs from congestion,
  need for separate fleets west and east of the
  river, reloading costs

32
Overall Highway System Issues

• Chronic congestion on major highways
• Limited alternate routes
• Vertical clearance restrictions and
  discontinuities
• Lack of service roads along some key limited
  access highways
• Lack of usable shoulders in some locations
• Others

33
Rail Freight Systems

• Metropolitan New York has a busy railroad network
• 2,096 passenger trains each week day
• 74 line haul freight trains per day
• 70 west of Hudson
• 4 east of Hudson

34
Regional Rail Network
35
Region is Dominated by Passenger Rail Service
36
Railroads East of the Hudson Are Lightly Used
for Freight Operations
37
Freight Mode Share Comparison

• East of Hudson rail freight deliveries and
  organizations are relatively rare
• West of Hudson use of rail freight is more
  typical

Percent
90
80
East of Hudson New
York Metropolitan Region
70
West of Hudson New
60
York Metropolitan Region
50
US National Average
40
30
20
10
0
Rail
Truck
Water
Sources - NYC EDC Cross Harbor Freight Movement
MIS Final Report, Page 4-3, May 2000 and NYCEDC,
RFP for Management of 65th Street Rail Yard,
page 2, August 2000.
38
East of Hudson Freight Mode Split Appears
Unbalanced

• Why is there an imbalance?
• Is the imbalance something to be concerned about?
• What can be done about the imbalance?

39
Factors Contributing to Low Use of Rail East of
the Hudson

• Geography
• Hudson River is a significant barrier
• No rail freight crossings south of Albany
• New York City is on the edge of the continental
  rail network
• Barge substitutes for rail for some commodities
• Regional economy
• Most US rail tons are coal, grain and raw
  materials
• East of Hudson makes limited use of products most
  commonly shipped by rail

40
Factors Contributing to Low Use of Rail East of
the Hudson (continued)

• Land use
• Transportation terminals and major industrial
  complexes concentrated in New Jersey
• Housing and commercial activity concentrated on
  New York and Long Island
• Public policy
• Public investment in highway links across the
  Hudson
• East of rail network shifted to public ownership
  and operation to ensure that commuters can reach
  Manhattan
• Rail freight is primarily a private sector
  economic activity

41
Should We Be Concerned About the Imbalance?

• Public agencies in New York are quite concerned
• Highway congestion
• Air quality
• Cost of living
• Economic development

42
What is Being Done About the Imbalance?

• Privatization of LIRR freight operations
• Competitive Class I RR access to East of Hudson
  region
• Revitalized float bridge network
• Oak Point Link and Harlem River Yards
• East of Hudson Rail Freight Operations Task Force
• Hudson Line Clearance Project
• Pilgrim State intermodal terminal project
• Restoration of Staten Island Railway
• Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel

43
Rail Intermodal Growth
Loads in millions
10
Containers and trailers
3.4
Trailers
3.5
3.6
8
Containers
3.5
3.7
6
3.5
4
7.1
6.7
6.4
5.9
5.4
4.6
2
3.1
2.8
2.4
2.2
1.7
0
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Source AAR Analysis of Class 1 Railroads.
44
Leading Intermodal Technologies
IntermodalTechnology
HighwayVehicle
Rail Vehicle
TerminalTechnology
Trailer on Flatcar (TOFC)
96 or 102 wide
176 high on an
Lift onLift off
Reinforced Trailer
Intermodal Flatcar
Container on Flatcar (COFC)
Lift onLift off
96 or 102 wide
Very low on an
Standard Container
Intermodal Flatcar
Lift onLift off
Standard Container
Intermodal Flatcar
Double Stack (Containers 2 high on a flatcar)
102 wide
Low--Attachable
Road Railer
Drive onDrive off
Specialized Trailer
Rail Wheels
Iron Highway
102 wide
TOFC height on a
Drive onDrive off
Standard Trailer
Specialize Flatcar
45
Intermodal Terminals in the New York
MarketCurrently Active Terminals

• CSX
• South Kearny
• North Bergen
• Little Ferry
• Norfolk Southern
• Croxton
• E-Rail
• Canadian Pacific
• Oak Island

• PANYNJ
• ExpressRail
• Resources
• Resources terminal
• Pacer Stacktrain
• APINY
• Triple Crown Services
• Portside

46
Intermodal Terminals in the New York
Market(Continued)

• Currently in-active terminals
• Harlem River Ventures
• Harlem River Yard
• New York Cross Harbor
• Greenville Yard
• Proposed terminals
• PANYNJ
• PO ports
• Howland Hook
• NYSDOT
• Pilgrim

47
Port Facilities in New York and New JerseyTotal
of 800 Docks in Regional Freight Plan Database
Source - NYMTC
48
Functional Classification of Maritime Cargo
All Maritime Cargo
General Cargo
Bulk Cargo
Break Bulk
Neo-Bulk
Containerized
Liquid Bulk
Dry Bulk
Grain, Sand and Gravel, Scrap Metal,
Coal/Coke,Clinker, Fertilizer
LNG, Petroleum, Molasses,Chemicals, Vegetable
Oil
Containers,Lift On/Lift Off (Lo/Lo), Roll
On/Roll Off (Ro/Ro)
Lumber, Paper, Steel, Autos
Sacks, Cartons, Crates, Drums, Pallets, Bags
Source - TranSystems.
49
Definition of Containerized Cargo

• Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit
• One 20 box 1 TEU(the first container)
• One 40 box 2 TEUs(most common)
• 45 box (largest international)
• 53 box (largest domestic)
• About 2/3 of international containers moved
  through New York/New Jersey are loaded, and about
  1/3 are empty. On average, each 40 box is the
  equivalent of about 14 tons

50
PONYNJ is Third-Largest US Port by Tons,
BoxesEmphasis on Foreign Imports, Domestic
Freight, Petroleum
Leading US Ports by Tons, 1998
Leading US Ports by Containers, 1999
Rank
Port
TEUs
Rank
Port
Short Tons
1
Long Beach
4,408,480
1
South Louisiana
196,645,563
2
Houston
169,070,334
2
Los Angeles
3,828,851
3
New York/New Jersey
137,543,784
3
New York/New Jersey
2,828,878
4
New Orleans
88,768,246
4
Oakland
1,663,756
5
Corpus Christi
86,179,780
5
Seattle
1,490,048
Top PONYNJ Commodities (short tons), 1998
Foreign Imports
Tons
Foreign Exports
Tons
Domestic
Tons
Petroleum
29,995,000
Crude Materials
2,525,000
Petroleum
61,782,000
Food and Farm
5,126,000
Mfg. Products
1,484,000
Crude Materials
4,991,000
Primary Mfg.Goods
3,996,000
Food and Farm
1,209,000
Chemicals
2,323,000
Mfg. Products
3,786,000
Chemicals
1,191,000
Mfg. Products
1,371,000
Chemicals
2,588,000
Primary Mfg.Goods
834,000
Food and Farm
927,000
Total Imports
53,518,545
Total Exports
8,028,061
Total Domestic
75,997,178
Sources - Waterborne Commerce of the United
States 1998 and AAPA.
51
Locations of Public Marine Terminal
ComplexesFreight Activity Concentrated in Newark
Bay, Arthur Kill

• 137,543,784 tons, 1998
• 62,752,262 through public terminals
• 74,791,522 through private terminals
• 2,828,878 TEUs, 1999
• Virtually all through public terminals, most
  through Port Newark/ Elizabeth MOTBY and SBMT
  not active

Source - Port Authority of NY and NJ, Waterborne
Commerce of the United States 1998.
52
PONYNJ Cargo TrendsTotal Tonnage Stable but
Containers Have Grown at 3.6 Percent Annually
Source - Waterborne Commerce of the United States
1998 and AAPA.
53
Key Issue - Navigation Channel DeepeningBy 2010,
33 Percent of Containers Will Be on Mega Ships
Requiring 50 Channels
3900 TEU Panamax Ship - 39 draft
6000 TEU Mega Ship - 50 draft
Channel
Serving
Current Depth
Underway/Planned
Proposed
Kill van Kull
Port Newark/Elizabeth
40'
45'
50'
Howland Hook
Newark Bay
Port Newark/Elizabeth
40'
45'
50'
Arthur Kill
Howland Hook
35'
41'-45'
50'
Port Jersey
Global Marine Terminal
35'
41'
50'
Military Ocean Terminal
Red Hook
Red Hook Terminal
40'
n.a.
50'
Bay Ridge
South Brooklyn Terminal
40'
n.a.
50'
Source - NY and NJ Harbor Navigation Study.
54
Key Issue - Adding Container-Handling
CapacityPONYNJ Needs to Double Productivity and
Add 500-900 Acres

• Planning initiatives
• Port development and investment strategy
• Strategic plan for redevelopment of the Port of
  New York
• Comprehensive Port Improvement Plan
• Recommendations to date
• Advanced cranes, terminal equipment and
  information systems
• Reconfigure/optimize Port Newark/Elizabeth,
  Howland Hook, and Red Hook
• Develop MOTBY, SBMT

Million TEUs
Demand With 50 Channels
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Demand With 45 Channels
Capacity With Improved Productivity
Capacity of Regions Container Terminals
PANYNJ Container Forecast, 1998-2020
Source - PANYNJ, Cambridge Systematics.
55
Key Issue - Highway Access to PortsLimited
Projects Underway
TO COMPETING PORTS -- BOSTON, HALIFAX
GW Bridge /Cross Bronx Expwy (I-95)
Portway and 12-A
Gowanus EIS
Goethals Bridge
Staten Island Expwy MIS
TO COMPETING PORTS -- PHILA, WILMINGTON,
BALTIMORE, VIRGINIA
Source - PANYNJ Map, Cambridge Systematics.
56
Key Issue - Rail Access to PortsRail Now Handles
10-15 Percent of Port Containers Might Handle
15-30 Percent in Future With Needed System
Improvements
Hudson River crossing is 140 miles north at
Selkirk, NY
Congested mainlines and intermodal railyards,
limited on-dock capacity 150 million in
improvements proposed
Use passenger rail tunnels for freight? (ARC)
No intermodal yards, lines not cleared for
containers (TOFC/COFC) line clearance and new
yards proposed
Railcar float tunnel to Brooklyn proposed
Source - PANYNJ Map, Cambridge Systematics.
57
Key Issue - Need for Innovative Solutions

• Proposals for port capacity
• Optimize and fully utilize existing terminals
• Advanced cranes, yard equipment, information
  systems, construction technologies to allow
  higher density, more efficient operations
• Proposals for distribution outside the region
• Maximize rail share via system improvements
• Port Inland Distribution Network concept -
  dedicated rail/highway access to selected
  regional warehouse and distribution centers
• Barges as alternative to truck over mid-range
  distances
• Proposals for distribution within the region
• Improve port facilities, warehousing and access
  east of Hudson to reduce drayage from west of
  Hudson terminals
• Improve rail floats across the Hudson
• Short haul shuttle rail to/from ports
• Highway system management, special use lanes

58
Air Cargo Industry Profile

• The Players
• Shippers
• Freight forwarders
• Customs brokers
• Consolidators
• Customs
• Third party logistics
• Air carriers
• Motor carriers
• Airports

Air Freight Air Mail Air Cargo
59
Air Cargo Carriers

• Combination carriers
• American, Delta, Continental, etc.
• All-cargo carriers
• Integrated
• FedEx, UPS, Airborne, DHL, Emery, BaxGlobal
• Line haul carriers
• Polar, Kitty Hawk, Cargolux, etc.
• RFS/motor carriers
• Forward Air, Expedited, ACI, LTLs, etc.

60
Factors Affecting Industry Growth

• World and national GDPs
• Expanding integrator/express market
• Deregulation of trade
• Open skies
• Globalization of trade
• Logistics/total cost of distribution
• Advanced communications/internet

61
Key NY Metro Regional Air Cargo Airports

• JFK International Airport
• International gateway
• Newark International Airport
• International gateway
• Regional domestic hub
• LaGuardia
• Domestic mail

62
1999 Regional Air Cargo Volumes
NY Metropolitan Region 1999 Air Cargo Volumes By
Type
331,409 Tons
1,313,361 tons
1,545,858 Tons
Domestic air freight
International air freight
Air mail
63
Regional Air Cargo Volumes by Airport
NY Metropolitan Region 1999 Air Cargo Volumes
Tons
1,800,000
Air freight
1,600,000
Air mail
1,400,000
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
JFK
Newark
LaGuardia
64
Top Regional Air Cargo Carriers
65
Competitive Northeastern Airports
Tons
Comparison of Northeastern US Airports by 1999
Cargo Volumes
1,800,000
1,600,000
1,400,000
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
JFK
Philadelphia
Washington Dulles
Hartford
Newark
Boston
Baltimore
66
JFKs Role in Air Freight is Declining Relative
to Other U.S. Airports

• Technological advances in aircraft technology
  have made international travel more feasible from
  hinterland airports
• Highway access is hindered by congestion on the
  Van Wyck and truck prohibitions on the Belt
  Parkway
• Air space is the most congested in the nation
• Cargo facilities are old, unattractive, and
  inefficient
• Rents are high and expansion space limited
• There is no master plan to improve air freight
  facilities, although there are project by project
  initiatives underway

67
Key Issues Affecting the Future of Freight
Transportation in the Region

• NYC and Long Island are primarily importers,
  while through traffic dominates in the Lower
  Hudson Valley
• Truck is the predominant freight mode throughout
  the region, and little freight is shipped by rail
  to locations East-of-the-Hudson
• No single commodity or set of commodities
  dominates freight shipment, but truck bound
  commodities tend to predominate
• Nearby regions are the predominant trading
  partners, also tending to increase reliance on
  truck
• The future of municipal solid waste transport is
  a major unknown in planning the regions freight
  future
• The regions major freight highways are highly
  congested, with few alternate routes and many
  vertical clearance restrictions and
  discontinuities
• Rail service is constrained by the dominance of
  passenger trains, lack of rail freight crossings
  south of Albany, and vertical restrictions and
  land use limit penetration of modern intermodal
  technologies, yards and warehousing facilities
  most of which are located in New Jersey

68
Key Issues Affecting the Future of Freight
Transportation in the Region (continued)

• The ability of the regions port facilities to
  capture growing Atlantic trade are constrained by
  channel depths, poor highway and rail access, and
  underutilization of key facilities
• The role of JFK Airport in international cargo
  trade is declining due to poor highway access,
  aging facilities, high rents, and lack of a
  master plan
• There are numerous freight related projects in
  the region - the key is to coordinate, reach
  consensus, finance and implement those with the
  greater potential to achieve regional goals
• MPOs which have successfully engaged in freight
  planning have clearly defined and attainable
  goals, public/private cooperation, internal
  freight expertise and commitment, freight models
  and database, and financial creativity