PROJECT NEWS

Study Finds I-10 Major Carrier of Freight
August 26, 2002

Nearly one third of the total freight tonnage transported across America travels across Interstate 10 and most of that travels by truck, a national study of the coast-to-coast highway has found.

The National I-10 Freight Corridor Study, commissioned by the eight states through which the 2,500-mile interstate traverses, has been examining freight movements along the highway's corridor. The study found that 29 percent of the total freight tonnage transported in the United States originates or ends up in one of the eight states. Those states include California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

In 2000, commodity flows for all modes of transportation used to transport freight totaled nearly 3 billion tons valued at more than $2 trillion.

"The I-10 corridor is a major freight route traversing eight states and connecting the east and west coast," said Michael Behrens, executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation and chair of the I-10 Steering Committee. "The findings demonstrate the contribution I-10 makes to the nation's overall economy."

The study also provides information about the variety of transportation modes used to move goods. According to one of the study's technical memorandums, trucks carried more than 60 percent of the freight moving along I-10, by volume and by value. An estimated 13 percent traveled by rail, 25 percent by waterborne carriers, and less than 1 percent by air.

"How goods are moved is determined by origin and destination, value of the commodities, and time sensitivity of the delivery," Behrens said. "For example, rail and waterways are most often used for heavy and larger shipments and for international trade. High value, time-sensitive items are shipped by air. Everything else generally is transported by truck."

TxDOT said the study's findings concerning the conditions currently existing along I-10 indicate freight movements by trucks are most often delayed in highly urbanized areas - where more traffic of all kinds exist. However, the study also found that truck traffic in some rural areas along the I-10 corridor is substantial, sometimes reaching more than 50 percent.

Another finding of the study is that regional traffic between major cities along I-10 makes up a large portion of the freight moved. Freight moves back and forth between these paired cities, such as Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana; San Antonio and Houston, Texas; and Gulfport, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama.

Findings from the feasibility study will be presented next spring to the I-10 Steering Committee.

Potential improvements are expected to be identified by the end of the year and submitted for review to the eight states involved in the study.

Transportation officials in each state will be discussing proposed activities with state and local officials, business interests and others who could be impacted by any activities along I-10.

More information about of the study's findings and freight flow reports can be obtained by logging on to the project's web site at www.i10freightstudy.org, where a Volume 2 newsletter will be posted in early August. Information also can be obtained by contacting the project's toll free hot line or mailing address at: