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Caltrans seeks additions to USDOT's proposed primary freight network; plans statewide freight mobility plan under AB 14 and MAP-21
Summary
Caltrans briefed the commission on the California Freight Mobility Plan and the proposed U.S. DOT primary freight network. The department said California accounts for about 2,700 centerline miles on the proposed national list, urged USDOT to close local gaps, and outlined a May-June schedule for draft freight plan review and public workshops.
Bruce Deterra of Caltrans told the Transportation Commission on April 9 that the department is finalizing a California Freight Mobility Plan to meet AB 14 and MAP-21 expectations and is engaging the Freight Advisory Committee on proposed state priorities.
Deterra said MAP-21 encouraged states to produce freight plans and AB 14 established a state due date (December of the year). He said USDOT's proposed National Primary Freight Network originally capped highway centerline miles at 27,000 nationally; California's share in that proposal is roughly 2,700 miles, the largest of any state. Deterra said the commission's freight advisory process identified gaps where the proposed federal network stops short of critical connectors; examples included missing links to border ports of entry and some port connectors such as the Gerald Desmond link.
Caltrans proposed a tiered state freight network and asked USDOT to use an available 3,000-mile national allowance to close identified gaps; Deterra said California will press for a multimodal national network and for freight-specific funding that includes eligibility for community and environmental mitigation and improvement projects.
The freight plan administrative draft will be posted May 2, with a public-review draft in mid-June followed by workshops in multiple regions; the final plan is scheduled for transmittal to the governor and legislature thereafter. Deterra said the Freight Advisory Committee's policy recommendations will be forwarded to the secretary and submitted to USDOT as California's national priorities.
Ending: The department will post an administrative draft of the freight plan in May, hold workshops during the public comment period and submit the final plan as required; Caltrans will continue to press USDOT to add corridor links and to create a multimodal national freight network with targeted freight funding.
