CROG endorses regional warehousing land‑use and traffic study; consultants forecast up to 24 million sq. ft. by 2050

The CROG Policy Board endorsed a regional Warehousing Land‑Use and Traffic Study that combines a market analysis, traffic assessment and a land‑use best‑practices guide to help municipalities evaluate warehousing proposals.

Kyle Shield, who presented the study, said consultants expect about 15–24 million square feet of new industrial space by 2050, with roughly 9 million square feet already in the pipeline. "About 74% of projected growth will be concentrated in the Windsor Locks–Enfield area due to proximity to the airport," Shield said.

The study examined how different facility types drive different traffic patterns, noting some sites generate concentrated employee shift peaks while others produce continuous truck movements and last‑mile delivery activity. Shield said truck parking demand could increase substantially by 2040 and cited a DOT 2023 study showing utilization could grow 50–100% depending on corridor if additional supply is not added.

Shield also reported DOT plans to expand Southington rest area truck parking from 17 to 47 spaces and is exploring sites in Vernon and Enfield; the study includes potential supplemental sites if DOT capacity is insufficient.

The land‑use section provides municipal planners and land‑use commissioners with guidance on defining facility types, assessing traffic impacts, setting design standards and conducting post‑occupancy performance audits. Shield said the study includes a market forecast, a last‑mile delivery dashboard and traffic field data to help towns respond to warehousing applications.

The board moved to endorse the final plan by voice vote. CROG staff said the study and online tools will be shared with municipal planning and land‑use commissions for local review and application.