Middle States Geographer, 2003, 36:56-65 THE GEOGRAPHY OF WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION IN SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania lias seen dramatic growth in warehousing and distribution facilities. Currentlv there are over 100 warehousing, distribution, and trucking related facilities along this 75 mile stretch of interstate freeway with ill the Cumberland Valley, with more under construction or in the planning stage. Several factors are responsible [or the growth of the trucking industry in this reg ion. Interstate 81 passes through few large cities, unlike 1-c)5 to the east, so urban truffic is III illill/a I. Interstates 70, 76, and 78, which intersect 1-81 within the region, provide easy access to both the eastern seaboard and the interior. Municipalities I·iew warehousing as a benign form of economic development, and local land owners are eager to sell to development compunies as prices increase. Initiall» facilities were limited to the freeway intercltanges at l lugcrstown, Harrisburg, and Carlisle. However, warehousing and distribution lias begun to spread tlnougliout the valley, particularly in Chambersburg, which has recently seen a significant increase warehouse construction. This paper describes the geography of warehousing and distribution related [acilities within tlte Cumberland Valley and identifies sonic of tlie issues facing the region in light of the continuing growth of this industry. INTRODUCTION recognized the importance of this corridor and many of the mid-sized LTL (less than full-load) trucking companies have been in the region since the 1970s