Megaregion Freight Movements: A Case Study of the Texas Triangle

2011PDFTech ReportSWUTC/11/476660-00075-1DTRT07-G-0006Freight transportationCase studiesMetropolitan areasEconomic developmentRegionsRegional planningTransportation planningResearch HubFreight transportationCase studiesMetropolitan areasTexasUnited StatesSouthwest Region University Transportation Center (U.S.)Seedah, DanHarrison, RobertUniversity of Texas at Austin. Center for Transportation ResearchUnited States. Dept. of Transportation. Research and Innovative Technology AdministrationUS Transportation CollectionU.S. population growth is predicted to substantially increase over the next 40 years, particularly in areas with large regional economies forecasted to contain over two-thirds of the national economic activity. In Texas, population growth from 2000 to 2040 is predicted to increase around 72% and produce a diverse population of some 36 million. This will comprise 12% rural and 88% urban, much of it in the 26 metropolitan areas. These population and economic estimates stimulated the exploration of appropriate planning strategies to address the needs of serving such growth, including a macro approach encapsulated in the term megaregions. Although some planners are skeptical about whether this concept enhances traditional planning, it does merit examination in the freight transportation sector, which tends to get less emphasis in community and regional planning. Texas has at least one megaregion, and the largest\u2014The Texas Triangle, comprising Dallas/Fort Worth-San Antonio-Houston\u2014generates over 60% of the gross state product. The project will consider the Texas Triangle with an emphasis on maintaining efficient future freight movement and will offer multimodal solutions to moving freight to, between, and within the metropolitan economies of the megaregion to 2050