Understanding freight-built environment interrelationships

The main aim of this study is to advance the understanding of interactions among land use, transportation infrastructure, and movement of freight. There are three research thrusts for the study. The first thrust examines the effects of transportation infrastructure on the trucking sector output, employment, and productivity at both state and urban area levels. The second thrust looks at how built environment factors such as intersection and road densities affect consumption of retail goods while accounting for the effects economic and demographic conditions. The third thrust examines the perceptions and knowledge of the stakeholders involved in urban freight movement and commercial real estate development regarding the relationship between land use and freight. While these thrusts do not comprise a complete list of critically important topics in understanding the land use – freight relationships, collecting information and advancing our understanding of these issues will establish a foundation for further studies to build on