Freight Transportation Planning for Urban Areas

Freight Transportation Planning for Urban Areas The Goods Movement Council includes ITE members with an interest in planning, designing and operating facilities for the movement of goods, including an emphasis on intermodal transfers. The Goods Movement Council supported and sponsored a variety of sessions at the ITE 2004 Technical Conference and Exhibit and the ITE 2004 Annual Meeting and Exhibit that highlighted curbside management and parking in urban areas and improving freight planning. The council provides information of importance to those working in the goods movement field through its newsletter and ITE Journal articles. BY ARUN CHATTERJEE, PH.D., P.E. INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF PAPER Planning for freight transportation in urban areas is not performed as commonly or as thoroughly as planning for passenger transportation, despite the fact that one of the seven factors for metropolitan planning specified in the federal legislation (the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century) mentions freight. Most planners and engineers working for local public agencies are not trained in freight planning. In addition, technical information on freight planning is lacking. The only comprehensive source of information on urban goods movement published in recent years is a book by Ogden. 1 However, freight planning has received more attention in the last two years and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been developing and disseminating useful information. This feature is intended as an introduction to freight planning for urban areas. Different Approaches Freight planning for an urban area can be approached from two different perspectives. One focuses on economic development and business logistics; the other primarily concerns the physical infrastructure for accommodating freight movements efficiently. The latter represents the traditional engineeringoriented approach familiar to transportation engineers. However, they are not mutually exclusive. Both approaches should be used simultaneously. In practice, the economic development approach is more suitable at a regional or statewide level. In some cases, multiple states may be included in the study area. The objectives of this approach include the identification of policies and physical improvements related to freight transportation that would help existing businesses and industries in the area and would help attract new investments. These policies and improvements are likely to involve multiple modes and large-scale projects. The traditional engineering and physical infrastructure approach is applicable at all levels of planning, including urban areas of large, medium, or small sizes. The data needs are somewhat different for the two approaches. For the economic development and business logistics approach, information on commodity flows by different transportation modes is needed in addition to data on vehicle movements. The traditional engineering and physical infrastructure approach relies primarily on data on vehicle movements and does not require commodity flow data. The vehicle-based and physical infrastructure approach is more suitable for transportation and land use planners and traffic engineers working for cities, counties and metropolitan planning organizations (MPO). This feature will primarily examine this approach. Local planners and traffic engineers must deal with the common problems and opportunities related to truck traffic in an urban area. This feature will identify some of these problems and opportunities and discuss some of the traditional tools for planning and forecasting used by MPOs. TYPES OF FREIGHT MOVEMENTS A useful way to examine freight movements is to recognize their spatial orientation with reference to a study area and stratify them into the three classes. This classification scheme, which is commonly used in urban transportation planning studies, is meaningful not only for understanding the spatial orientation of freight movements but also for identifying the scope of planning and types of strategies to use. 20 ITE JOURNAL / DECEMBER 2004

External-Internal Movements External-internal freight movements, which have one end inside and the other end outside a study area, are primarily inter-city movements. They represent a study area s interaction with other nearby areas as well as those located far away. In some cases, external-internal freight movements include international trade and have national significance. These freight movements are related to the economic base of an area and usually involve several modes of transportation, such as truck, rail, air, water and pipeline. Furthermore, external-internal movements usually involve freight terminals of different modes (truck, rail, air, water and pipeline) located in a study area. The economic development and business logistics planning approach is appropriate to deal with external-internal freight movements. For planning studies related to these movements, commodity flow data are useful. For studies involving externalinternal movements, an area s MPO should work closely with other agencies, such as the state department of transportation, chamber of commerce and, in some cases, airport and seaport authorities. Through Movements Through (external-external) movements are not related directly to a study/planning area because both ends are located outside the study area. However, they sometimes cause serious problems in an area. For example, heavy volumes of large trucks passing through an urban area can cause severe traffic congestion as well as environmental problems. Local residents usually are afraid to drive on highways with a heavy volume of large trucks. Rail movements through an area can cause delay at rail-highway grade crossings and safety problems. In many cases, the traditional engineering planning approach and capitalintensive solutions are used to deal with problems involving through freight vehicle traffic. These may include attractive bypass facilities for large trucks and grade separation of busy rail tracks. In some cases, studies covering a large area beyond an urban area may be needed to identify other types of solutions, such as those involving modal LOCAL PLANNERS AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERS MUST DEAL WITH THE COMMON PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO TRUCK TRAFFIC IN AN URBAN AREA. shifts. For problems related to through movements, a coordinated effort of local and state agencies is needed. Internal Movements Internal (such as intra-urban) freight movements almost always occur by truck. The majority of these movements are for pick-up and delivery (PUD) of freight items using single-unit trucks and vans. However, large combination trucks also move freight between terminals and hubs located inside an urban area. It should be recognized that internal freight movements have a hierarchical pattern and require different sizes of trucks. For example: PUD movements between major activity centers such as an airport and a hub terminal of a freight company (such as the United Parcel Service) use large combination trucks. PUD movements of containers from one rail terminal to another are known as rubber-tired interchanges and are common in certain large urban areas such as Chicago, IL, USA and Memphis, TN, USA, which are served by multiple rail companies. PUD movements between warehouses and distribution centers on one end and stores and offices at the other end may use medium-sized trucks. PUD movements between a breakbulk truck terminal at one end and offices, homes and stores at the other end usually use small trucks and vans. In addition to trucks and vans that commonly carry freight, freight planners should be aware of service vehicles automobiles and small vans used by plumbers, electricians, office equipment maintenance personnel and others providing similar services. These vehicles often have commercial license tags but do not carry heavy freight items. A source of confusion or controversy is the question of whether these vehicles should be given the same privileges as trucks with respect to the use of certain special areas such as curbside loading zones. Although planners and traffic engineers may not need to analyze internal freight movements in terms of commodity flows, they should be aware of the variety of freight items carried by trucks inside an urban area. These include construction materials, food products, consumer goods (such as television sets and furniture), petroleum, small packages and mail. Planning for internal freight movements falls under the scope of the planning and engineering approach commonly used by MPOs, cities and counties. These programs and processes at the local level are reviewed in the following section. PLANNING PROGRAMS OF MPOS, CITIES AND COUNTIES A variety of planning activities and programs are undertaken in an urban area by different public agencies at the local level in partnership with the state department of transportation and FHWA. Federal legislation requires that urbanized areas with a population of more than 50,000 establish MPOs for transportation planning. In addition to MPOs, cities and counties in an urbanized area have transportation/traffic engineering departments that also undertake planning activities. MPO Planning Process All MPOs have well defined planning programs that include long-range and short-range planning. Short-range planning may be a component of the long- ITE JOURNAL / DECEMBER 2004 21

range planning process and, in most cases, special-purpose studies representing emphasis areas are undertaken to focus on specific issues such as air quality. A focused study on the existing issues and problems related to freight transportation and short-range opportunities can be undertaken by an MPO in addition to what may be done through the long-range planning process. The time horizon for long-range planning usually is 20 years. The plan is reexamined and updated every three years. Forecasting future scenarios is essential for long-range planning, and forecasting models play an important role in the plan development process. There are two major categories of these models. A freight planner must examine how freight movements are treated in these models. Land Use Planning and Forecasting Models. Freight traffic generators often are included in general land use categories such as industrial and commercial and their unique identity is lost. Therefore, they may not receive the recognition or attention they deserve. The land use planning process should be examined from the perspective of freight transportation. Questions should include: Does it address truck terminals and their current and future locations? Does it address warehouses and their current and future locations? How are the expansion and/or relocation needs of major terminals airports, seaports and rail-truck intermodal terminals addressed? Is access to freight facilities being examined? The answers to these questions and other similar ones will reveal the adequacy or deficiency of the existing land use planning process for freight planning. Travel Forecasting Models. A considerable amount of time and effort is spent developing and applying four-step travel demand forecasting models. These models are useful for assessing future alternative plans. However, historically, the primary focus of these models has been on passenger trips. Only a few MPOs today make a serious effort to develop truck travel forecasting models. The reasons for not doing so usually include the lack of data and the FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION IS MORE COMPLEX THAN PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE IT INVOLVES MANY PARTIES AND MANY OF THEM ARE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. cost of doing a truck travel survey. However, if an MPO is serious about freight planning, it should conduct a truck travel survey of some type, even if a full-blown origin-destination survey may not be feasible. The MPO also should gather truck counts at several locations. These surveys should be designed using sound statistical procedures. Count locations also should be selected with care. When developing truck travel forecasting models, a variety of issues and questions must be addressed. For example, should separate models be developed for trucks of different sizes, and how many types or classes of trucks should be used for this purpose? It should be recognized that truck trip-making is more complex than passenger trips, and trip generation and distribution models may be somewhat different from those of passenger vehicles. The variables commonly used for passenger trip generation are households and employment. However, the variables appropriate for truck trip generation may be different. For example, truck trip rates may be developed for establishments of different types and sizes. 2 The classic gravity model may not work well for PUD truck trips, which are tour based and follow a trip chaining pattern. It should be pointed out that a special type of technique has been used in a few areas as a substitute for a truck origindestination survey. This technique uses a mathematical procedure to create a truck trip matrix that would replicate truck counts at selected locations with reasonable accuracy. 3 These synthetic techniques for truck trip distribution are not used widely at this time and more research may be needed on this subject. Good truck count data also are needed for these synthetic models. Traffic assignment for trucks also raises interesting questions: Should there be a separate network for large trucks reflecting truck route restrictions and roads that are avoided by large trucks because of geometric and other physical constraints? If auto trips and truck trips are assigned separately, how should the combined impact of these trips on capacity and speed be accounted for? It should be emphasized that, for identifying problems related to truck traffic, planners should be able to identify truck trips assigned on various links of a network, although these trips may be combined with auto trips for a combined traffic assignment. There are techniques that can do this, including multi-class assignment and pre-loading of large truck trips assigned on the network. 4 Planning at City and County Levels Whereas the primary orientation of an MPO s planning programs is longrange planning leading to the selection of projects for implementation, which are included in the transportation improvement program, traffic and transportation engineering departments in cities and counties make parallel efforts to solve existing problems in a variety of ways. Traffic and highway engineers working for local and state public agencies can make a significant contribution to increase the efficiency of urban freight movements by making certain physical and operational improvements to the road network and adopting certain policies and practices with regard to traffic flow and parking. 22 ITE JOURNAL / DECEMBER 2004

Examples of such improvements and policies are included in the following section along with a few long-range opportunities that MPOs can pursue. PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES Planners and engineers need to have a good understanding of common problems and opportunities involving freight movement in urban areas. The identification and assessment of problems and opportunities should be done through the longrange and short-range planning programs and special purpose studies that were discussed earlier. More detailed information on these common problems and opportunities can be found in articles by Chatterjee et al. and a report by Christiansen. 5 8 Some opportunities that deserve immediate attention fall under city planning and some fall under traffic engineering. Both city planners and traffic engineers can apply a variety of strategies to reduce some of the problems that freight carriers face in serving their customers in urban areas. Planning Oriented Opportunities Two examples of opportunities that a local government s planning department can pursue to improve the freight transportation system in an urban area are discussed in this section. Off-Street Loading Space/Docks. A major problem for trucking companies engaged in goods PUD in urban areas is the lack of convenient space to park to serve their customers. This problem is most acute in downtown areas. A good solution is for each building to provide off-street loading/unloading space for trucks. Although it may be too late to make any changes to existing buildings, new and renovated buildings can be designed to provide space for trucks. To accomplish this goal, every city should incorporate specific requirements in their zoning ordinances for off-street loading docks or space to be provided at buildings in proportion to the floor area. A few urban areas have developed these requirements based on sound research, and these may be good examples to follow. 9, 10 It should be noted that, in some cases, even when off-street loading docks are provided, it may not help freight delivery vehicles because these spaces often are occupied by automobiles and dumpsters, or access to the docks is blocked or poorly designed for accommodating trucks. Transportation Parks or Freight Villages. Another planning oriented opportunity applicable to locations outside a central business district involves the development of transportation parks, or freight villages. In most urban areas, freight terminals are scattered around, and some of them cause conflicts with surrounding developments. If instead, the terminals are concentrated at a few locations along with businesses that serve them, special strategies can be used to create buffer areas and/or provide special access facilities. The concept of transportation parks has been discussed by Chatterjee, Staley and Whaley. 11 Freight villages represent a similar concept and include more freight related activities. Transportation parks would not only help the freight community, but also would reduce the negative impact of freight terminals on residential and other sensitive land uses. The implementation of this concept needs proactive land use planning. Traffic Engineering Opportunities City traffic engineers can help freight carriers in a variety of ways. Two examples are discussed in this section. Curbside Loading Zones. The provision of adequate curbside loading zones is important for efficient goods PUD in downtown areas because most buildings do not provide adequate off-street loading space. The delay freight carriers experience and the traffic tickets they receive for double-parking due to the lack of loading zones considerably increase the costs of doing business. These costs ultimately are passed on to the shippers and receivers, and consumers end up paying for the inefficiencies of the freight delivery system. It should be recognized that the need for curb space for trucks and vans must compete with a similar need for curb space for buses and taxis. Therefore, the management of curb space is an important responsibility of city traffic engineering departments. Figure 1. Cut-outs are ideal for curbside loading zones and provide a safe area for truck parking without obstructing through traffic. There are many interesting and detailed aspects of loading zones with respect to eligibility, location, pavement marking and signing and time of operation. 12 Eligibility for the use of loading zones should be communicated clearly and enforcement should be strict and regular. These spaces should be reserved only for trucks and vans that carry heavy freight or mail. Service vehicles should not be permitted to use these spaces. A specific feature that is ideal for curbside loading zones is a cut-out, which provides a safe area for truck parking without obstructing through traffic (see Figure 1). Cut-outs, however, require a wide sidewalk, which may not be available at all locations. Every urban area should implement a curb space management program and pay special attention to the needs of freight delivery trucks and vans. Intersection Design. Most intersections in urban areas are designed primarily for automobile traffic, and large trucks experience difficulty in making turning movements at these intersections. This is not a serious issue for some intersections because the number of large trucks using these intersections is low and the overall traffic volume is light. However, there are locations in every urban area where intersections are used by fairly high volumes of truck traffic. The design of these intersections deserves special treatment, such as wide lanes and long curb-return radii at the corners for accommodating large trucks. Unfortunately, in many cases, such special treatment is lacking. Traffic engineers should identify intersections that deserve special treatment for large trucks and use their skills to incorporate these features. ITE JOURNAL / DECEMBER 2004 23

Identifying Short-Range Problems and Opportunities As mentioned earlier, an MPO can undertake a study focused on identifying existing freight transportation system problems and opportunities for making improvements in the short-term. This effort should be made in addition to what can be done through the longrange planning process. This does not require a time-consuming and expensive data collection effort and advanced analytical tools. One of the approaches for this type of planning effort is to form a freight advisory committee. Freight transportation is more complex than passenger transportation because it involves many parties and many of them are in the private sector. Freight service is provided by the private sector, and the public sector s role is limited primarily to the provision of guide ways for different modes (roads, airports, waterways, etc). A great deal of knowledge resides among the carriers, shippers and receivers, who are the parties directly involved with decisions and choices related to freight transportation. Therefore, it is an excellent idea for public agency planners and engineers to form an advisory committee comprising representatives of carriers, shippers and receivers to take advantage of their knowledge of existing problems and issues leading to the identification of fast action projects. This approach, however, should not be taken lightly because the cooperation of the private sector may not continue unless their recommendations are pursued and some of them are implemented. Difficulties and Challenges of Freight Planning Newcomers to freight planning should be aware of some of the difficulties planners usually do not face when planning for passenger travel: The general public has a negative attitude toward freight service providers. Elected officials also may not give high priority to freight vehicles and freight planning. Therefore, an MPO or any other agency engaged in freight planning should consider some educational and promotional activities to educate the general public and elected officials about the importance of freight transportation for a community. The help of news media and the chamber of commerce should be sought to publicize the case for freight oriented projects. The cooperation of private freight companies is essential for successful freight planning; however, it is sometimes difficult to get freight companies involved in the planning process. If they are approached in an appropriate manner, it is not difficult to get representatives of carriers, shippers and receivers to participate as members of a freight advisory committee. Unfortunately, in many cases, private sector representatives do not continue to participate. This may be because they want fast action that does not occur or they do not understand the time-consuming planning process of public agencies. It is an excellent idea to implement a few improvement strategies quickly to gain the confidence of the private sector. Decisions made by shippers (and receivers) to use one mode instead of another are based on economic factors that usually are beyond the control of local planners and engineers. Therefore, ideas such as reducing traffic congestion by shifting freight flows from trucks to rail may not be practical for local agencies to pursue. Solutions involving modal shifts must be investigated at a statewide or regional level. References 1. Ogden, K.W. Urban Goods Movement: A Guide to Policy and Planning. Ashgate Publishing Company, 1992. 2. Fischer, M.J. and M. Han. Truck Trip Generation Data. NCHRP Synthesis 298. Transportation Research Board (TRB), 2001. 3. Agnello, P. and J. Jones. Freight Data Lessons Learned from Truck Model Development in the Baltimore Region. Presented at the 83rd Annual Meeting of TRB, Washington, DC, USA, January 2004. 4. Farris, J.M. and D. Ismart. Freight Modeling Techniques for Small and Medium- Sized Areas. Proceedings of the Sixth National Conference on Transportation Planning for Small and Medium-Sized Communities, TRB, Spokane, WA, USA, 1998. 5. Chatterjee, A., E.R. Cadotte, F.J. Wegmann and R.A. Robicheaux. Goods Movement Planning for Small and Medium Size Urban Areas. Transportation Engineering, Vol. 47, No. 11 (November 1977): 25 30. 6. Chatterjee, A., R.A. Robicheaux, E.R. Cadotte and F.J. Wegmann. Short-Range Planning for Urban Goods Movement. Traffic Quarterly, Vol. XXXIII, No. 3 (July 1979): 381 395. 7. Chatterjee, A., R.A. Staley and E.C. Sullivan. Issues and Problems of Moving Goods in Urban Areas. Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol. 115, No. 1 (January 1989): 4 19. 8. Christiansen, D. Urban Transportation Planning for Goods and Services. Texas Transportation Institute report prepared for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 1979. 9. Walters, C.A. Dallas Urban Goods Movement Changes: The Decade After. Goods Movement in Urban Areas. Chatterjee, A. G.F. Fisher and R.A. Staley (eds.). American Society of Civil Engineers, 1989: 53 63. 10. Wegmann, F.J., A. Chatterjee, M.E Lipinski, B.E. Jennings and R.E. McGinnis. Characteristics of Urban Freight Systems. DOT-T-96-22. Report prepared for FHWA, 1995. 11. Chatterjee, A., R.A. Staley and J.R. Whaley. Transportation Parks A Promising Approach to Facilitate Urban Goods Movement. Traffic Quarterly (April 1986). 12. Chatterjee, A., R.A. Staley and R.E. Stammer. Curb Space Management Strategies for Nashville. Prepared for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County and distributed by the U.S. Department of Transportation s Technology Sharing Program, 1984. ARUN CHATTERJEE, Ph.D., P.E., is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He received a Ph.D. at North Carolina State University. His other work experience includes employment with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Wilbur Smith Associates and Marquette University. He is an emeritus member of the Transportation Research Board Urban Freight Committee and a fellow of ITE and ASCE. 24 ITE JOURNAL / DECEMBER 2004