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GAO-09-163R 1 (2008-11-20)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaankz0001 and id is 1 raw text is: I GA 0 T I IAccountability * Integrity * Reliability United States Government Accountability Office Washington, DC 20548 November 20, 2008 The Honorable James L. Oberstar Chairman Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure House of Representatives The Honorable Peter A. DeFazio Chairman Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure House of Representatives Subject: Approaches to Mitigate Freight Congestion Strong productivity gains in the U.S. economy hinge, in part, on transportation networks working efficiently. Continued development and efficient management of the nation's freight transportation system-especially highways and rail lines that connect international gateways and intermodal facilities to retailers, producers, and consumers-are important to sustaining the nation's competitive position in the global economy. However, the increasing congestion on the transportation system poses a threat to the efficient flow of the nation's goods and has strained the system in some locations. Moreover, recent growth in international trade has placed even greater pressures on ports, border crossings, and distribution hubs. Congestion delays that significantly constrain freight mobility in these areas could result in increased economic costs for the nation. The Federal Highway Administration has calculated that delays caused by highway bottlenecks cost the trucking industry alone more than $8 billion a year. We reported earlier this year on ways in which freight transportation stakeholders have been addressing those factors, and the many challenges public planners face in advancing freight projects.2 In that report, we showed how stakeholders have advanced projects and proposals to enhance freight mobility by increasing system efficiency and building new infrastructure. The challenges we identified included competition from nonfreight projects for public funds and community support in the planning process, lack of coordination among various government entities and 'U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Transportation Challenge: Moving the U.S. Economy (Washington, D.C., 2008). 2GAO, Freight Transportation: National Policy and Strategies Can Help Improve Freight Mobility, GAO-08-287 (Washington D.C.: Jan. 7, 2008). GAO-09-163R Freight Congestion

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