Advancing Public Sector Priorities for Goods Movement Projects: A California Case Study

Passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, and subsequent federal, state, and metropolitan planning organization (MPO) efforts have provided leadership for advancing public sector priorities for goods movement projects. Nevertheless, progress has been slow. Lack of knowledge about freight transportation needs lies at the heart of the problem. The California Trade and Goods Movement Study set out to provide staff at all levels of government with information they could use to explain and document goods movement needs. The study also produced an executive report, targeted at elected officials, that emphasized the importance of efficient, uncongested transportation to the economic competitiveness of the state’s industries. The greatest challenge for the study was convincing MPOs, the state of California, and private industry that they needed one another to make things happen and that more energy was required to move faster. Reaching agreements required substantial dialogue because needed actions tended to change the balance of power among public agencies or affected individuals and causes. These concerns were overcome by the common goal of the study’s sponsors and participants, that is, to support the efficient and rapid movement of goods deemed vital to the state’s expanding domestic and international trade.