Freight Progress Highlights Arizona’s Want for Truck Climbing Lanes, Parking Areas

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Arizona transportation officers have recognized wants for extra truck parking areas and passing/climbing lanes on key roadways as shipments develop.

These findings are contained in an replace to its five-year state freight plan being modified by the Arizona Division of Transportation.

In keeping with ADOT, practically 285 million tons of freight valued at $395 billion had been carried by truck in 2019 in Arizona — 42% native, 38% by way of, 12% inbound and eight% outbound. Commerce with Canada and Mexico accounted for 28 million tons (9.5%) of whole freight, with nearly all of cross-border flows to and from Mexico (amounting to 22.5 million tons) largely carried on vehicles.

Truck freight shipped by way of Arizona primarily originates in California, Texas or Mexico. High commodity classes are plastic merchandise, prescription drugs, recent fish and building supplies. The state’s inbound items from California embrace shopper items and autos coming from Asia and dealt with by way of California’s ports earlier than being carried by vehicles into Arizona.

By 2045, the quantity of freight carried by vehicles is projected to skyrocket 58% to 450 million tons.

ADOT officers are searching for public enter on an replace to its multiyear state freight plan as they assess the state’s skill to fulfill rising freight calls for.

The company on Sept. 20 printed a 121-page draft of its state freight plan and is soliciting feedback by way of Nov. 4. Feedback will be emailed (freightplan@azdot.gov) or accomplished by way of a web based type (azdot.gov/AZFreightPlanComments).

“ADOT’s high precedence is to protect and preserve its present state freeway system pavements and bridges,” ADOT spokesman Ryan Harding informed Transport Subjects. “Whereas all system wants and customers are essential, there’s a important shortfall between freeway system wants and income. Due to this fact, ADOT values the enter of the general public and our key stakeholders, together with our valued freight neighborhood, as we attempt to handle basic wants with restricted {dollars}.”

Presently, the state has restricted passing and climbing lanes alongside its key freight corridors and interstate system. (A climbing lane is an “further” lane inside a brief distance to assist passing vehicles and slow-moving autos in areas corresponding to steep inclines.)

Serving completely different functions, passing lanes are used on two-lane highways, whereas climbing lanes are constructed on prolonged improve areas on two-lane and multilane highways. Including these lanes will enhance security, ease congestion at freight bottlenecks and stop delays.

A examine seven years in the past on climbing/passing lanes recognized greater than 100 areas for doable new passing lanes and a few 75 areas for brand spanking new climbing lanes largely positioned within the state’s mountainous areas alongside key freight corridors: Interstate 40, I-17 and I-16 within the high-elevation districts of Flagstaff (practically 7,000 ft), Prescott (5,400 ft) and Kingman (3,336 ft).

“ADOT has been capable of proceed with a few of the advisable initiatives, though wants significantly exceed accessible revenues,” Harding stated, including that climbing/passing lanes “are a part of the general dialogue” in updating the state freight plan.

“In any case, total freeway undertaking prices have risen considerably because the examine was achieved in 2015,” he stated.

ADOT famous that extra truck site visitors and better freight shipments will lead to continued truck parking shortages. Arizona has simply over 7,000 truck parking areas statewide in 129 private and non-private truck parking areas. Phoenix, Flagstaff and areas on I-40 close to the California border start to replenish by 9 p.m. By 3 a.m., the state’s whole parking capability is almost full.

“Whereas the state continues to put money into truck parking, demand usually exceeds accessible parking alongside Arizona’s key commerce corridors and different highways,” the freight plan said, including that one other drawback is the supply of restricted real-time truck parking data for drivers.

A 2019 truck parking examine discovered that 2,300 vehicles parked in undesignated areas close to 5 relaxation stops (near I-40, I-17 and I-10) utilizing GPS knowledge from a one-year interval.

ADOT’s freight plan states that because the examine, 96 areas have been added at I-40 and 16 at I-10, with building going down on 4 areas every at I-8 and I-17 and scheduled for completion this yr or subsequent.

Because the inhabitants in Arizona’s principal city areas in Phoenix and Tucson grows, the state’s transportation community can have extra calls for because of extra freight flows in and round city facilities.