Identifying Freight Mobility Projects for Possible Inclusion in a Statewide Transportation Improvement Program

In 2001, the Oregon state legislature formally authorized the Oregon Freight Advisory Committee (FAC), which had been established by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) in 1998. One of the FAC's responsibilities according to the 2001 legislation was to identify high-priority freight mobility projects for consideration and inclusion in the statewide transportation improvement program (STIP). In 2003, the legislature reaffirmed the FAC's charge to identify high-priority freight mobility projects for possible inclusion in the STIP and authorized $100 million in new funding for projects that would enhance freight mobility, improve access to industrial lands, and improve access to job creation sites. The FAC's role was to identify and recommend freight mobility projects to be considered for the new funding. This paper summarizes the FAC process for addressing legislative direction to identify and recommend high-priority freight mobility projects. The summary includes a discussion of how the FAC (a) developed and approved eligibility criteria for screening projects along with prioritization factors for narrowing the list of screened projects; (b) incorporated planning considerations in identifying and screening projects; (c) involved ODOT, FAC members, and the public in identifying, screening, and ranking projects; (d) developed a list of prioritized projects; and (e) presented a list of recommended projects to the Oregon Transportation Commission for its consideration to include all or some of the projects in the 2006–2009 STIP.