Freight Components in Louisiana's Statewide Intermodal Transportation Plan

Planning procedures used in addressing freight components for Louisiana's statewide intermodal transportation plan are described. The effort was unprecedented in Louisiana, and the experience can be applied in other states. User and provider involvement, demand analysis, network analysis, and recommended policies and programs for the water, rail, and intermodal freight components are described. Although an assessment of system capacity remained at the core of the effort, low cost improvements in system performance were also addressed. Analysis of future demand for facility capacity was performed in three steps. First, baseline historical flow patterns, including volume and modal orientation of inbound, outbound, intrastate, and transhipped movements, were established through extensive processing of data obtained. Second, volume forecasts for 11 major commodity groups were made for each of three possible growth scenarios. Third, a strategic outlook was developed for selected commodity types to examine market structure, productivity trends, and the competitive position of transportation providers in the state. Network capacity analysis identified few weak links or bottlenecks in the state's main line waterway and railroad networks. A stock and flow approach was taken to measure the capacity of various types of cargo transfer terminals. A comparative analysis of maritime terminal productivity and cost was performed to assess the competitiveness of ports in Louisiana. An extensive survey of the physical, operating, and institutional characteristics of terminal roadway and railroad access links was made.