Vision Statement

The following statement offers a stimulating vision of the goods movement network of the Delaware Valley in the year 2020. The statement provides a foundation for the region's long-range multi-modal freight planning efforts. Although a departure from a more conventional recitation of goals and objectives, the statement fulfills a similar purpose in articulating desired ends and a flexible framework for their achievement.

An exemplary freight network in 2020

The next millennium has arrived; in fact, the year is 2020. In the Delaware Valley, the region boasts the nation's finest goods movement system without qualification. Freight speeds efficiently and safely to ultimate destinations by plane, railroad, ship, and truck. Facilities form a cohesive whole and connections between different modes of transportation are seamless. Freight and passenger transportation needs are skillfully meshed together. Philadelphia is synonymous with intermodalism and is the recurring subject of international scrutiny and inquiry.

The region's status as a freight mecca is not accidental. Public and private sector cooperation is unparalleled. Investment in physical and procedural improvements, while judicious, is sufficient and expedient. The available labor pool is talented, highly skilled, and dedicated.

The seeds of success

The initial spark for Philadelphia's assumption of leadership in freight systems harkens back to passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) in 1991. Since reauthorized several times by the U.S. Congress, ISTEA provided the impetus to consider the needs of freight service providers and customers within the context of metropolitan transportation planning. Now, the use of federal transportation funds is much more flexible and innovative private-public funding arrangements are widespread.

Unbridled intermodalism

Freight intermodal facilities in the region are exemplary. A term once reserved for rail terminals only, "intermodal facility" refers to a broader range and a diverse set of facilities. These facilities are clean, attractive, and well marked with directional signs. Transfer times are minimized and operators sustain ongoing dialogues to assure the best possible connections. In addition, increases in the capacity of facilities to accommodate growth in intermodal traffic have been effected where needed.

While there are many important freight facilities across the region, the epicenter of freight movement is South Philadelphia. There, the disparate modes of transportation converge in an orchestrated and efficient amalgamation. Through careful planning, this complex permits the rapid and safe transfer of goods between all modes. The Packer Avenue Marine Terminal bustles with containers and project cargoes; double-stack trains bound for Canada, the Midwest, and the Deep South churn out of the AmeriPort Intermodal Facility without cessation; enormous quantities of dry bulk commodities exit from Piers 122 and 124; and commercial vehicles zip from interstate routes 76 and 95 and the Walt Whitman Bridge into terminals and pleasing rest areas. Many value-added processes are located at what was once a portion of the Philadelphia Naval Base; and high-value, time-sensitive cargo, mail, and packages flow in and out of the Philadelphia International Airport. Although the level of activity is intense, freight concerns are a good neighbor to river-view residents and to the sports complex at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue.

In the New Jersey portion of the region, intense and well-integrated freight activity can also be observed. For example, the Broadway Terminal is a thriving water-borne industrial park. Just north of it is a hub of commercial shipping and cargo handling: the Beckett Street Terminal. Highway access to these facilities is unimpeded and trains pull right up to pier and berthing locations.

A national and international gateway

On a market-share basis, the ports of Philadelphia and Camden are among the leaders in the North Atlantic. Its signature imported cargoes include meat, fruit, steel, autos, and forest products. Export traffic has exploded, buoyed by the removal of toll barriers and bridge restrictions to trucks conveying the products of Pennsylvania and New Jersey manufacturers to the world and by state-of-the-art glass, metal, and pulp recycling facilities. The ports' lifeline, the Delaware River, has been dredged to a depth of 45 feet and the world's largest and fastest vessels ply its waters. The petroleum industry which hugs the shores of the Delaware River is vibrant.

Inexorable links to the global economy are exemplified by DRPA's gleaming headquarters, One Port Center, found in the Camden skyline. Eastern Asia favors the region as the American port of entry for a diverse array of manufactured goods. The many countries of Latin America, from Chile to Mexico, also maintain strong trade partnerships. Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, welcomes all countries and all commodities. The city's strategic location in the resurgent Northeast is perfectly suited to quickly distributing goods to large markets.

The region's diverse manufacturing base is robust, and transportation costs in conveying goods to markets are minimal. Area shippers, important stakeholders in the freight network, are also staunch participants in infrastructure decisions. The thriving memberships of traffic clubs and logistics organizations assure the best practices for shipping the region's hallmark finished goods, such as pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.

Pro-active marketing initiatives tout the region's comprehensive package of freight facilities and services. Old friends and allegiances are strengthened, while new opportunities are aggressively courted by the region's representatives. Fast-paced videos, glossy publications, and fiber-optic communications provide a potent arsenal of promotional materials and paint a compelling and flattering picture of the region. Overseers of the freight network rally to a simple credo: there is only one language that matters, and it is that of the customer.

State-of-the-art facilities

The region is a pacesetter in embracing emerging technologies. FastShip Atlantic, the shipping concept designed and constructed in the late 20th Century, has revolutionized trans-Atlantic freight movement. These vessels, smaller than traditional ships, gain their increased speeds through the utilization of marinized jet engines and a modified hull design. The overall FastShip concept, a door-to-door logistics system that facilitates improved inventory and management control for shippers, has been very successful throughout the world. The re-use of the Philadelphia Naval Ship Yard for the FastShip Atlantic terminal operation has brought direct and indirect benefits to the regional economy, as has the adjacent intermodal facility. The state-of-the-art FastShip facility is at capacity and expansion plans are underway.

Nowhere is America's Second Golden Age of Railroads more evident than in Philadelphia. Conrail, CP Rail, and CSX continue to distinguish Philadelphia as one of few U.S. ports served by three Class One railroads. Pennsylvania's high and wide clearance initiative, completed in 1995, has greatly exceeded expectations in generating increased rail business and creating new jobs. Numerous shortline rail operations provide door-to-door service for their customers. Sophisticated technologies and unprecedented agreements have allowed passenger and freight rail services to flourish side by side on the same trackage. The Operation Lifesaver program has resulted in the elimination or upgrading of all at-grade highway crossings. Finally, rail line rights-of-way, once abandoned and discarded, have found a number of new lives as recreational trails and even high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes.

Interstate 95 is the region's showcase highway. Totally reconstructed and upgraded between 1997 and 2005, I-95 exhibits a full range of intelligent vehicle highway system (IVHS) and truck-friendly technologies, including weigh-in-motion stations, variable message signs, and a traffic control center. Linkages to port facilities, such as the Tioga Marine Terminals, have been improved and the interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike, completed only in the year 2000, is now an integral part of the transportation network.

Removing impediments to the flow of goods

Conditions for trucks and truck drivers have been vastly transformed since the 1990's. Height and weight restricted bridges have been eliminated. Accident-prone locations are equipped with special warning mechanisms. Roving tow trucks respond quickly to incidents. Most trucks are equipped with monitors to receive information about congestion delays, construction advisories, and routing alternatives. Strong public transit and ride-share systems and telecommuting help keep vehicular traffic to a minimum. Electronic Toll and Traffic Management (ETTM) technologies on Delaware River bridge crossings, and throughout the region, have been very successful. The DRPA, along with the other members of the EZ Pass Consortium, the group of eastern state authorities, jointly implemented ETTM technologies in the late 1990's. The use of ETTM has improved traffic operations and provided for safe and seamless travel opportunities for the freight community. Model truck ordinances guide municipalities in preserving the sanctity of neighborhoods while not needlessly restricting commercial traffic. Pennsylvania and New Jersey lead the nation in programs governing hazardous materials, and their roadway conditions are consistently rated the nation's best. Driver education and professionalism are heightened, and driver shortages are a thing of the past. Finally, computer networks have dramatically transformed and streamlined permitting for over-size trucks.

A kinder, gentler freight presence

The freight network has a decidedly human element, too. Safety and healthy working conditions are of the utmost importance. Cyclists traverse the region's extensive bicycle network to make quick deliveries of small items and provide a stark contrast to the latest generations of trucks and ships. Labor unions and terminal and freight operators have achieved a harmonious relationship that promotes premier services and wages and flexible working rules. Women and minorities are represented in all facets of goods movement services and activities.

The area citizenry, benefactors of ongoing public education efforts that begin in elementary school, appreciates the role of freight in the regional fabric. Trucks are not scorned, but rather respected and given friendly thumbs-up and honks from passing motorists. The economic impact and contributions of the freight sector in terms of jobs (primary and secondary) and taxes are widely heralded. Several local colleges and universities offer advanced degrees in highly regarded logistics and transportation planning programs.

In addition to bolstering the region's economic vitality, improved freight activities have also contributed significantly to the achievement of ambient air quality standards. Levels of oxides of nitrogen and non-methane hydrocarbons in truck fuels, which are precursors to the formation of ozone, have been reduced and many local fleets employ alternative fuel technologies. With these advances, the region has remained an ozone attainment area since 2005.

Effective leadership and coordination

Over time, institutional arrangements have become more complementary and less complex. Modal representatives and operators have shelved self-serving interests in favor of creating an atmosphere of cooperation and healthy competition. State government and departments of transportation based in Harrisburg and Trenton continue to provide effective leadership. The Port of Philadelphia and Camden, Inc., a marriage of what was the World Trade Division of the Delaware River Port Authority, the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, and the South Jersey Port Corporation, is characterized by decisiveness, a spirit of regionalism, and unity of action. Cooperation in port-related activities even extends to the State of Delaware. Ongoing personnel exchanges promote an appreciation and understanding of operational and organizational differences.

The catalyst for development and pursuit of a comprehensive regional freight strategy is the Delaware Valley Goods Movement Task Force. Meeting regularly since 1992, the Task Force brings together representatives from all freight modes and interests in a productive and dynamic forum to address both short and long-term planning issues. The Task Force also uses focused subcommittees to tackle ever-changing needs and priorities.

At the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, freight concerns are woven into all planning activities, including the FY 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the Year 2040 Long Range Transportation and Land Use Plan, the Intermodal Management System, and the National Transportation System. Candidate improvement projects which facilitate goods movement are granted preferred status; the Plan and TIP, in fact, contain target funding levels for freight projects. The Regional Transportation Committee and the DVRPC Board receive regular updates from DVRPC's Office of Freight Planning.

Sophisticated data is one of the pillars of the region's freight planning. At one time the exclusive domain of passenger travel, data is used to monitor freight movements and to examine future scenarios and alternatives. Individual cargoes can be accurately tracked as they pass through the system and real-time information can be provided to awaiting recipients. The regional electronic clearinghouse established for the sharing of international trade and transportation information provides accessible and standardized data to aid decision-makers in confronting transportation and economic issues.

A dynamic, ongoing process

Finally, perhaps the most noteworthy feature of the region's freight network and related planning work is that they are not static. Continuing with a tradition begun in the early 1990's, new ways of doing business are always thoroughly investigated and long-range plans and strategies are regularly updated. Thus, the region's premier freight network is assured well beyond 2020.