Nevada Freight Plan named one of nation’s best

Courtesy NDOT

Recently-released research by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has named Nevada’s Freight Plan as one of the nation’s top plans to be used as a model for freight planning across the nation.

ATRI’s “Identifying State Freight Plan Best Practices” report compiles and ranks best state freight planning practices to heighten freight planning across the U.S. Nevada’s freight plan was ranked as the nation’s sixth best and highlighted specifically for including forward-looking transportation technologies such as automated truck platooning and Hyperloop high-speed transportation systems and prioritizing freight corridors and needs to guide future freight improvements.

In 2016, the Nevada Freight Plan was the first state freight plan to be published in the U.S. The plan includes strategies, projects, policies and programs, from development of future Interstate 11 and further integration of freight carried by trucks, trains, planes and pipelines to highway improvements and enhanced truck parking. The ultimate goal is to enhance the state’s economic advantage with a safe and superior freight network offering greater access to the national and global freight network. Through the freight plan, up to $60 million in federal transportation funding has been appropriated for Nevada freight projects through 2020. NDOT has already put freight improvements in place, such as online truck parking maps and more. Other federally-funded improvements, such as additional truck parking on Interstate 80 between Fernley and the California state line and passing lanes on freight-heavy highway sections statewide, are prioritized to be constructed in coming years.

“Not only has the freight plan been recognized as one of the nation’s best, it is also paving the way to use federal freight funding for targeted improvements to Nevada’s freight network,” NDOT Freight Project Manager Bill Thompson explained. “Ultimately, our transportation and freight systems are the lifeblood of our economy and how goods and services reach each of us in Nevada. Working collaboratively across the state, we’re now poised to enhance freight, commerce and mobility, provide safety and support Nevada’s economy and job growth.”

Nevada freight plan information is available at nevadafreightplan.com or by calling (775) 888-7354.