International Forum on Traffic Records and Highway Information Systems Janet L. Davis

1. Exclusive Facilities for Trucks in Florida: An Investigation of the Potential for Reserved Truck Lanes and Truckways on the State Highway System International Forum on Traffic Records and Highway Information Systems Janet L. Davis July 16, 2003

2. Background • Research sponsored by the FDOT Systems Planning Office • Work began in September 2000 • Final Report published in June 2002

3. Study Purpose • Evaluate the potential for reserved truck lanes and truckways • Determine how commercial vehicles have been managed in other states • Examine the current and future potential for reserved truck lanes and truckways on the State Highway System (SHS) • Recommend a methodology to assist FDOT, MPOs and local governments to evaluate this potential solution

4. Study Design • Research previous studies and applications • Conduct site visits, gather data on decision drivers • Develop criteria for Florida – test on SHS • Examine operational considerations • Recommend methodology

5. Some Quick Statistics • 30% of the value and 56% of tonnage is shipped within 50 miles (FHWA) • 72% of the value shipped within US is by truck (TRIP) • Trucking expected to grow by 89% in southern states by 2020 (TRIP) • From 1990 to 1999 urban truck traffic increased by 48.7% - increase in other traffic was 26.9% • Rail freight is projected to lose market share to truck – a 15% decline is projected over the next 20 years (Texas Public Policy Foundation)

6. The concept of separate lanes for trucks is not new. The Oakland Bay Bridge originally opened in this configuration in the 1930’s

7. National Case Studies • Completed site visits to: • New Orleans, Louisiana • Laredo, Texas • Newark, New Jersey • Boston, Massachusetts • No truly exclusive, long-range facilities for trucks currently exist – all sites are short-range, special use facilities

8. Tchoupitoulas Roadway (Clarence Henry Truckway) • Purpose is to remove trucks from neighborhoods, rebuild city streets • Coincided with port improvements • 3 years in service • Construction cost more than $70 million • Located at the Port of New Orleans • Access limited to approved port traffic

9. Tchoupitoulas Roadway

10. World Trade Bridge • Built to provide safety and congestion relief- Laredo • Cost: $100 million • Commercial use only (20k/day max) • Includes truck-specific toll booths • Operates 8am - midnight • Direct connection to I-35 under construction

11. World Trade Bridge

12. NJ Portway Project • Incorporates a systems approach – a series of interconnected but stand-alone projects • Purpose is to provide congestion relief, safety, operations • Some segments are truck-only • Doremus Ave. – 1st phase • Includes widening, bridge replacement, improvements to drainage

13. NJ Portway Project

14. New Jersey Turnpike • Only “dual-dual” roadway in US • 33-mile barrier-separated segment • Trucks restricted from inside lanes, no restrictions on cars • Trucks may use inner lanes in emergency situations

16. Boston Haul Road • Central artery / tunnel project • 1.5 miles • Converted railroad ROW: 4 tracks = 1 track, 2 lanes • Less than AASHTO standards • Some discussion to convert to mixed use traffic

17. Boston Haul Road

18. Methodology for Florida Site Selection • Based on need to screen SHS • GIS approach taken • Data on variables obtained • ESRI Spatial Analyst 2 employed • Suitability model developed • Correlation of variables to truckways not possible (none exist) - based on research-selected variables

19. Methodology for Florida Site Selection • Over 20 scenarios run • Three different models emerged Criteria used included: • Truck volume • Truck crashes (number) • Percent truck traffic • Proximity to trailer-on-flat-car, seaport, airportand truck terminal • Level of Service

20. Truck Volume Suitability

21. Percent of Trucks Suitability

22. Truck Crash Suitability 1998 and 1999 totals

23. TOFC Suitability Trailer on flat car facilities From BTS/CUTR previous studies

24. Level of Service Suitability Based on review of Highway Capacity Manual and discussions with FDOT

25. Truck Terminal Suitability Truck terminals from BTS/CUTR previous work on freight network

26. Airport Suitability • Florida’s major airports based on enplaned tons of freight (2000) • Cluster analysis to establish relativity • Score established

27. Airport Suitability

28. Seaport Suitability • Florida’s major seaports based on national ranking and value of cargo • Cluster analysis to establish relativity • Score established

29. Seaport Suitability

30. Within Cities - short haul Attempts to screen for “truck hotspots” that may be restricting access to freight facilities or impeding traffic flows Between Cities– long haul Screens for highest total demand for truck capacity and highway level of service Suitability Models – Within Cities, Between Cities & Regional • Regional– medium haul • Weighs truck volume, intermodal proximity, • level of service and % trucks

31. “Between Cities” Model 5% 15% 5% 75%

32. “Within Cities” Model 10% 30% 9% 9% 8% 9% 5% 20%

33. Regional Model 10% 50% 7% 6% 6% 6% 5% 10%

34. Six “Between Cities” highways emerged Three ‘Within Cities” corridors were identified Most of Florida’s Interstates have high scores Suitability Model Results I 10 I 95 I 75 I 4

35. “Between Cities” Corridors

36. “Between Cities” Outcomes

37. Miami to Titusville • Opportunities • Joint use of Florida’s Turnpike • Off-peak HOV for trucks only • Limited median available – some opportunity northern sections of corridor

38. Daytona to Jacksonville • Opportunities • Only potential is to “take a lane” • Opening of east-side bypass may allow consideration of marking existing I-295 lanes as truck-only • Median availability in non-urban sections

39. Naples to Ft. Myers • Opportunities • Currently programmed FDOT widening will lower “suitability score” due to increased level of service • Median will be taken by highway widening • Limited opportunities found

40. Tampa to Daytona • Opportunities • Combine exclusive truck use in evaluation of High Occupancy Toll Lanes in Orlando area • Consider exclusive port access in I-4/Crosstown Expressway project • Examine high speed rail corridor acquisition as a “total transportation corridor”

41. Venice to Florida – Georgia State Line • Opportunities • High truck percentage and volume seem to warrant exclusivity • Available median width for long stretches of I-75 • One additional lane in each direction on the northern sections will exhaust ROW

42. Lake City to Jacksonville • Opportunities • Median width of >60 feet available for entire corridor • Few highway overpasses – makes an exclusive median facility possible • Rough cost for 60 miles = $549 million • Part of national I-10 Freight Initiative

43. “Within Cities”Sites

44. Miami • Opportunities • East-west access very constrained • No available median apparent • Elevated east-west facility along one of the 2 toll facilities could allow exclusive truck lanes on the “lower roadway”

45. Tampa • Opportunities • No available ROW identified • No direct access to Port from interstate sends trucks along several different routes • Creating direct and exclusive access to port as part of I-4 / Crosstown Expwy project may help

46. Jacksonville • Opportunities • Some issues addressed in “Between Cities Model” • Need seems to be on local street system – model was run on only SHS • Recent upgrading of northern port access appears very effective

47. Conclusions • Opportunities exist in Florida for exclusive facilities constructed in existing rights of way • Additional data is required to determine their cost effectiveness • Adding new “express lanes” for cars-only, freeing up capacity for trucks may be more publicly acceptable • An investigation of abandoned rail rights of way did not yield any opportunities to service long-haul truck movement

48. Conclusions • Potential for dealing with the increasing demand for truck mobility may be better dealt with on a systems level • Forecast data would be more appropriate as input to the GIS screening tool • Routine updates of major truck-generating facilities are needed • Operational changes should be attempted before capital intensive solutions are implemented