Project Description
This study will suggest approaches to address the impacts of these events; simultaneously it will capture recent economic history to note advantages and disadvantages of specific locations and corridors with the State of New York, within regional states, and the new, Global (International) corridors. For New York to sustain its global economic advantages it must build on its strengths, and its unparalleled location advantages.
Project Abstract
The study will build scenarios that influence New York State infrastructure investments (or policies). It will also examine traditional geographic groupings of counties (e.g., the Niagara Frontier, the Southern Tier), and propose, where appropriate, new groupings that accommodate the complex issues of economic growth, the role of infrastructure, the simultaneous role of communications and information technology, and the momentum towards global economic activities.
It will provide a clarified set of issues, based upon an analysis and discussion of regional and global trends and forces for examination by New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). It will also, post September 11, 2001 address issues of concern such as national and regional security. This impacts goods movements as seen by the tension between speed of movement and intense searches as seen in delays at the New York ? Canada border crossings.
It will focus, in particular on goods movement, both by mode (truck, rail, air) and intermodally. It will develop infrastructure investments or strategies pertinent to goods movement, specific to New York State as a whole and to distinct, identified regions and corridors within the State, and corridors that connect the State to other regions and globally. The proposal shall define risks associated with such investments to facilitate the evaluation of the identified investments.
The work will conclude with a succinct, user-friendly report to assist NYSDOT senior staff in the evaluation of proposed regional goods movement and infrastructure strategies.
Task Descriptions
1. Develop a Public Outreach Plan The project requires input from statewide leaders in government, the private sector, academia and other appropriate groups. Their input will provide a focused view of the State upon which to develop a strategic future for the State and its urban and environmental systems.
2. Collect Information on Forces, Trends, Constraints Driving State Infrastructure Investment Policies Specific areas used in Task 2 to focus on the broader issues include: ? Environment and quality of life ? Network ? Economic development ? Urbanization and demographics ? Education and research ? Health, Human Services, and Medical Research
3. Define State Geography Analyze the State?s primary transportation, logistics, and information corridors and flows, as well as public, private, and institutional development patterns to define the State geographically. This analysis shall consider: ? Communities of economic interest ? Traditional groupings, and specific Industrial Clusters ? Corridors by mode, area of influence, partners, state, region, global ? Local assets that define nodes, universities, art centers, retail centers, health care.
4. Develop Sets of Trends: Summarize recent trends, using the categories, which follow, in order to establish definitions from which scenarios will be based.
5. Develop scenarios Develop scenarios of how the State might look when influenced by emerging trends, both from within and externally using trend data and geographic information. These scenarios will be developed by drawing upon the discussion on the Regional Forums and Forum of Logistic Professionals (Task 2).Both the forums and trends will determine the suitability of geographic groupings and establish if new groupings are needed.
6. Assess Freight and Logistics Issues The project team shall focus on the transportation aspects and: ? Examine freight and logistics issues by communities of economic interest ? Examine freight and logistics issues by modal, intermodal concerns ? Define transportation gaps, logistics gaps ? Define technological gaps, i.e. connectivity
7. Corridor / Hub Assessment Assess the needs for developing new corridors or identifying new hubs. The work of this task includes: ? Define corridors/hubs having greatest impact on State ? Identify most critical corridors/hubs for each economic area by mode. ? Develop needs profile from gaps identified above, considering whether some corridors are overcrowded or need better modal balance. This shall reflect trends of potential future economic activity. Infrastructure investments to improve economic activity shall be identified as needs. The scale of the investments shall be weighed against the potential economic investments or improvements; the infrastructure is designed to support.
8. Risk analysis: expected values of improvements (qualitative); impact on region, corridor of not making improvement To remain competitive, New York State must define and support a strategy for strengthening its transportation and logistics infrastructure through both policies and projects. The project team shall make recommendations intended to position New York State as a key junction point in the global network, with greater visibility and accessibility. They would be intended to stimulate and grow the transportation segment of the economy, including direct and indirect jobs produced by the transportation industry. The recommendations would support existing business activity.
9. Define roles of rail and air, as well as intermodal facilities and operations in the New York State freight transportation system.
Define the roles corresponding to the different freight transportation modes available in the State by using a qualitative assessment of shipper and freight industry needs, partly done in previous tasks. On the basis of these needs, the project team shall proceed to examine alternative definitions of the roles of the freight modes. This shall take into account environmental impacts, needs of shippers and carriers, as well as economic development objectives. This definition shall take into account the existing freight infrastructure in New York State.
10. Reports In addition to the task specific reports, the project team shall prepare a broad based Final Report highlighting the conclusions concerning investments and economic activities. The most appropriate format of this report ( or summary of the report for distribution) will be decided between the Project Manager and Steering Committee.
Budget
$261,876
Student Involvement
Both graduate and undergraduate students will participate in the different activities. Their involvement would include data collection, data analysis, and computer applications.
Relationship with Other Research Activities
None
Technology Transfer Activities
The technology transfer will include working papers, final report and meeting with management and regional planning organizations
Benefits of the Project
In addition to the task specific reports, the project team shall prepare a broad based Final Report highlighting the conclusions concerning investments and economic activities. The most appropriate format of this report ( or summary of the report for distribution) will be decided between the Project Manager and Steering Committee. The project team will meet with the Project Manager and Steering Committee at the start of the project to propose a Public Outreach Plan (Task 1) and to provide a midpoint briefing after Task 4.
Key Words
Transportation Planning, Strategic Planning, Freight Movement, Transportation Economics