A safe and efficient freight system is essential to Kansas’ economic prosperity. It plays a key role in supporting existing economic activities and in creating new economic opportunities. The State’s freight industry provides thousands of jobs, both directly and indirectly, and generates millions of dollars in tax revenues. That is why the Kansas Department of Transportation is spending the next year studying freight issues and developing its first Statewide Freight Plan.
The Statewide Freight Plan will provide an analysis of freight movement, trends and issues in Kansas to help KDOT better manage, understand and address future freight needs and identify opportunities beneficial to the state.
KDOT will engage freight transportation stakeholders while developing the Plan in order to understand specific concerns from manufacturers, truckers, railroads, shippers, receivers and agriculture and livestock operators.
Goals of the Statewide Freight Plan:
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Link freight system performance with statewide economic competitiveness
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Identify short-term recommendations to address key freight bottlenecks
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Identify longer-term process improvements that are consistent with and complement the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and other freight planning efforts
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Link to the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan
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Provide a freight data analysis
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Recommend an on-going freight stakeholder outreach process to build advocacy for freight
