Freight infrastructure plan ensures eligibility for federal funding, secretary says

The latest freight movement plan from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will ensure the state is eligible for more than $58 million in federal funding.

PennDOT announced Wednesday that it had released its 2045 Freight Movement Plan (FMP) as a companion to the state’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The FMP outlines the state’s strategic plan for moving good throughout the state, while the LRTP focuses on multimodal transportation needs in the state over the next 20 years. Together the two are used to guide transportation and infrastructure investment in the state.

Additionally, once approved, the plan will ensure that the state remains eligible for approximately $58.5 million annually in National Highway Freight Program (NHFP) funding through 2026.

“The new Freight Movement Plan will help guide the investment decisions we make regarding the infrastructure that supports freight movement,” PennDOT Secretary Michael Carroll said. “The plan positions us to respond to the major changes from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and ensure Pennsylvania has a safe, efficient, and integrated freight system to support jobs and commerce.”

The plans focus on improving mobility, safety, fairness, resilience and sustainability for transportation across the state.

“The FMP’s goals and objectives set a clear direction, and PennDOT will carry out an Action Plan in coordination with freight stakeholders to make systematic progress over the next four years,” PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Planning Larry Shifflet said.

The plan will be used to assess progress and performance toward achieving objectives, and will be tracked online at the state’s biennial Transportation Performance Report (TPR). Developed with the help of freight stakeholders, the FMP addresses all state and federal provisions for freight planning. Both the FMP and LRTP outline policies, goals and objectives, while using the PennDOT Connects Initiative – a transportation project approach using local engagement to improve planning, design and delivery.