Systemwide Information for Transportation Assesment and Reseach: Chicago Region Freight Study
Principal Investigator:Kazuya Kawamura |
312-413-1269kazuya@uic.edu |
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Sponsors:
Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Participants:
Kazuya Kawamura
Status:
Active through 6/30/2007
Objective:
Prior studies have indicated many gaps in the knowledge and tools that are needed to formulate the strategies for readying the region's transportation system for an expected increase in overall freight demand in the next fifteen years. The efforts of this project cover several research areas that are critical for filling some of those gaps, in particular: truck trip generation model development, economic impact evaluation tool for freight transportation planning, and exploratory analysis of city logistics solutions to urban goods movement.
Strategy:
The goal of the truck trip generation model is to develop a robust methodology for estimating freight demand that is founded on the sound analysis of business behaviors. The economic impact evaluation tool can be used to assess the broader impacts of transportation projects on the economy through economic productivity, freight flow, environment, and road construction and maintenance. The city logistics analysis will explore the feasibility and applicability of various innovative strategies relating to urban goods movement in the Chicago region.
Program Plan:
The truck trip generation model will make use of data collected from a carefully selected group of business establishments in the Chicago region. The operational framework for the economic impact evaluation tool will be the combination of transportation demand forecasting model operated by the Chicago Area Transportation Study and the Computable General Equilibrium model that will be developed by the Chicago region by the research team, which will be customized so that the multiplier effects of freight transportation, including the in-house carriers, can be captured. Worldwide city logistics practices will be examined, categorized, and reviewed in detail to provide insight into best practices for the Chicago region.
Expected Results and Products:
A prototype truck trip generation model will be developed and compared to existing models. A detailed guide for conducting economic impact studies using the tool will be included, as well as a discussion of methodologies and assumptions applied during development of the tool. A comprehensive bibliography of innovative urban goods movement strategies from around the world will be provided in a final report, along with a taxonomy and performance measures, list of conditions that determine the effectiveness of projects, and assessment of each city logistics strategy in terms of applicability and potential for the Chicago region.
