THE PROCESS IN DEVELOPING INTERMODAL FREIGHT STRATEGIES

The economic well being of the Kansas City region depends in great part upon the reliable and efficient movement of freight and goods between producers and markets. To facilitate this movement and to ensure that Kansas City remains a vital transportation hub, local, regional, and state governments in 1994 launched a major study of the area's resources -- intermodal meaning the shipment of freight by various methods of transport, including rail, air, water, and roadway. This study was sparked by the need for the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) to fully integrate freight considerations into its overall metropolitan transportation planning process, as well as an outgrowth from the Chamber's July 1993 Inland Port/Intermodal Task Force Report, which recommended that industry-specific analysis, trends, and technologies be examined.