Bill Text: AZ SCR1012 | 2015 | Fifty-second Legislature 1st Regular | Enrolled

---

Bill Title: Primary freight network; supporting ADOT

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 6-2)

Status: (Passed) 2015-04-06 - Transmitted to Secretary Of State [SCR1012 Detail]

Download: Arizona-2015-SCR1012-Enrolled.html

---

 

 

 

Senate Engrossed

 

 

 

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-second Legislature

First Regular Session

2015

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1012

 

 

 

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 

supporting the Arizona Department of Transportation's comments to the federal Department of Transportation in response to the proposed designation of the Primary Freight Network.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Whereas, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) submitted comments to the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) in response to the proposed designation of the Primary Freight Network (PFN) that highlighted problems with the proposal and provided recommendations for improvement; and

Whereas, the federal legislation "Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act" (MAP-21) calls for the United States Secretary of Transportation to designate up to 27,000 miles on existing interstate and other roadways, with a possible addition of 3,000 miles in the future, as a PFN to help states strategically direct resources toward improving freight movement; and

Whereas, the Federal Register notice identifies more than 41,000 miles of comprehensive, connected roadway that a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) analysis shows would be necessary to transport goods efficiently on highways throughout the nation to make up the PFN; and

Whereas, the PFN proposal is based on the origins and destination of freight movement, shipment tonnage and values, truck traffic volumes and population; and

Whereas, under MAP-21, the PFN will become part of a larger highway National Freight Network that includes all interstates and other rural highway routes designated by states that make up critical highway portions of the nation's multimodal freight system; and

Whereas, Arizona shares the FHWA's goal of strategically directing resources toward improved system performance for the movement of freight to national and international markets; and

Whereas, the 27,000-mile cap for the PFN set in MAP-21 is limited; and

Whereas, Arizona appreciates FHWA recognizing a potential need for a Comprehensive PFN (CPFN) of 41,000 miles; and

Whereas, ADOT made the following recommendations in its comments to the federal DOT:

1.  The entire Interstate Highway System should be regarded as our nation's PFN despite the mileage limitations set in MAP-21.

2.  Increasing the mileage cap for the PFN to a level needed to create a more complete network should be a goal for future federal legislation.

3.  Because the draft 27,000-mile PFN is fragmented in nature, the FHWA should modify the draft to focus on creating a continuous and connected network of key freight routes.

4.  Because two sections of Interstate 10 (I-10) within Arizona are not proposed for inclusion in the PFN, creating a fragmented designation, all portions of I-10 in Arizona should be included in the 27,000-mile PFN to create a continuous freight corridor for Arizona and the nation.  I-10 is an important transcontinental freight corridor for the entire country and is critical to Arizona's economic vitality.

5.  Because the entire length of Interstate 17 (I-17) is the only north-south interstate Arizona corridor that connects the critical east-west freight corridor of Interstate 40, Arizona's urban centers and I-10, I-17 should be included in the 27,000-mile PFN.  Freight users use this connection to move products to and from markets in the Midwest and the Phoenix/Tucson urban areas.

6.  The entire Arizona section of Interstate 15 (I-15) should be removed from the 27,000-mile PFN and added to the CPFN to conform to the designation of the I-15 in adjacent states.  The portion of I-15 that crosses the northwest corner of Arizona is approximately 29 miles, and the vast majority of this section is proposed to be within the 27,000-mile PFN.  However, the sections of I-15 in our adjacent states, Nevada and Utah, are included in the expanded 41,000-mile CPFN.  Freight moving along the I-15 corridor is not primarily bound for locations in Arizona but is typically destined for locations in our adjacent states.

7.  The Interstate 19 (I-19) corridor from I-10 to Arizona State Route (SR) 189, which is approximately 60 miles, and the segment of Arizona SR 189 from the international border to I-19 should be included in the 27,000-mile PFN.  I-19 provides a critical national freight connection with Mexico.  The connection that I-19 creates with the international ports of entries at Nogales, Arizona is important to international trade movements throughout the western United States. The Commercial International Port of Entry at Mariposa is connected to I-19 by Arizona SR 189, and therefore creates a strategic connection between the Interstate Highway System and a primary trade corridor within Mexico.

8.  The U.S. Route 93 corridor between Las Vegas, Nevada and the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, which has been designated as future Interstate 11 (I-11) by MAP-21, should be a future component of the PFN.  Furthermore, all of future I-11 should be designated as part of the PFN.

9.  Because Arizona is encouraged by the progress MAP-21 has achieved in simplifying federal funding by reducing and consolidating the number of federal programs, the existing federal funding categories should not be further complicated by creating a separate funding program exclusive to the PFN unless additional funding is provided for this network above the current levels.  Instead, the concept of applying funding based on a performance management system that encourages the states to achieve certain freight mobility targets is recommended.

10.  The FHWA should not establish specific urban freight corridors.  FHWA should encourage the states to provide freight users with real time system management information as specified in 23 C.F.R. 511. Freight users should be encouraged to choose the most appropriate route based on both real time travel information and notifications of routes with certain prohibitions; and

Whereas, ADOT intends to conduct a corridor competitiveness study of Arizona extending into central Mexico touching on six Mexican states, which will look at current situations, impacts of scheduled investments and remaining deficiencies; and

Whereas, included in the ADOT study will be the identification of opportunities for cluster developments at strategic locations along the corridor, including the feasibility of a multimodal facility near Nogales to offer multimodal logistics alternatives along the corridor.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring:

1.  That the Members of the Legislature support ADOT's comments to the federal DOT in response to the proposed designation of the PFN and agree with ADOT's alternative proposals and suggestions.

2.  That the Members of the Legislature support the modification of the federal DOT's draft PFN to conform with ADOT's comments and this resolution.

3.  That the Members of the Legislature support the conducting of a corridor competitiveness study by ADOT.

 

 

 

PASSED BY THE HOUSE APRIL 3, 2015.

 

PASSED BY THE SENATE MARCH 5, 2015.

 

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 6, 2015.