Thursday, April 18, 2013

US State Launches Freight Infrastructure Planning App for Logistics Professionals

New Resource Available Showing Ports plus Road and Rail Links
Shipping News Feature

US – The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), the official metropolitan planning organisation for the Greater Philadelphia Region, has launched the PhillyFreightFinder, its new interactive online mapping application for the Delaware Valley. The application highlights the region’s freight network, denoting major freight routes, such as highways, rivers and rail lines, and key hubs of employment and goods movement, including ports and freight centres.

The PhillyFreightFinder contains 20 individual layers and over 350 features of infrastructure and facilities that are organised into seven categories. It is fully customisable, giving users the ability to easily control both the extent of the mapping window and the combination of layers to be displayed.

The application is intended as a resource for experts in the fields of planning or logistics, municipal officials, and citizens interested in learning more about freight movement and facilities in the region. It can be used by local businesses, economic development agencies, and carriers as a marketing tool highlighting opportunities to leverage the existing freight network for new business activity within the region.

All of DVRPC's freight planning activities are conducted in concert with the DVRPC freight advisory committee, the Delaware Valley Goods Movement Task Force. This joint public-private sector initiative brings together executives from Class I and shortline railroads, trucking, and air freight firms to meet with federal, state, and local agency leaders, toll authorities, and national advocacy groups. The PhillyFreightFinder effort falls under the purview of the Data Subcommittee of the Task Force. It supports an ongoing data sharing and collection program which represents a true public-private partnership. Rick Crawford of Norfolk Southern and chair of the Goods Movement Task Force’s Data Subcommittee, said:

“The PhillyFreightFinder project has been a tremendous opportunity to work with DVRPC and other partners. The tool is a great asset for not only planners but private businesses as it brings great attention to our freight network in the Delaware Valley.”