Moving Goods Around the Valley

Urban freight movement is influenced by a combination of factors.  Not only are we dependent on our system of roads and streets to move goods to retail stores, but there has been a significant increase in shopping from home via catalogs, television shows and the Internet .  Package delivery companies such as Federal Express and UPS have increased trips to local businesses and homes, adding to the strain on our transportation system. This appears to be a growing trend. A study done by the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin estimates that the percentage of retail sales occurring in stores, as opposed to non-store retailing, will decline from 85% in 1992 to 45% in 2010.

A chapter in the Regional Transportation Plan addresses the freight issues and analyzes the location of freight and shipping companies in the region.