Rescuing Cities Fraught with Freight Conflicts

Big trucks and big cities just don't mix. But a federal panel that's developing a strategic plan for national freight transportation is reportedly paying little attention to the conflict. Tanya Snyder explains why that may not be a bad thing.

1 minute read

January 10, 2014, 5:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj

"Big freight trucks are incompatible with cities in many ways, bringing danger, pollution, noise, and traffic congestion. They park in bike lanes and have shockingly big blind spots, putting everyone around them at risk," observes Tanya Snyder. "And yet, most cities haven’t found a way to reconcile the need to move goods with all their other priorities."

According to Snyder, "the interplay between urban freight transportation and smart growth" is receiving scant attention from a Freight Advisory Committee convened as part of the MAP-21 transportation bill. But that may not be a significant loss, argues Genevieve Giuliano, a member of the national Freight Advisory Committee, because freight management is best handled at the local level.

For those cities willing to take a more active role in managing their freight conflicts, Snyder details four potential solutions:

Smaller trucks
Off-peak delivery times
Load consolidation
Cargo bikes

FULL STORY: Trucks and Cities Are Like Oil and Water. Is There a Solution?

Thursday, January 9, 2014 in DC.Streetsblog

Infrastructure Transportation United States Freight Advisory Committee Freight Cargo Bikes View More

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