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II. 1999 Oregon Highway Plan Freight System Policy and Definition According to the 1999 Oregon Highway Plan, the purpose of the State Highway Freight System is ~...to ensure that freight is able to move efficiently on the state's major trucking routes." The key criteria for freight route designations were freight volume, tonnage, connectivity, and linkages to National Highway System (NHS) intermodal facilities as documented in the OHP. This freight system, made up of the Interstate Highways and certain Statewide Highways on the NHS includes routes that carry significant tonnage of freight by truck and serve as the primary interstate and intrastate highway freight connection to ports, intermodal terminals, and urban areas." The current OHP designates 2,092 miles of Interstate and Statewide Highways as State Freight Routes. About 1.5 miles are on District Highways. The OHP states in Policy lC - State Highway Freight System that: ~It is the policy of the State of Oregon to balance the need for movement of goods with other uses of the highway system, and to recognize the importance of maintaining efficient through movement on major truck freight routes." Its four actions call for the following: 1. Applying performance standards appropriate to the movement of freight on freight routes. 2. Preparing a statewide freight study to address the role of trucks and other freight modes in Oregon's economy. 3. Working with local governments to examine options · To treat designated freight routes as Expressways; and · To recognize and balance freight needs with needs for local circulation, safety and access in Special Transportation Areas. 4. Considering the importance of timeliness in freight movements in developing and implementing plans and projects on freight routes. A. Development of the 1999 Oregon Highway Plan Freight Policy When the 1999 Oregon Highway Plan was being developed, the System Definition Policy Committee examined the statewide highway classification system and its functions. The committee decided that the 1991 Highway Plan Access Oregon Highway system was no longer relevant, that the new federal NHS and OHP Statewide Highways were essentially the same, and that one classification system with overlays was needed. With an overlay, this additional distinction provided a heightened awareness of one of the primary management objectives of that highway segment. Ultimately, this committee kept the basic classification system of Interstate, Statewide, Regional and District Highways and developed overlays for lifeline routes, scenic byways, freight and land use as well as expressways. Later, prior to adoption, the OTC added Local Interest Roads to the system. During development of the 1999 OHP, the role of investment was modified and management strategies were outlined in the OHP Background statement saying: ~Highway efficiency for goods movement in an expanding economy will require public and private investments in infrastructure as well as changes in road operations to reduce congestion on freight routes. Designating a network of freight routes of primary importance to the state will help ensure that these investments are coordinated in a way that reinforces the unique needs of the freight system .... "(italics added for emphasis) DRAFT September 1, 2004 2