HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania’s updated freight transportation strategy preserves eligibility for approximately $58.5 million in annual federal funding through 2026 while targeting congestion, truck parking shortages and infrastructure constraints affecting more than 1 million freight-related jobs statewide.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s 2045 Freight Movement Plan establishes priorities for improving highways, railroads, ports, waterways and air cargo facilities as freight demand increases.
Federal projections cited in the plan anticipate Pennsylvania truck freight tonnage will increase 51% between 2018 and 2045. The value of goods transported by truck is expected to rise 80% over the same period.
Maintaining an approved freight plan qualifies Pennsylvania for National Highway Freight Program funding, which supports transportation infrastructure and related improvements.
“The new Freight Movement Plan will help guide the investment decisions we make regarding the infrastructure that supports freight movement,” PennDOT Secretary Michael Carroll stated.
The plan identifies freight-intensive industries employing more than 1 million Pennsylvania workers, including approximately 531,000 in manufacturing, 287,400 in transportation and warehousing, and 151,500 in wholesale trade.
Chester County accounts for approximately 38,200 jobs in those industries. Other regional employment totals include 64,100 in Montgomery County, 55,700 in Philadelphia, 46,700 in Bucks County and 39,700 in Delaware County.
Freight shipments entering, leaving or moving within Pennsylvania totaled approximately 934 million tons in 2017, the baseline year cited in the report. Those shipments carried a combined value of approximately $1.14 trillion.
The plan identifies highway congestion as a major constraint, including freight bottlenecks on Interstate 95 in Philadelphia and Delaware County, Interstate 76 in Philadelphia and Montgomery County, Interstate 476 in Delaware County and U.S. Route 222 in Berks County.
Another persistent problem is insufficient truck parking. A statewide review of more than 280 facilities found approximately 11,600 designated spaces accommodating roughly 12,150 trucks during peak overnight periods, resulting in utilization of approximately 105%.
Nearly half of the facilities exceeded their designated parking capacity, according to the report. Overflow parking on highway shoulders and interchange ramps creates additional safety concerns for drivers and other motorists.
PennDOT also identified the rapid growth of warehouses and distribution centers as a challenge for local land-use planning, traffic management and infrastructure capacity.
The department plans to coordinate with regional planning organizations, municipalities and private freight operators to evaluate development standards, expand truck parking and address congested corridors.
Other priorities include reducing freight-related emissions, preparing for extreme weather, adapting to vehicle automation and electrification, and improving coordination with neighboring states.
The plan establishes a target of reducing truck-related crashes by 20% by 2031 and calls for tracking freight system performance through Pennsylvania’s biennial Transportation Performance Report.
“PennDOT will carry out an Action Plan in coordination with freight stakeholders to make systematic progress over the next four years,” stated Larry Shifflet, the department’s deputy secretary for planning.
The freight strategy was developed over two years and complements Pennsylvania’s 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan. Planning documents are available at penndot.gov/planning.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.