摘要: |
Corridor analysis has been completed for many different designations since the passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) in 1991. These studies have been conducted without a clear understanding or blueprint of what should be analyzed. Differences exist in corridor analysis between rural and urban, passengers and freight, the reason for the corridor analysis, and whether the corridor is recognized by all states, provinces, and counties it passes through. The steps necessary to establish a freight corridor are ambiguous therefore, a document that describes the analysis/study process would be beneficial. A review of other corridor studies is provided. The Theodore Roosevelt Expressway and the Central North American Trade Corridors are described, including how they connect to other corridors. This paper provides some demographic and geographic information, but does not address highway capacity needs, right of way needs, restricted speed policy, processes for determining future access, evaluation of current access right of way needs for future frontage roads, and bypass opportunities in and around communities. The aforementioned and issues dealing with community support, data collection, traffic operational analysis, safety analysis, geometric designs, right ofway needs, identification of environmental conditions, coordination with related projects and jurisdictions, preliminary cost estimates, economic analysis, and federal planning process compliance would need to be addressed in a feasibility or corridor analysis study that would be conducted prior to investment by the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). This document is the precursor to a feasibility study, and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) are attached in Appendix B. |