In the 20-year period from 1992 to 2012, California's population is expected to increase by 40 percent, to almost 44 million people. Consumption of goods will grow by as much as 50 percent, and production will expand at almost the same rate. The volume of goods is expected to increase by 46 percent. This growth demands that direct action be taken to maintain and improve the state's goods movement transportation system.

The growth in population and trade throughout the state is consistent with the growth anticipated for Caltrans District 3. The District lies within the Central Valley which produces 65 percent of the State's agriculture and encompasses six of the nations top ten agriculture producing counties. It is also in the proximity of major urban centers including Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area and has major corridors such as Interstate 5, Interstate 80, US 50, and State Route 99. Because of this, a goods movement strategy is critical for ensuring that the effective and efficient movement of goods is planned well into the future.

The District 3 Office of Regional Planning is currently working on a Goods Movement Strategy that is intended to achieve the following objectives relative to goods movement activities within the District:

• Facilitate a better understanding of goods movement activities in the District for Caltrans staff and the staff of our local and regional transportation partners

• Identify multi-modal goods movement deficiences

• Identify goods movement strategies to solve deficiences

• Be consistent with the California Transportation Plan's (CTP) Statewide Goods Movement Strategy for improving the goods movement transportation network, and the "Global Gateways Development Program" being produced pursuant to Senate Concurrent Resolution 96

• Provide an implementation plan including, but not limited to, cost estimates, use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) strategies, and other innovative means to enhance goods movement
  Mobilize public and private decision makers and operators in order to "jumpstart" goods movement activities within the District and region

For more information contact: Patrick Tyner at (916) 274-0558