BROWNSVILLE, RGV – The Texas Department of Transportation is developing the state’s first Texas Freight Mobility Plan and it wants to hear from South Texas residents, businesses and freight stakeholders.
TxDOT has scheduled public meetings in Corpus Christi on June 13, Laredo on June 19, and Brownsville on June 20. Other meetings have been arranged around the state.
The Corpus Christi meeting will be held on June 13 from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the TxDOT District Office, 1701 S Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi. The Laredo meeting will be held on June 19 from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Texas A&M International University, 5201 University Blvd., Student Center 286, Laredo. The Brownsville meeting will be held on June 20 from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Brownsville Event Center, 1 Event Center Blvd., Brownsville.
Caroline A. Mays, AICP, is interim freight systems branch manager for TxDOT. Mays told the Guardian that the Freight Mobility Plan will be multi-modal and comprehensive plan that is being developed to help the state address its short, medium, and long term freight transportation infrastructure and policy needs.
“The plan will affect all facets of freight, logistics, and trade, and goods movement, including air cargo, railroads, ports, trucking, shippers, receivers, forwarders, agriculture, manufacturers, pipeline carriers, retailers, border crossings, and all manner of freight transportation providers and stakeholders,” Mays said.
“The goal is to develop a Texas Specific Freight Transportation Strategy that moves goods efficiently throughout the state and enhances Texas economic growth and global competitiveness.”
Mays said TxDOT recognizes the importance of engaging freight stakeholders and the business community to identify freight and goods movement issues, needs, challenges and opportunities throughout the state.
“We are holding a series of freight stakeholder meetings throughout the state June 4-20. The purpose of these meetings is to identify freight and goods movement issues, needs, trends, challenges, and opportunities. Input from these meetings will be used in determining statewide freight transportation priorities and investment strategies. The input received will help assure that the Plan addresses the needs of Texas’ freight, logistics, and business communities, and of the general public,” Mays added.
