Inland Waterways Looking for a Comeback

"As projections show a steep increase in freight movement over the next few decades, stakeholders representing inland waterway transportation said they are well-positioned to handle the growing demand but that the federal government needs to help them invest in the projects that will keep things running smoothly," reports Alexander Laska.

Laska is sharing information presented at the TRB Annual Meeting session on the subject. The key takeaway from the session: freight tonnage is growing quickly—expected to rise 40 percent by 2045—but freight movement on inland waterways has been declining and is operating under capacity.

The session also focused on the federal investments that could maximize the opportunity for inland waterways to remove some of the anticipated stress on the national highway system.