HIGHWAYS AND THE NEW WAVE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH

Transportation improvements have preceded every stage of industrial development in human history, being a critical ingredient in the four major waves of industrialization. As the 20th century ends, the United States is in a fifth wave of industrialization that is transforming the global market and changing traditional notions of development. This wave is based on innovations in logistics and manufacturing. Just as highway infrastructure made the fourth wave possible in the United States, the country's success during the fifth wave will depend on whether it has a seamless, intermodal transportation system. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is prepared to meet this challenge. Their commitment begins with improving highway infrastructure, the backbone of the intermodal network. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) boosts surface transportation investment by 40% over the next 5 years. In addition to improving the core highway infrastructure, another goal is to improve intermodal connections. FHWA is developing a report on the status of National Highway System (NHS) connectors to seaports, airports, and other freight facilities. Another priority for fifth-wave businesses is congestion relief. An additional FHWA initiative is the Value Pricing Pilot Program. TEA-21 provides $51 million to test pricing strategies in metropolitan corridors. How the United States solves its transportation challenges will determine whether the country advances in a fifth-wave economy. FHWA is aggressively improving the physical condition, connectivity, and use of infrastructure that is critical for the new economic frontier.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/99julaug/hwaygro.cfm
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1586080
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Sutton Jr, W L
  • Marks, D
• Publication Date: 1999-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 10-12
• Serial:
  • Public Roads
  • Volume: 63
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Federal Highway Administration
  • ISSN: 0033-3735
  • Serial URL: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airports; Congestion pricing; Development; Economic factors; Economic growth; Freight terminals; Highways; Infrastructure; Intermodal terminals; Intermodal transportation; Ports; Traffic congestion
• Identifier Terms: National Highway System; Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century; U.S. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Aviation; Economics; Freight Transportation; Highways; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads; Society; Terminals and Facilities; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00767713
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 2 1999 12:00AM