This paper assesses the state of practice in megaregion-scale transportation planning according to a survey of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and state departments of transportation (DOTs) conducted by researchers at the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2012. The survey was distributed to all MPOs and DOTs. Results cover a broad range of topics, including the state of practice, governance structures, planning approaches, general obstacles to megaregion planning and decision making, and finance. Megaregion-scale projects and cross-jurisdiction initiatives, whether contained within previously identified megaregions or extended beyond these geographic designations, received similar ratings of effectiveness. The Cascadia megaregion reported the highest percentage of organizations with cross-jurisdiction initiatives; the Midwest reported the highest absolute number. Planning and decision making within the megaregion were characterized by numerous actors interacting through largely informal or ad hoc processes with contested leadership. That partner roles were unclear likely increased uncertainty and transaction costs. Responses indicated that inadequate funding was one of the largest obstacles to megaregion planning. Funding was stagnant for DOTs and especially for MPOs. Practitioners did not appear to be optimistic about innovative funding methods that would fill gaps in megaregion transportation planning. Finally, governance networks were densest within states, but large MPOs, DOTs, and federal agencies may play a bridging role among states. Future research may focus on decreasing transaction costs, overcoming funding obstacles, and promoting dense interstate governance networks.
Airports face numerous difficulties in capital planning as a result of instability and unpredictable demand. Some trends such as excess bellyhold capacity have depressed demand for dedicated cargo flights, whereas others like growth in electronic retail (e-retail) are stimulating demand unevenly among airports. If e-retail distribution is following a different pattern from general cargo, then it may reshuffle cargo volumes among airports in a way that is unforeseeable by most forecasting approaches. It has been difficult to estimate whether e-retail shipments would follow the same geospatial patterns as general cargo because of the dearth of data on e-retail distribution networks. This study examines domestically oriented e-retail logistics to test its relationship with airport cargo throughput controlling for regional variables that also influence cargo volume. The regression models show that an airport’s accessibility to landside e-retail logistics activity helps predict that airport’s cargo volume in a way that access to traditional retail logistics does not. The findings support the alternative hypothesis that e-retail may reconfigure distribution networks and boost cargo volume at some airports, opening opportunities to gain market share for airports that are new to e-retail. Depending on the extent of the reconfiguration, e-retail growth could temporarily degrade the accuracy of common forecasting methods. Airports can respond by collecting qualitative and quantitative data where possible and adopting scenario-based, adaptive policy making that hedges risks.
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