Modeling Investments in County and Local Roads to Support Agricultural Logistics

Abstract

Investments in local roads in North Dakota to support agricultural logistics are estimated with a detailed model that predicts flows from 1,406 crop-producing zones to 317 elevators and plants, and forecasts improvements and maintenance costs for paved and unpaved roads. The study finds that (1) the average farm-to-market trip distance has increased from 12 miles in 1980 to 26 miles in 2009, (2) the estimated resurfacing cost per mile for agricultural distribution routes is 40% greater than for non-agricultural routes, and (3) the estimated cost to maintain acceptable service levels on county and local roads is roughly double historical funding levels. Dakota State University (NDSU). He received his Ph.D. in transportation and logistics and an M.S. in industrial engineering and management from NDSU, an M.B.A in production and service management from Hanyang University in South Korea, and a B.S.E in computer science from Kwandong University in South Korea. In his 10-year career, he has worked as an information analyst in information technology and management and logistics consulting companies including the National Livestock Cooperative Federation and BaaN Enterprise Resource Planning in South Korea. His current research focuses on the large scale of network modeling for intermodal freight transportation and supply chain management. Lee received the best paper award for "2010 GIS-T

Location Allocation of Sugar Beet Piling Centers Using GIS and Optimization

“…Tolliver et al [16] present a methodology to estimate the flows from crop zones to elevators and plants. They also forecast improvement and maintenance costs for roads.…”