FREIGHT PLANNING
select projects
TRANSPORTATION and ECONOMIC EFFECTS
of BREACHING SNAKE RIVER DAMS
WASHINGTON STATE LTC and Port of portland
At the request of the Washington State Legislature, the Port of Portland, Oregon Departments of Agriculture and Economic Development, SGA led a team through an analysis of the impact to commodity flow and transportation systems (highway, railroad, marine) from breaching four Snake River dams.
During the Corps of Engineers periodic review of its dams, national advocacy groups led a public outcry to breach four lower Snake River dams rather than continue to dredge channels and perform ongoing maintenance and repairs of dam infrastructure. Breaching the dams would render the river non-navigable for river barges which carry over 4 million tons of commodities and represent a critical land low-cost link for farmers and other growers in Montana, Idaho, eastern Oregon and eastern Washington.
Mr. Garber presented the complex analyses to peer review panels of national experts representing academia and industry to add credibility to the findings ultimately adopted by the Washington State Legislature, Port of Portland Commission, and Oregon Freight Advisory Committee.
PORTLAND FREIGHT MOBILITY PLAN
PORTLAND, OR
SGA led a technical team in the production of Portland’s first freight mobility plan, adopted by the Portland City Council.
The plan considered the current and future demand and infrastructure needs of all freight modes — truck, rail, intermodal, steamship, river barge, aviation, and pipeline — operating within the city of Portland, and the relationship between the freight system and services to the region’s economy and employment. Portland has traditionally ranked as one of most trade-dependent regions in the US.
Working with a stakeholder advisory committee, Mr. Garber's team refined the City’s truck routes, developed programmatic solutions, prepared infrastructure investment proposals, and resolved conflicts with the needs of passenger modes. The team worked with elected officials, business interests and other civic leaders to update City policies that affect freight movement.
In support of the Freight Master Plan, Sorin Garber also prepared the Sustainability Freight Strategy for the City of Portland, and the Design Manual for Trucks and other Large Vehicles in Portland, OR.
