March 11, 2016
The Honorable Anthony Foxx, Secretary
United States Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20509
RE: Support for SANBAG FASTLANE Grant Application
Dear Secretary Foxx,
Inland Action is pleased to support the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) submittal of a grant application under the Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) program to implement components of the Interstate 10 (I-10) Logistics Corridor. Inland Action is non-profit organization of business and community leaders dedicated to community betterment in the Inland Southern California Region. This project is an important component of our overall plan to relieve congestion along a critical stretch of a nationally significant freight corridor.
While SANBAG has invested heavily over the past decade to improve Inland Empire freight corridors, additional transportation investment is required to sustain and grow the county’s economy, which is substantially logistics-based. The I-10 Logistics Corridor is a comprehensive program of improvements that includes auxiliary lanes, truck climbing lanes, express lanes and freight-related interchange improvements to facilitate person and goods movement within and through San Bernardino County.
Multiple improvements have already been constructed in the corridor, but the largest set of near-term improvements is in the advanced stages of project development. The portion of the corridor that is the focus of this grant application is on the I-10 mainline between the Los Angeles County Line and I-15 and focuses on auxiliary lanes and express lanes. This section of I-10 carries 18,000 trucks per day and is forecast to carry up to 28,000 trucks per day by 2045. It is currently the most congested segment of freeway in San Bernardino County.
The I-10 Logistics Corridor will provide significant benefits to truck movement, with estimated reductions in truck-related delay of up to 109,000 annual vehicle hours in 2045. There are limited options to improve the I‑10 in an urbanized corridor. Consequently, enhanced reliability through the implementation of express lanes and other capacity and operational improvements will provide benefits to all drivers, including trucks. Trucks and cars in the general purposes lanes are expected to see a 50% improvement in travel time in the corridor in 2030, as compared to a no build alternative. In addition, parallel corridors are forecast to experience improved traffic flows.
We strongly support SANBAG’s efforts to secure a FASTLANE grant for the I-10 Logistics Corridor Project. Thank you very much for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Deborah Barmack
President