A new report says freight in Indiana is going to double by 2035, and it offers a multi-pronged strategy to strengthen Central Indiana's logistics industry.
The Conexus Indiana Central Regional Logistics Council released its strategic plan Wednesday. The 30-year plan identifies dozens of infrastructure projects and public policy and workforce strategies needed to aid firms that specialize in hauling freight by road, rail, water or air.
Conexus Indiana Vice President David Holt says numerous priority road projects include: completing I-69 from Bloomington to Indianapolis, adding lanes on I-65, I-70 and I-69, finishing rural portions of U.S. 31 and connecting I-69 to I-65 with an outer loop connecting numerous counties in Central Indiana.
“This is a 30-year plan, so we know this stuff isn’t going to happen tomorrow,” Holt says. “This is laying out what the business community says we need in these 28 counties over the next 30 years.”
Holt says doubling the number of vehicles means the state needs stronger infrastructure and policies.
“Freight is going to double by the year 2035. That means we’re going to have double the amount of trucks on the road moving products, double the amount of rail moving through the state,” Holt says. “So, in the end, we have to have the infrastructure developed in order to take care of that transit.”
Holt says the report is ultimately about addressing funding issues at state and federal levels over the next few decades.
