Minneapolis-Saint Paul Cargo Study

Preface The Minneapolis-Saint Paul Task Force commissioned this study. It was established to address the apparent decline in air cargo through MSP airport in recent years. Distribution services, especially international air cargo, are strategic components of a region's infrastructure. They are essential to future growth and development as well as the economic success of established business and industry. This is especially true at a time when globalisation of nearly all economic activities is fast becoming a reality. Ground and airfreight transport is a fundamental enabler of global trading. It is process, people and asset intensive. It is also a 'cost' of doing business and is increasingly becoming more price and time sensitive. Airport growth is constrained by residential encroachment, community standards and increasing sensitivity to night jet operations while increased passenger air travel stresses current airport capacity. Further, increasingly congested interstates and highways encumber the ground transport system. Overall traffic on urban roadways increased by 32 percent between 1988 and 1998. Travel by large trucks increased 46 percent in the same period. 1 Given these realities and the pressures of global competition, planning future development of an area, airport, and distribution infrastructure, today requires a fresh approach and new thinking. Extrapolating past methodologies and duplicating current concepts is destined to lead to unsuccessful initiatives, at a lasting cost to the economic wellbeing of the region. This study has striven to identify the best way forward for the Twin Cities and the surrounding region and perhaps create a national model for regional freight transport planning encompassing all stakeholder needs including a secure operating environment. Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport is not unique in it's experiences. It is however unique in having senior state and congressional representatives who take an interest in its cargo affairs and has an insight into the global distribution industry that is not usually found elsewhere. We would particularly like to note the contribution made by Congressman Jim Oberstar whose interest and commitment enabled this study to happen. We wish to acknowledge the active support, advice and encouragement of Michael Louis, Steve Andersen and Barry Koerner who formed the Steering Committee. They have been enthusiastic facilitators of the work of this study. Our approach to the study included the involvement of as many of the key local stakeholders in the process as possible. A Working Group was established and it in turn established Study Groups to further examine particular issues. …