1. OBJECTIVE: Develop a regional freight planning process encompassing multi-modal freight facilities, warehousing, storage facilities, distribution points & urban goods distribution, with a special emphasis on the Port and on working with local municipal officials & community/advisory boards with regard to land use considerations.
   

   1. ACTIONS

1. Formulate a Scope of Work for the development of a Regional Freight Plan, including a rail freight, intermodal & supporting infrastructure component as well as other modal components.

   1. Build the Scope of Work using input obtained through a Spring 1999 Metropolitan Planning Forum.

   2. Investigate plans & programs from other cities & regions nationally and internationally.

2. Develop time frames, phasing (as necessary) and potential funding sources.

3. Recommend implementation to the Program, Finance & Administration Committee.

2. OBJECTIVE: Integrate public and private sector plans & programs for the improvement of the freight transportation system.

1. ACTIONS

1. Track private freight plans & programs.

2. Identify public funding sources for freight improvements.

3. Recommend an overall policy through which publicly-funded transportation projects consider impacts on freight movement and subsequent movement of goods in commerce throughout the region to maximize regional economic productivity..

4. Review examples of the development of public/private partnerships and recommend mechanisms which enable these partnerships.

5. Recommend use of GIS technology to describe spatial information.

3. OBJECTIVE: Pursue priority short-term actions.

1. ACTIONS

1. Monitor the immediate impacts of the Conrail acquisition by collecting relevant data and tracking capital & service improvements.

2. Participate in the development of the freight components of major studies, including the South Brooklyn Study (for local access, air cargo & Port strategies), Access to the Region’s Core, and Cross Harbor MIS.

3. Review and recommend immediate measures to increase competition among rail carriers and improve rail access to areas east of the Hudson River.

4. Develop recommendations with regard to specific landside issues identified in the Port studies.

5. Develop recommendations for involving the business community in developing ideas on increasing freight mobility and improving curbside and building logistics.

4. OBJECTIVE: Organize the Working Group to participate in the Year 1 Plan of Action.

1. ACTIONS

1. Pursue most of the Group’s business through the full Group.

   1. On a very targeted basis, subdivide the full Group by specific functions as defined by the Group.

   2. Maintain a series of presentation to the full Group on relevant topics. Strive for a range of perspectives in these presentations.

      1. Potential immediate topics include continuing the presentations by the railroads, status reports on the four major Port studies, status reports on other relevant studies (such as the freight component of the Long Island Transportation Plan 2000), and a status report on the development of the New York State Rail Plan.

2. 2. Expand participation in the Group.

   1. Pursue targeted outreach to truckers, shippers, receivers & elected officials to discuss & enhance the Action Plan.

   2. Implement an event or forum during the Spring of 1999 as a follow-up to the March 1998 Metropolitan Planning Forum.

      1. Consider holding freight-related forums or events annually.

   3. Implement the planned Public Information Forums on the major Port studies.

      1. Meetings to be held in Newark, Bridgeport, Manhattan, White Plains & Mineola/Hauppauge.