The Mid-America Freight Coalition (MAFC) pooled fund began in 2006 to support collaboration, innovation and development in freight planning, freight policy and operations across the 10-state Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials (MAASTO) region. The Coalition’s operations are founded and guided by the MOU signed by the Board of Directors of MAASTO and the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

MAFC’s major emphasis areas support advances in multimodal freight planning practices, freight operations and technology, and freight policy, all in a collaborative framework. Importantly, the emphasis areas are determined by the participating state professionals, and the work is completed in service to both the states and the region, as well as advancing national freight planning priorities throughout the MAASTO region. The projects and activities of the Coalition support the critical linkages between freight movement and services, and economic and community development. The freight coordination of the MAASTO region can provide guidance and best practices at a national level relating to multi-state coordination of freight activities and in support of goals within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). 

This solicitation is for the fourth iteration of the MAFC pooled fund. Previous iterations were TPF-5 (156), TPF-5 (293), and TPF-5 (396). Historically, participating organizations include the ten states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin) that comprise the MAASTO.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is seeking to continue leadership of a pooled fund that will:

•          Provide guidance and solutions for state-defined freight-related research.

•          Support the BIL’s goals through multistate collaboration in freight policy, facility development, and operations harmonization. 

•          Improve cross-state freight-related coordination and facility development.

•          Increase awareness of the importance of freight transportation for the states’, region’s, and nation’s economy.

•          Act as a freight professional resource to the states.

•          Provide freight professional development resources and peer to peer networking.

•          Maintain and expand the region’s reputation as freight friendly.

The results of the MAFC activities continue to support and develop the economic well-being of the industries, businesses, farms, and the people of the 10-state region by keeping their products flowing to markets safely, reliably and efficiently. Participation in this pooled fund extends the opportunity for agencies to support research on freight and economic development issues specific to the needs of transportation agencies, advance regional freight-related coordination, assist in national freight priorities, and ultimately allow for the quick implementation of research and development efforts.

Products of previous iterations of the MAFC pooled fund have included high-quality research reports, including:

•          Development of a regional Emergency Divisible Load permitting approach (MAFC 26)

•          An introduction and inventory of Freight Data (MAFC 20)

•          Identification of potential urban truck parking locations in the MAASTO Region (MAFC 21)

•          Evaluation of economic impacts of freight investments across different modes (MAFC 22)

•          OSOW parking and staging needs and inventories in MAASTO states (MAFC 23)

•          Assessing STB rail waybill data adequacy for state planning and operations (MAFC 24)

MAFC has demonstrated its national significance through the 2020 MAFC Emergency Divisible Load Management project. This first-in-the-nation effort to harmonize increased truck weights for divisible loads during a declared national disaster offers a best practice for national implementation. MAFC has also supported the development of and current operations and maintenance for the MAASTO Truck Parking Information Management System. With the critical importance of truck parking, the project has been replicated across the nation and resulted in NCHRP 08-140, Truck Parking Information Management Systems Guide. 

As the crossroads of America for rail and highway facilities, and home to the Mississippi and Ohio River watersheds and the Great Lakes, the efficiency of freight movement through this region impacts freight movement across the nation. MAFC fosters regional understanding of freight movement above and beyond a state-by-state approach. This facilitates greater coordination across the states in the region and greater efficiency in all modes of freight movement. The projects completed by MAFC support and provide innovation and best practices in state freight planning, policy and operations. The information is transferable to any state across the nation.

Further, MAFC sets a national precedent in multistate, regional collaboration. The collaboration, mutual support, and professional development offered through this Transportation Pooled Fund has history dating back to a 2006 Upper Midwest Freight Study. The regional approach to freight planning, policy and operations fostered by MAFC has set the standard for multistate cooperation and reflects that freight has no borders and harmonization of policy, regulations, and operational contexts provides for greater efficiency in multistate and national freight movement. The potential for regional coalitions to advance freight is now recognized in the BIL. The fourth iteration of the MAFC pooled fund will allow for continued advances in innovation in freight development, and collaboration in freight planning, policy, projects and operations. The MAFC represents a best practice in regional, multistate partnerships to support efficient regional and national freight movement.

The MAFC pooled fund also organizes an annual freight conference attended by representatives of the ten states. Recent conferences have run concurrent with the MAASTO Annual Meeting and feature educational seminars and training sessions conducted for state transportation officers. Other MAFC roles have included support to MAASTO state Freight Advisory Committees and direct support to MAASTO Planning, CAV, and Motor Carrier Committees.

Through the continuation of MAFC as a foundation for freight information exchange, partner agencies will be able to take advantage of a wide range of expertise in truck, rail, waterway, air, and multimodal freight planning, research, management, and operations to assess and answer their regional freight research needs.

MAFC seeks to continue its active engagement and support of freight-related activities of the MAASTO states. MAFC efforts will continue to include research projects and reports, the MAFC annual freight conference, maintaining the MAFC web applications, and outreach efforts through personal and group communications. Working with researchers, state technical professionals will identify freight research and cooperative needs, the MAASTO Planning Committee will provide oversight and act as the group’s champion, and final approval of specific research project areas will continue to be under the authority of the MAASTO Board of Directors.

Member states have recommended several study objectives for the fourth iteration of the pooled fund. These include (but are not limited to):

·       Freight automation and alternate fuels, including connected/platooning vehicles;

·       Resiliency, including multi-state corridor planning that recognizes provisions for support of multi-state corridors contained within the BIL;

·       Marine freight analysis in the multi-state region using geospatial analysis for market identification, valuation and employment; and

·       Development of multi-state freight goals and regional priorities.

Additionally, MAFC will maintain a regional freight data library focused on housing data collection from the regional Truck Parking Information Management System. The data library will also provide a location for retention and sharing of grant applications, and the potential for state-to-state freight and traffic data sharing.   

MAFC will continue to advocate and support a collaborative approach to freight planning, policy, and operations. This focus includes an awareness and utilization of the linkages between freight transportation investments and local, regional, and national economic development.  These efforts include:

·       Keeping abreast of industry and commodity trends, and incorporating this information into MAFC communications and studies;

·       Increasing recognition of MAFC as a clearinghouse for freight information and research;

·       Maintaining the MAFC website as an up-to-date resource, a source of innovative freight development ideas, and as an information-sharing hub for regional and national use; and

·       Actively contributing to the development of freight policy and national freight research direction through the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the Transportation Research Board.

Partners are asked to commit a minimum of $52,000 per year for research, program maintenance, and the annual meeting, which includes approximately $8,000 per year for the data library. This pooled fund is intended to last 36 months. Future obligations will occur as needed to fund further activities set forth by the MAASTO Board of Directors. A waiver of the non-federal match requirement for SPR funding (Part A) will be requested and posted when approved.

Active Study URL: http://midamericafreight.org/