HIGHWAY INVESTMENT FOR COMPETITIVE NORTH AMERICAN ECONOMIES, PAPER: HIGHWAY INVESTMENT FOR COMPETITIVE ECONOMIES

This paper examines the important role of highways, and a continuing investment in highways, in keeping the U.S. economy competitive in the world market. Five key issues that must be faced by the nation's transportation system designers are identified: Issue 1 - Should the United States have as a fundamental goal of its national transportation policy the provision of a national transportation infrastructure that will achieve the economical movement of freight through the United States? Issue 2 - Given the importance of a National Highway System (NHS) to the economy of the United States and its trading partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), how can we be assured that the designed system achieves objectives associated with the movement of freight throughout the United States? Issue 3 - Can the NHS be designated and performance measures established to ensure that it functions as required? Issue 4 - How should the United States invest in transportation so that the overall productivity of the economic and transportation systems is enhanced? Issue 5 - Are the investment requirements occasioned by larger trucks worth the price?