Goods trade is highly concentrated and interconnected throughout the United States, relying on a distinct set of markets and freight infrastructure assets to deliver broad-based economic growth. Due to high levels of interstate trade, the federal government has a unique responsibility to support more efficient freight movement. However, the country still does not have an investment vehicle to prioritize key corridors, productive rural areas, and major metropolitan hubs. To address this, the federal government should establish a multimodal freight investment program that includes a combination of formula and competitive grants to drive regional growth. In particular, that program should also foster the development of more geographically-targeted trade data to deliver the greatest return on future freight investments.
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