Prepared for:

Appalachian Regional Commission  

 

 

Prepared by: 

Economic Development Research Group, Inc.

In Association with: 

WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff 

July 2017

Economic Analysis of Completing the

Appalachian Development Highway System:  

Executive Summary
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Table of Contents 

Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................... ii

1 Introduction and Study Objectives........................................................................................... 1

2 Backcasting—Effects of ADHS to Date (1965‒2015) ................................................................. 3

ADHS System Construction to Date .................................................................................... 3

Transportation System Performance.................................................................................. 5

Valuation of Transportation Benefits ............................................................................... 11

Economic Development Impacts...................................................................................... 12

Case Studies: ADHS Connectivity to Inland Logistics Facilities and Global Trade............. 14

3 Forecasting—Effects of ADHS System Completion (2016‒2045) ............................................. 17

ADHS System Links Remaining to be Completed.............................................................. 17

Transportation System Performance................................................................................ 17

Valuation of Transportation Benefits ............................................................................... 22

Economic Development Impacts...................................................................................... 24

Benefit‐Cost Analysis ........................................................................................................ 28

Accelerating ADHS Completion......................................................................................... 30

Analysis of Major Remaining ADHS Corridors .................................................................. 31

4 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................... 33

Effectiveness of ADHS Investment to Date....................................................................... 33

System‐wide ADHS Completion Effects............................................................................ 33
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Acknowledgments 

This report was funded by and prepared for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). It was

commissioned by the ARC to study the economic impacts, benefits, and costs of completing the

Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS).

The report was prepared by a team of researchers from Economic Development Research Group (EDR

Group), and WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff. Chandler Duncan (of EDR Group) was the project manager and

Glen Weisbrod was the project director. Major sections of the report were developed by Chandler

Duncan, Glen Weisbrod, Mark Sieber, and Derek Cutler of EDR Group. Additional staff who also

contributed to the analysis and report were: Lisa Petraglia, Kyle Schroeckenthaler, and Lesly Adkins‐Shellie

of EDR Group, and Rhett Fussell and Greg MacFarlane of WSP/PB.

The research, analysis, and report development were guided by Scott Hercik, ARC Intermodal

Transportation Manager, and Daniel Hodge of Hodge Economic Consulting (research contract manager

for ARC). Other ARC staff contributing to this project included Kostas Skordas, Director of Planning and

Research; Keith Witt, Geographic Information Systems Analyst; Jason Wang, Senior Transportation

Specialist; and Thomas Smith, Senior Transportation Advisor. Daniel Hodge also contributed written

material for chapters 1 and 3.

The research team also acknowledges and thanks the many individuals and organizations who agreed to

be interviewed and provided critical input regarding the current and future impacts of ADHS corridor

completion. They include John Provo (Virginia Tech Blacksburg—Office of Economic Development), John

Michael Johnson (Kentucky Transportation Cabinet), Mike Smith (Western Carolina University), Cal Stiles

(Commissioner, Cherokee County, NC), Beth Jones (Southeast Tennessee Development District), Hoyt

Firestone (County Executive, Polk County, TN), David Moe (Maryland Coordinator of the North‐South

Appalachian Highway Project), Brandon Carson (Planning and Community Development, Southern

Pennsylvania Alleghenies RPO), Vince Greenland (Pennsylvania DOT), Mallie Combs (Hardy County WV

Rural Development Authority), Anne Jones (Tucker County WV Rural Development Authority), Patrick

Barker (Frederick County VA Economic Development Authority), Michael Shattuck (Birmingham Business

Alliance), Sam Addy (University of Alabama, Center for Business and Economic Research), and Don

Mitchell (Blount County Economic Development Commission).
1 

Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

1 Introduction and Study Objectives 

The 2017 Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System (henceforth

referred to as “full report”) was sponsored by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to estimate

the economic impacts, benefits, and costs of completing the Appalachian Development Highway System

(ADHS). The ADHS was authorized by Congress with the purpose of stimulating economic development by

reducing isolation and improving access for an economically depressed region that had been largely left

unserved by the interstate highway system. A 3,662‐mile system, the ADHS is composed of 32 corridors

located in 13 Appalachian states with 3,090 eligible miles (see Figure 1). At the end of FY 2016, a total of

2794.7 miles, or 90.4 percent of the authorized network, were either complete or open to traffic, or under

construction. ADHS completion will link the whole system into an integrated transportation network

connecting Appalachia to domestic and global markets.  The analysis in this report is based on economic

data and forecasts from 2015, the most recent complete year for which data were available as the report

was being developed.

Figure 1:  Appalachian Development Highway System, as of September 30, 2016.

Source:  Appalachian Regional Commission, 2016.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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The purposes of this study are to:

(1) Describe the effects that historical completion of the ADHS to date has had (and continues to

have) on connecting Appalachian people and businesses to economic markets, and consequently

the impacts it has had on improving the Region’s economy.

(2) Assess the additional future improvements in travel performance, trade, and economic

development that can be expected from completion of the remaining elements of the ADHS.

(3) Calculate the relative benefits and costs of completing the ADHS system, evaluate how those

benefits are likely to be experienced on particular corridors, and estimate how accelerating ADHS

completion would generate larger transportation benefits and economic impacts much sooner.

This study both extends and improves upon prior studies of the economic benefits and impacts of ADHS

completion. Before this study, the most recent extensive economic analysis of the ADHS was a June 2008

report, which estimated the future economic and travel efficiency returns to ADHS investments. Key

enhancements in the current study include:

(1) Integration of national data sources, such as the Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) and the

Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS), with statewide transportation performance

modeling and data systems for each Appalachian state;

(2) New quantitative analysis of the transportation and economic impacts of ADHS completion to

date (1965 to 2015);

(3) Estimates of how accelerating ADHS completion to 2035 (compared to 2045) would change the

economic impacts and benefits for Appalachia; and

(4) Return on investment (ROI) analysis of five major ADHS corridors with major sections remaining

to be built.

Results of this study include a full range of transportation performance and economic development

indicators. These are defined and organized as follows:

 Transportation System Performance Benefits: Including travel‐time savings, route diversion and

resulting reduced mileages, and increased ranges of workforce and business accessibility;

 Valuation of Economic Benefits: Including the dollar value of travel time, reliability, operating

costs, logistical costs, environmental and safety costs, as well as enhanced productivity;

 Total Economic Impacts: Including full economic development impacts on the economy of the

Appalachian Region in terms of employment by industry, gross regional product, and personal

income; and

 Benefit‐Cost Analysis: Benefit‐cost ratios to measure expected return on investment.

Complete documentation of methods, sources and assumptions as well as detailed findings are available

in the full report located at www.arc.gov/research.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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2 Backcasting—Effects of ADHS to 

Date (1965‒2015) 

It is helpful to understand the extent to which historic development of the Appalachian Development

Highway System (ADHS) has supported the development of the Appalachian Region’s economy from the

program’s inception in 1965 through the start of 2016. The ADHS is currently planned to comprise 3,090

miles, and as of the end of fiscal year 2016, 90.4 percent of those miles was either complete or open to

traffic or under construction. This retrospective analysis is designed to provide insight into how the

incremental development of the ADHS has led to a significantly more productive and competitive

Appalachian economy, with more jobs, people and income than would be the case without it.  

The analysis represents a significant enhancement beyond prior studies in estimating the impacts to date

of ADHS. It was developed using rigorous economic modeling that controlled for variation in both

transportation patterns and the economy of Appalachian counties and the broader 13 Appalachian states

over a span of 50 years. It also used a modeling framework (in terms of both highway network models

and economic models) that was fully consistent with the forward‐looking forecast analysis of ADHS

completion that are addressed later in this report.  

The retrospective analysis process used in this report is known as “backcasting,” as opposed to the usual

“forecasting” process that is normally used in transportation economic analysis. Forecasting studies

normally start with a baseline forecast and then assess what would be the future effects of a hypothetical

scenario in which a proposed new project is added. Backcasting studies, in contrast, start with a history in

which planned (ADHS) investments have already been made, and assess what would have been the past

effects of a hypothetical scenario if those investments were not made. The results of this backcasting

exercise are then discussed in the broader context of how the ADHS system has complemented and

reinforced other ARC economic development programs to enhance the Region’s overall productivity and

attractiveness for business investment.  

ADHS System Construction to Date 

Completion over Time  

Over the 1965 to 2015 period, significant progress has been made in the development of the ADHS.

Investment in this period has totaled $11.2 billion resulting in the completion of 5,119 lane‐miles of

highway added to the transportation system in the 13 states of the Appalachian Region. Table 1 shows

the overall investment and infrastructure additions made over time, and Figure 2 shows the geographic

location of corridors associated with each of three time periods defined for this study.  
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Table 1:  ADHS Historic Development Periods

1965‒1983 1983‒1999 1999‒2015 All Periods

ADHS Investment ($M) $3,255 $1,661 $6,287 $11,203

ADHS Lane Miles Added 4,356 267 496 5,119

Source:  ARC. Note that all investment numbers reflect total actual dollars spent in various years within the

specified time periods; they are not modified or adjusted to any constant dollar concept (and thus would be

significantly larger if inflated to today’s dollars).

Figure 2:  ADHS Corridor Segments, by Time Period  

Sources:  Appalachian Regional Commission  

A large share of ADHS construction occurred in the first 18 years of the program, as the Region built high

priority corridors and completed those highway segments that had fewer technical or environmental

concerns. Additional progress on the more challenging and difficultsegments has continued in subsequent

periods through 2015, and is proposed to continue until completion of the system by 2045. While ARC

records enable this general illustration of where and when progress on the ADHS has been most

concentrated, it is important to note that the specific limits and characteristics of each individual highway

improvement are beyond the available data and scope of the current report.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Transportation System Performance 

The ADHS enables both transportation system efficiencies and productivity gains from expanded market

access. These benefits repeat every year and grow over time. They represent the value of:   

a) reduced average travel times and travel distance changes(enabled by less circuitous and

faster speed trips into, out of and through Appalachia);  

b) enhanced reliability and reduced uncertainty (a reduction in the “reliability” or “schedule

time” that households and businesses build into their schedules to allow for arrival time

uncertainties on rural and local roads that are highly susceptible to inclement weather,

crash delay, slow moving vehicles, or impassible conditions); and  

c) enhanced business productivity (due to broader accessto workers, customers, and trade

partners).

Travel System Efficiency Benefits

Travel Time and Reliability Savings. The transportation network efficiency benefits of the ADHS are

primarily in the form of travel time and reliability benefits.  

Table 2 below shows the daily vehicle hours of travel (VHT) time, and hours of reliability time saved due

to ADHS improvements as of four points in time. The numbers shown for each year reflect the cumulative

effect of corridor projects completed prior to and within that year.

Table 2:  Travel Time and Reliability Savings from Completed Projects

(Millions of hours saved, annually)

For all projects completed  As of 1983 As of 1999 As of 2015

Total VHT Time Savings (millions of hours) 208.1 218.3 231.0

Car and Light Trucks   179.8 188.6 199.5

Freight Trucks   28.3 29.7 31.5

Total Reliability Time Savings(millions of hours) 116.3 122.0 129.1

Car and Light Trucks   100.5 105.4 111.5

Freight Trucks   15.8 16.6 17.6

Total Hours Saved (Reliability and VHT) 324.4 340.3 360.1

Source:  EDR Group Analysis utilizing consolidated travel models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, with HPMS and

Federal Highway Statistics.

The analysis reveals that the ADHS now saves 231 million hours per year of travel time each year,

representing 632,000 hours per day, compared to what would have been the case without the ADHS. This

travel benefit is a product of faster speeds and growing traffic volumes over time (meaning that more

travelers benefit from highway completion). In addition to the hours of time saved by increased travel

speeds and shorter routes on the ADHS, it is estimated that 129 million hours of “reliability time” are

saved annually, representing another 360,000 hours saved daily due to greater reliability (reduced travel

time uncertainty). This is slack time that businesses and people build into their schedules to allow for

uncertainty in arrival times, which they could more productively use if they can gain greater certainty
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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about their arrival time. The total transportation system efficiency savings is equal to 360 million vehicle

hours saved annually.  

While the overall travel time savings are widely distributed geographically, the reliability time gains are

located primarily within Appalachia as they result from the addition of passing lanes (which are most

important on steep grades where some trucks cannot maintain full speed) and from the improved routing

that reduces reliance on local roads, collectors, and minor arterials (that were formerly necessary to get

from the heart of Appalachia to the larger national highway system). Combined, these two kinds of travel

time savings equate to over 986,000 hours each day, representing 360 million hours each year that are

saved because of the completed ADHS segments.  

Spatial Distribution of Time Savings Benefit. The benefits of ADHS investments accrue to all highway

travelers, but are particularly important for long distance freight movements. Freight‐carrying trucks

account for just 4.3 percent of all traffic on the road systems of the 13 Appalachian states, but represent

approximately 14 percent of all vehicle‐hours of travel time savings attributable to these ADHS routes.  

A further breakdown of car and freight truck benefits is shown in Table 3, categorized by the mode and

trip origin/destination. It shows that while nearly 68 percent of the car trips have an origin and/or

destination within Appalachian counties, the ratio drops to 60 percent for freight truck trips. The

importance of long‐distance travel is also shown by the fact that 20 percent of car VHT savings and 31

percent of freight truck VHT savings accrue to trip ends located outside of the 13 Appalachian states. This

indicates that the ADHS plays a particularly important role serving longer‐distance goods movement and

trade, connecting the Region to destinations throughout the U.S.

Table 3:  Travel Time and Reliability Savings from Completed Projects, by Trip Origin/Destination

Location (millions of hours saved annually)

Savings as of 2015

Appalachian

Counties

Appalachian

States

Rest of

U.S. States Total

Total (millions of hours saved) 240.3 282.8 77.3 360.1

Car and Light Trucks   211.0 248.8 62.1 311.0

Freight Trucks   29.3 34.0 15.1 49.1

Percent of Total:  Cars + Lt. Trucks only 67.8% 79.9% 20.1% 100%

Percent of Total:  Freight Trucks only 59.6% 69.2% 30.8% 100%

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics.

   
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Travel efficiency benefits of the ADHS are spatially distributed broadly throughout the entire region, as

shown in Figure 3, and generally track with the location of completed ADHS segments.  

Figure 3:  Annual Travel Efficiency Benefits in 2015 from Past ADHS Improvements

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics.

Market Access Benefits

Besides providing travel efficiency (costsavings) due to travel time and reliability improvements, the ADHS

has had substantial impacts on the accessibility of Appalachian communitiesto (1) labor markets, (2) truck

delivery markets and (3) intermodal terminals–both within and outside the periphery of Appalachia.  

Labor Market Access. The ADHS investments enable firms located in counties served by ADHS corridors

to gain access to more workers. That allows them to draw from a wider pool of highly qualified workers

and access workers with specialized skills that match the products and services that they produce. This

effect can be viewed in terms of the increases in the number of workers that can reach an Appalachian

business within a one‐hour commute. Alternatively, it can be viewed in terms of increases in the number

of job opportunities that can be reached within one hour by an Appalachian resident. In addition, the

ADHS also affected access to broader product delivery markets.

   
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Figure 4 illustrates the extent of greater workforce access available to each county in the ADHS (as of

2015), that can be attributed to ADHS investment to date. For these measures, the improvement in access

to population is used as a proxy to measure workforce access.

Figure 4:  Increases in Accessible Workforce in 2015 from Past ADHS Improvements

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics.

In this map for 2015, the shades of blue represent the ratio of people accessible to each Appalachian

county within a 60‐minute drive time in comparison to the number that would be available if ADHS were

not in place. The darkest shade of blue correlates to counties where there are from 1.9 to 2.7 times as

many people within a 60‐minute drive of the indicated county in 2015 than would be the case without

ADHS. It is notable (and expected) that the largest workforce accessimprovements occur near the location

of now completed ADHS segments, and that they are mostly in remote areas away from the major

population centers. Most of the workforce access gains are to distressed counties. The map indicates that

workforce accessibility gains tend to be greatest in those counties where ADHS links were constructed (or

adjacent countiesto them), but it also showsthatsome surrounding counties also benefit from this access.  

Same‐Day Visit and Delivery Market Access. The ADHS system, by connecting with other Interstate

highways and U.S. highways, also broadens the range of same‐day markets for tourism travel and truck

deliveries. By connecting the core of the Appalachian Region with outlying population markets, residents

of outside areas have greater opportunities to visit recreation and tourism destinations in Appalachia. At

the same time, Appalachian business locations can serve broader customer markets (both business‐to‐
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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business markets and consumer markets) via same‐day truck deliveries. For this study, the same‐day

market was measured in terms of the area that can be reached within a four‐hour one‐way trip.  

Figure 5 illustrates the size of same‐day markets reachable from Appalachian counties as of 1965, before

the ADHS program started. Truck delivery markets are measured on the basis of the number of business

employees (a proxy for business activity and potential trading partners) reachable from any given county

within four hours of one‐way travel (representing a same‐day round trip). The darker shaded counties

represent larger size markets accessible via same‐day truck delivery. Not surprisingly, counties that could

already serve major metropolitan area markets at the periphery of Appalachia are shaded. The white

space (lack of delivery market) in the central region is very striking.  

Figure 5:  Relative Size of Same‐Day Market Accessible from Appalachian Counties as of 1965

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics.

   
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Figure 6 shows the counties that in 2015 have enhanced access to same‐day markets as a result of ADHS

improvements over the 1965‐2015 period. The filling in of access for the central areas (which were white

in Figure 5) is quite striking. The shades of blue in this graphic indicate variations in the ratio of workers

within a four‐hour drive time in 2015 with ADHS in place relative to the number that would be accessible

without ADHS. As shown in the legend, the darkest shade of blue corresponds to counties that have

experienced an increase of 63.8 to 89.3 percent in the economic activity (number of jobs) accessible within

four hours with ADHS (compared to without ADHS) in 2015.

Figure 6:  Increase in Same‐Day Delivery Market in 2015 from Past ADHS Improvements

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics.

   
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Intermodal Terminal Access. An important aspect of the ADHS is that its highways provide connectivity

to broader interstate routes (e.g., east‐west links across the mountains) and thus enable access from the

core of Appalachia to intermodal terminals—major airports, marine ports, and intermodal rail facilities.

The locations of these intermodal facilities, relative to the ADHS, is shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7:  Locations of Intermodal Terminals Affected by ADHS Access

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics.

 Valuation of Transportation Benefits 

The travel efficiency benefits are valued in dollars,stemming from the travel efficiency impacts. The travel

savings (hours and miles) translate into reduced vehicle operating costs, business labor costs and shipper

logistics costs. The savings in personal travel time does not affect the flow of money in the economy, but

has a very real value to the people involved, and is included in the benefit‐cost analysis. Table 4 shows the

annual transportation cost savings occurring in 2015 as a result of ADHS completion to date.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Table 4:  Value of Travel Efficiency Savings from Completed Projects as of 2015 ($ millions/yr.)  

Category of Value Freight Truck Car + Lt. Truck Total

Vehicle Operating Cost Savings $930 $2,473 $3,403

Business Travel Time Cost Savings $1,431 $2,261 $3,692

Shipper/ Logistics Cost Savings $555 $0 $555

Personal Travel Time Savings   $0 $3,059 $3,059

Total $2,916 $7,793 $10,709

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics. Valuation factors are defined in the full report.

Note:  All dollar values are in 2015 constant dollars.

Economic Development Impacts 

Analysis Overview. The travel efficiency and access benefits discussed previously affect business

operating costs, household spending and economic productivity within the Appalachian Region, the

broader 13 Appalachian states (including areas not in Appalachia), as well as in other adjacent states.  

Annual Effect. Overall, ADHS investment made over the 1965‐2015 period enable the 13‐state region to

attract business investment and grow its economy. The result is that it is now estimated to produce over

$24 billion per year of added business sales representing over $11 billion per year of added gross regional

product (GRP) as of 2015, compared to what would be the case without the ADHS. This increased

economic activity has helped create or support over 168,000 jobs with nearly $7.3 billion/year of added

worker income as of 2015.  

Table 5 summarizes these economic impacts and Figure 8 shows how they have grown over time. It is

notable that while the economic growth impact was most rapid in the 1965‐1983 period when the largest

initial investment in ADHS construction was made, the economic growth effect is recurring year after year

and will grow larger in the future as economic gains from highway investment continue to be realized.  

Table 5:  Impact of ADHS Projects on the Economy of Appalachia and Appalachian States

Increase compared to “no build” case As of 1983 As of 1999 As of 2015

13‐State Appalachian Region 

     Business Output (Revenue) in $M/year $9,959   $15,207   $24,183  

     GRP (Value Added) in $M/year $4,611   $7,037   $11,173  

     Worker Income in $M/year $3,006   $4,587   $7,282  

     Employment level (single year) 69,385 105,897 168,336

     Lane‐Miles Built to date 4,356 4,623 5,119

Appalachian Region   

     Business Output (Revenue) in $M/year $8,063   $12,312   $19,578  

     GRP (Value Added) in $M/year $3,733   $5,697   $9,046  

     Worker Income in $M/year $2,434   $3,714   $5,895  

     Employment level (single year) 56,174 85,734 136,284

     Lane‐Miles Built to date 3,527 3,743 4,144

Source:  Analysis by EDR Group using the TREDIS economic impact model for the 13 Appalachian states.

Note:  All dollar values are in 2015 constant dollars.  
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Figure 8:  Impact of ADHS Completion to Date on the Economy of Appalachian States

Source:  Analysis by EDR Group using the TREDIS economic impact model for the 13 Appalachian states.

Note:  All dollar values are in 2015 constant dollars.

Cumulative Effect. Adding up the impact for every year from 1965 to 2015 (in constant 2015 dollars) yields

a cumulative impact of approximately $388 billion more GRP generated in the 13‐state region over 50

years, compared to what would otherwise be expected to occur over that time period. This result also

reflects a total of 5.8 million additional job‐years of employment generated over that same period. Note

that this is a total effect and does not reflect any discount rate adjustment to represent a net present

value.  

Economic Impacts by Industry

The estimated industry mix of GRP impacts are shown in Figure 9. This industry distribution of economic

impact is notably different from the pattern of underlying industries concentrated in the Region,since the

most affected industries (in terms of jobs and GRP) are those industries with the highest growth rate and

greatest sensitivity to relative costs and market access improvements. This finding supports a conclusion

that the ADHS has helped the Region to better converge with national trends, shifting from a resource

based economy to a knowledge‐intensive and service‐based economy. The second largest share of

employment gain (available in full technical report) is in leisure and recreational services, indicating that

the access enabled by ADHS has supported growth of the Appalachian tourism economy. Among other

top affected industries are education and health services, financial activities, and manufacturing, all of

which are integral to attracting and retaining the firms and workforce needed to sustain overall economic

growth. It is also notable that in terms of GRP growth, financial services, and manufacturing produce

disproportionately more GRP income for the Region than their job impacts, a sign of their importance.

Finally, there are significant GRP gainsfor wholesale and warehousing industries, which reflect the benefit

of better transportation for supply chains.  
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Figure 9:  GRP Income Growth by Industry Sector Due to ADHS  

Source:  Analysis by EDR Group using the TREDIS economic impact model for the 13 Appalachian states.

Note:  All dollar values are in millions of 2015 constant dollars.  

While it has been shown how past ADHS investments have provided transportation system benefits and

economic growth impacts, additional progress to complete the system will provide further transportation

benefits and economic growth consequences.  

Case Studies: ADHS Connectivity to Inland 

Logistics Facilities and Global Trade 

There is a growing recognition of the importance of inland intermodal logistics facilities which are the

meeting point for highways with rail, waterways, and airports. In Appalachia, a number of these facilities

have now been developed providing vital connections between modes, offering up cost and time savings

for shippers, and connecting Appalachia to seaports and global markets. To highlight how the ADHS plays

an important role in trade and economic development, the ARC team visited two Appalachian logistics

facilities to better understand how they operate, link to the ADHS, and generate economic opportunities

for the Region.  

Port of Huntsville (Alabama)–International Intermodal Center

The Port of Huntsville is in northern Alabama and includes multiple freight and passenger travel functions

and economic development activities within a single 7,000 acre facility:
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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 Huntsville International Airport – providing passenger air transportation to numerous domestic

and international destinations;

 International Intermodal Center – a multimodal freight logistics facility with both intermodal rail

(truck‐rail) activity and warehousing, as well as dedicated air cargo operations and facilities; and

 Jetplex Industrial Park – a 4,000 acre business park hosting 70 companies and providing 6,100

jobs for Huntsville area workers.

Figure 10:  Port of Huntsville International Intermodal Center

A key enabler of this facility was the

construction of Corridor V, running east‐west

from northern Mississippi through Alabama

and into Tennessee.  Corridor V provides direct

access to the Port of Huntsville and is a full

interstate (I‐565) in this segment of the

corridor, with easy linkages to the I‐65 corridor

with Nashville to the north and Birmingham to

the south.  

The international intermodal center (IIC)

opened in 1986, assisted by an earlier industrial

rail extension grant that was funded by a

combination of local, ARC and Economic

Development Administration (EDA) resources.  

The rail facility serves a Norfolk Southern east‐west mainline route that provides inbound freight rail

service directly from the ports of Charleston and Savannah, along with outbound rail to the northeast and

connectionsto west coast markets.  The heaviest freightrail volumesto the facility represent international

goods from the ports that are then warehoused and distributed via truck to the Appalachian Region.  But

the facility has also allowed local companies to locate near the facility to receive and ship goods

throughout the country.

The air cargo facility sits directly next to the rail facility, and handles ten 747 dedicated air cargo planes

per week helping Huntsville become the 17th largest airport for international air cargo in the U.S. The

facility has included a foreign trade zone (FTZ) designation since 1983, establishing it as a permanent port

of entry.  The port would like to see more ADHS corridors upgraded to full interstate status with limited

access and no traffic lights, as Corridor V is predominantly U.S. highway 72 which limits the effectiveness

of the corridor for long‐distance freight trucking.   

Greer Inland Port (South Carolina)

A more recently developed facility, the Greer Inland Port in South Carolina opened in 2013 to serve a very

specific logistics opportunity in the Spartanburg/Greenville area. The BMW auto assembly plant located

here in 1995 kick‐started industrial development in the Region and was the original impetus to develop

an inland port to facilitate imports and exports by container. Owned and operated by the South Carolina

Ports Authority, Greer lies 212 milesinland from the Charleston deep waterseaport. Similar to the Virginia

Inland Port in Front Royal, VA, Greer has a dedicated Norfolk Southern “shuttle train” between the seaport

and inland port that sends 200 containers (“boxes”) each way every day. The inland port provides a
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

16 

reliable, cost competitive service to handle a 50/50 mix of:  1) exports (goods from the Region trucked to

Greer that go by rail to the Charleston seaport bound for global markets); and 2) imports (goods arriving

at Charleston, travel by rail to Greer for inland distribution).

Figure 11:  Greer Inland Port  

Constructed at a cost of $47

million and employing about

55 employees on‐site, the

Greer Inland Port handles

100,000 container lifts per

year, ahead of forecast and

already at 80 percent of

current capacity. The facility is

served by multiple highway

connections which expands

the customer base that is

served by the inland port. For

example, two of the largest

shippers using the Greer Inland Port – the Eastman chemical company and John Deere (both in Tennessee)

— use ADHS Corridor W (U.S. 25) to truck commodities to Greer for export. Greer has 50 acres of paved

facility, including container storage space, and has another 100 acres for potential expansion.  

The relatively abundant land for industrial development and strong highway system (combined with the

Greer Inland Port) have helped the area attract major distribution centerssuch as Rite‐Aid and Dollar Tree,

with Michelin and Adidas two other major area shippers benefiting from Greer. BMW provided an initial

anchor tenant and is the largest single customer generating about 65 percent of total volume at Greer.

The success at Greer is leading South Carolina to develop a second inland port in Dillon.

Common Features of the Two Case Studies

As demonstrated by the two case studies, ADHS corridors play a direct role in helping Appalachia and its

businesses connect to global and domestic trade, and world‐class logistics facilities. An integrated multi‐

modal transportation system is necessary to successfully link Appalachian businesses to export

opportunities and distribution to inland markets. The ADHS continuesto play an importantrole in enabling

inland logistics facilities, with trade and economic development benefits for the Region.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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3 Forecasting—Effects of ADHS 

System Completion (2016‒2045) 

ADHS System Links Remaining to be Completed 

Mileage Remaining by Corridor  

Just 295 miles of the authorized ADHS network remain to be completed (Table 6), though many of these

remaining highway segments have not yet been completed because they are located in challenging

topography (which makes them more expensive to complete) and/or face significant environmental

challenges (which makes design and approval more difficult to achieve).  This section examines the travel‐

related benefits and economic impacts of completing these remaining highway segments. The analysis

assumes completion of all segments by 2045 (if not sooner), which reflects input provided by the states

for the most recent Appalachian Development Highway System Completion Plan Report (2013).

Table 6:  Future Completion of the ADHS by Investment and Miles Over Time

 2016‒2025 2026‒2035 2036‒2045 Total

ADHS Cost to Complete ($M) $3,374.0 $2,192.4 $5,348.4 $10,914.8

Highway Miles to be Completed 120.6 57.3 117.4 295.3

Source:  ARC. Note that all future cost numbers reflect actual dollars spent in various years within the specified time

periods; they are not modified or adjusted to any constant dollar concept.

Note: Costs are in millions of constant 2015 dollars.

Transportation System Performance 

ADHS completion will generate changes in travel mileage as well as travel time and reliability. Travel

mileage changes include the offsetting effects of (a) providing more direct routes for some travelers, and

(b) providing faster speeds that attract some travelers to go out of their way to shift from existing slow

routes to the newer faster routes. The first effect generates reductions in total vehicle‐miles of travel,

while the second effect generates additions to vehicle‐miles of travel, although they are offset by the

value of time savings. Ultimately, travel models indicate that net changes in total vehicle mileage will be

small, but travel time and reliability improvements will be significant. Therefore, this section focuses on

benefits of improved travel time and reliability.

Travel Time and Reliability Savings. Table 7 shows the daily hours of vehicle travel time and hours of

“reliability time” expected to be saved by 2045 as a result of ADHS completion by that year. The table

presents savings for three points in time leading up to 2045, demonstrating the gains from incremental

completion of projects after 2016.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Table 7:  Forecast Travel Time & Reliability Savings from Phased Completion of ADHS by 2045

Millions of Vehicle‐Hours Saved/Year as of  2025 2035 2045

Total VHT Time Savings   19.9   24.5   78.1  

    Car and Light Trucks 17.8   21.8   68.9  

    Freight Trucks 2.1   2.7   9.1  

Total Reliability Savings   11.0   13.5   43.0  

    Car and Light Trucks 10.5   12.8   40.7  

    Freight Trucks 0.5   0.7   2.3  

Total Hours Saved (Reliability and VHT) 31.0   38.0   121.0  

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Using Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff with further data

on travel characteristics from HPMS, and Federal Highway Statistics.

The table demonstrates that when completed in 2045, the ADHS is expected to save over 78 million

vehicle hours per year of travel time, representing nearly 214,000 vehicle hours per day, compared to

what would be the case without ADHS completion. This effect is a product of faster speeds and growing

traffic volumes over time. In addition, it is estimated that over 43 million vehicle hours will be saved

annually due to greater reliability (reduced travel time uncertainty). This is slack time that businesses and

people build into their schedules to allow for uncertainty in arrival times. It is time that could be used

more productively if travelers gain certainty about travel times due to increased reliability of the highway

network. The total transportation system efficiency savings is equal to over 121 million vehicle hours

saved annually.

Spatial Distribution of Time Savings and Reliability Benefit. The benefits of ADHS investments accrue to

all travelers, but are particularly important for long distance freight movements. Freight‐carrying trucks

account for just 4.3 percent of all traffic on the road systems of the 13 Appalachian states, but nearly 10

percent of all vehicle hours of travel time savings attributable to completing the ADHS by 2045.  

A further breakdown of car and freight truck benefits is shown in Table 8, categorized by the mode and

trip origin and destination. It shows that 56 percent of the hours saved for car travel is for trips that have

origins and/or destinations within Appalachian counties. The corresponding figure for freight truck trips

is 44 percent, meaning that 56 percent of all freight truck trips affected by ADHS completion have an origin

or destination beyond Appalachia. This highlights the national trade benefits of the ADHS. The national

importance of ADHS travel time savings for long‐distance travel is shown by the fact that 16 percent of

the car VHT savings and 20 percent of the freight truck VHT savings accrue to trip endslocated fully outside

of the 13 Appalachian states.  
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Table 8:  Forecast Travel Time & Reliability Savings from ADHS Completion, by Location of Trip Ends  

Millions of Vehicle‐Hours  

Saved/Year as of 2045  

Appalachian   Rest of U.S.

Counties States States Total

Total (millions of vehicle hours saved) 66.9 101.2 19.8 121.0

Car and Light Trucks   61.9 92.1 17.5 109.6

Freight Trucks   5.0 9.1 2.3 11.4

Percent of Total:  Cars and Light Trucks only 56% 84% 16% 100%

Percent of Total:  Freight Trucks only 44% 80% 20% 100%

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics.

While the travel time and reliability savings accrue throughout the United States, Figure 12 demonstrates

that travel time savings and reliability gains from completion of the ADHS are expected to be most

concentrated within the counties most directly served by the system. Of particular interest is Corridor X1,

which offers robust cost savings due to its large market in the area surrounding Birmingham, AL.  

Figure 12:  Distribution of Travel Efficiency Benefits for Completing ADHS (2045)

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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It is also worth noting that while the overall travel time savings are widely distributed, the reliability time

gains are located primarily within Appalachia. Thisstemsfrom the fact that reliability improvementsresult

from the addition of passing lanes (which are most important on steep grades where some trucks cannot

maintain full speed) and from improved routing that reducesreliance on local roads, collectors, and minor

arterials.

Access Benefits

In addition to travel efficiency (cost savings) due to travel time and reliability improvements, the

completion of the ADHS is expected to have substantial impacts on the accessibility of Appalachian

communities to (1) labor markets, (2) truck delivery markets and (3) intermodal terminals ‒ both within

and beyond the Appalachian states. Each category of access benefit is described in the following pages.

Labor Market Access. Completion of the ADHS will enable firms located in counties served by the ADHS

corridors to gain access to 27 percent more workers within a one‐hour commute. This change can enable

them to draw from a wider pool of highly‐qualified workers and obtain workers with specialized skills

necessary for the products and services they produce. These effects are measured in terms of increases

in the number of people who are reachable within a one‐hour commute from each Appalachian county.

Figure 13 demonstratesthe extent and location of greater workforce accessfor each county in Appalachia

as a result of ADHS completion in 2045. For these measures, the improvement in access to population is

used as a proxy for what is more technically a measure of access to working age individuals. It is especially

notable that due to the reach of Corridor X1 and the size of the Birmingham metropolitan area, that

highway improvement is expected to boost workforce accessibility for a wide‐range of counties in

Alabama.

In this map, the shades of blue represent the ratio of people in 2045 expected to be accessible to the

respective Appalachian county within a 60‐minute drive‐time in comparison to the number that would be

accessible if ADHS was not in place. The darkest shade of blue correlates to counties where there is the

largest increase in labor market access enabled by ADHS completion. Consistent with the pattern of

historic investment shown previously, completion of the ADHS is expected to achieve the largest

workforce access improvements in those areas most directly served by ADHS, i.e., areas that are remote

from major population centers.  
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Figure 13:  Increases in Accessible Workforce in 2045 Attributable to ADHS Completion

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics.

Same‐Day Visit and Delivery Market Access. By connecting with other interstate highways and other

principal arterials, ADHS broadens the range of same‐day markets for tourism‐related travel and truck

deliveries. Because of the ADHS, residents of outlying population markets will have greater opportunities

to visit recreation and tourism destinations in Appalachia. At the same time, Appalachian business

locations can serve broader customer markets (both business‐to‐business markets and consumer

markets) via same‐day truck deliveries. For this study, the same‐day market is measured in terms of the

area that can be reached within a four‐hour one‐way trip.

Figure 14 illustrates the increase in the size of the same‐day markets accessible by counties affected by

the ADHS relative to the expected level of accessif the ADHS is not completed. Truck delivery market gains

are calculated here on the basis of the number of business employees (a proxy for business activity and

potential trading partners) reachable from any given county within a four‐hour one‐way travel radius.

Altogether, firms located in counties served by the ADHS corridors are projected to gain access to 3

percent more same‐day customers.  While thisfigure may seem small, it represents a substantial potential

impact on business profits. The darker shaded counties represent business locations with the highest

percentage gain in accessible trading partners in 2045.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Figure 14:  Increase in Same‐Day Market Access Attributable to ADHS Completion in 2045

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS, and

Federal Highway Statistics.

The figure shows that completion of ADHS corridors will provide currently missing “links” between key

markets served by ADHS and vital inter‐modal facilities. Examples include Corridor X1 enhancing access

to the inter‐modal rail facility in Birmingham, Alabama and Corridor H improving connections from West

Virginia to the Virginia Inland Port in Front Royal.

Valuation of Transportation Benefits 

The travel efficiency benefits, such as hours of travel time saved, are valued in monetary (dollar) terms.

For freight and business‐related trips, the value of time represents business and labor costs and shipper

logistics costs. Savings in personal travel time do not affect the flow of money in the economy, but have

a very real value to the people involved (and are included in the benefit‐cost analysis). Only the

“productivity effect” of market access is counted for the purposes of valuing net national benefits.

However, the subsequent section on wider economic impacts will further address the role of market

access with regard to regional competitiveness, business attraction and economic performance. Asshown

below, it is notable that the largest source of benefit for car travel is time savings, while logistics cost

savings are as important as time savings for truck travel.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Table 9 and Figure 15 show the value of travel efficiency savings and market access productivity gains

expected in 2025, 2035 and 2045 (in terms of annual savings per year) from vehicle miles of travel (VMT)

and VHT reductions. Increasing levels of system completion, combined with overall growth in the market

for ADHS travel, bringsthe annual undiscounted value of travel efficiency gainsfrom just over $587 million

by 2025 to over $2.8 billion in 2045, with the largest gains represented by travel time and reliability

savings. As shown visually in the figure, it is notable that the largest source of benefit for car travel is time

savings, while logistics cost savings are as important as time savings for truck travel.

Table 9:  Travel Efficiency Savings from Future ADHS Completion (in millions of constant 2015 dollars)  

Category of Value 2025 2035 2045

Vehicle Operating Cost $48.2 $59.7 $212.5

Travel Time $259.1 $319.0 $1,128.1

Reliability Time $72.4 $89.8 $321.0

Safety Costs $29.8 $36.4 $127.9

Environmental Cost $6.9 $10.4 $45.7

Shipper/Logistics Costs $42.6 $54.7 $201.4

Market Access (productivity gain only) $128.1 $230.0 $248.9

Total $587.1 $799.9 $2,285.6

Source:  EDR Group Analysis Using Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, Federal Highway

Statistics, and HPMS; valuation factors are defined in the full report. All numbers are expressed in millions of

constant 2015 dollars.

Figure 15:  Sources of Benefit Associated with ADHS Completion (2045)

Source:  Source:  EDR Group Analysis Utilizing Consolidated Travel Models compiled by Parsons Brinckerhoff, HPMS,

and Federal Highway Statistics. And valuation factors are defined in the full report.

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Passenger Car All Trucks

Vehicle Operating Cost Travel Time Reliability Time

Safety Costs Environmental Cost Shipper/Logistics Costs

Millions of dollars
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Economic Development Impacts 

Analysis Overview. The transportation benefits discussed in the prior section affect business operating

costs, household spending, and economic productivity within Appalachia. These changes in money flows

enable greater economic growth and development within the Appalachian Region, as well as broader

economic impacts on the 13 Appalachian states as well as other nearby states.  

This study estimates the wider economic impacts of ADHS completion using a multi‐regional economic

impact model that has been calibrated to show effects of transportation cost, access, and connectivity

improvements. First, the transportation impacts (including travel time, travel cost savings, reliability

improvements, labor market and truck delivery market enhancements, and intermodal connectivity) are

applied to specific industries in each of the 13 Appalachian states to assess the relative impact on the

productivity and competitiveness of that industry within the Region. This reflects the fact that some

industries in some areas are more sensitive than others to changes in relative costs, reliability, or market

size. The second step is to apply statistically validated cost‐impact relationships and inter‐industry trade

relationships to calculate the expected impact on economic growth in each industry in the Region.  

The analysis focuses on impacts for the Appalachian Region and the broader 13 Appalachian states.  

However, it should be noted that approximately 20 percent of the truck‐related efficiency benefits and 16

percent of the car‐related efficiency benefits actually accrue to parties located outside of the Appalachian

states, who use the ADHS as part of longer distance trips going to/from or passing through the 13‐state

region. The additional market access and economic development benefitsfor outside areas have not been

calculated as the economic development impacts are focused on the 13 states.

Economic Impacts Over Time

Completion of the ADHS is expected to generate significant economic impacts.    For example, the

combined economy of the 13 Appalachian states is estimated to be able to produce and sell $8.7 Billion

more in goods and services per year (output), over $4.2 Billion more in gross regional product, paying

workers nearly $2.7 Billion more in wages, and adding over 46,000 more jobs than if the ADHS is not

completed (Table 11).

Table 10 and Figure 16 shows how the business output (sales), value added (GRP), wage income and

employment impacts are projected to develop from 2015 to 2045. It is notable that economic growth is

particularly pronounced in later years, reflecting the phased completion of ADHS segments and the fact

that economic development impacts accumulate over time.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Table 10:  Annual Economic Impacts of ADHS Completion (In Constant Dollars)  

Annual Economic Impact of

Completing ADHS *

Appalachia Appalachian States

As of

2025

As of

2035

As of

2045

As of

2025

As of

2035

As of

2045

Business Output ($M Sales) $2,982 $4,855 $6,717 $3,875 $6,299 $8,704

Value Added ($M GRP) $1,450 $2,356 $3,269 $1,883 $3,056 $4,236

Wage Income ($M Earned) $909 $1,474 $2,063 $1,181 $1,913 $2,673

Employment (Jobs) 19,821 29,674 36,156 25,751 38,502 46,849

Source:  Analysis by EDR Group using the TREDIS economic impact model.

*Note: All values are in constant 2015 dollars.

Figure 16:  Future Economic Impacts of ADHS Completion  

Source:  Analysis by EDR Group using the TREDIS economic impact model for the 13 Appalachian states.

Note: All values are in constant 2015 dollars.

In addition, the relative role of transportation efficiency, market access, and intermodal connectivity in

the growth of Gross Regional Product (GRP) is illustrated in Figure 17. The GRP impact of cost savings

reflects an assumption of linear, gradual completion of ADHS segments over the period from 2016 to

2045.  The GRP impact of market access enhancement reflects both time lags and cumulative growth

effects of improving market access over time. Millions of dollars
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Figure 17:  Factors Driving Economic Growth (GRP) Impacts of ADHS Completion

Source:  Analysis by EDR Group using the TREDIS economic impact model for the 13 Appalachian states.

Note: All values are in constant 2015 dollars.

Economic Impacts by Industry

The estimated industry mix of jobs and GRP impactsfor ADHS system completion isshown in Table 11 and

Figure 18. In general, the most affected industries (in terms of jobs and GRP) are those with the highest

underlying growth rates and the greatestsensitivity to the relative costs of transportation or access to the

enhanced labor and supply markets enabled by ADHS. The table shows a continuation of the historical

effect of ADHS, whereby the ADHS facilitates the most significant growth in Appalachia’s service and

knowledge economy, with professional and business services, education and healthcare, and financial

services among the sectors most stimulated by the system.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Table 11:  Projected 2045 Employment and GRP Impact due to ADHS Completion, by Industry

Industry Added Jobs Added GRP *

(annual impact) (in $ millions/year)

Professional and Business Services 14,619 $974.4

Leisure and Hospitality (Tourism)   6,249 $385.5

Education and Health Services 5,405 $348.4

Financial Activities 4,264 $853.7

Retail Trade 3,520 $291.7

Manufacturing 3,041 $398.1

Warehousing 2,735 $165.0

Transportation 2,358 $171.5

Construction 1,453 $86.9

Wholesale Trade 1,038 $164.7

Media and Information 836 $147.5

Agriculture and Extraction 622 $138.2

Utilities 489 $97.0

Government 219 $13.2

Total in Year 2045 46,849 $4,236

Source:  Analysis by EDR Group using the TREDIS economic impact model for the 13 Appalachian states.

*Note: All values are in constant 2015 dollars.

Figure 18:  Top Economic Sectors Impacted Due to ADHS Completion (in Millions of Dollars of GRP)

Source:  Analysis by EDR Group using the TREDIS economic impact model for the 13 Appalachian states.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Benefit-Cost Analysis 

This section presents the results of a return‐on‐investment analysis that compares the benefits of system

completion, with remaining investment costs. Following the standards of traditional benefit‐cost analysis,

the benefits are measured in terms of their “social valuation”—representing financial gains (for actual

cost savings), productivity gains (for business activity) and “willingness to pay” valuation for non‐money

benefits including personal time, safety, and the environment. Further impacts on attracting greater

economic investment and growth into the economy are not included (except when viewed as a separate

regional perspective analysis). These benefits are compared to construction and operating costs over

time, and expressed in terms of their discounted net present values. Overall, the analysis shows that

completing the ADHS can provide benefits equivalent to approximately four timesthe cost, when benefits

are carried out to 2075 (allowing for a 30‐year life after 2045 completion) and discounted at seven

percent.  

Cost Estimates

Table 12 presents the estimated cost to complete the remaining ADHS corridor projects. While the

baseline scenario of the benefit‐cost analysis presumes a 2045 completion date, an alternative scenario

is also considered with an accelerated 2035 completion date.

Table 12:  Estimated Corridor Completion Schedules Under Accelerated and Non‐Accelerated Schedules

Corridor Name State

Estimated

Completion Year

(2045 or sooner)

Assumed Completion

Accelerated Schedule

(2035 or sooner)

Estimated Cost

(Undiscounted)

$M

Corridor H West Virginia 2042 2035 $810.0

Virginia 2026 2026 $138.3

Corridor K Tennessee 2025 2025 $535.5

North Carolina 2028 2028 $760.5

Corridor M Pennsylvania 2045* 2035 $1,477.1

Corridor N Pennsylvania 2045* 2035 $510.1

Maryland 2022    2022 $183.9

Corridor Q Virginia 2021 2021 $474.1

Kentucky 2019 2019 $371.2

Corridor X1 Alabama 2045 2035 $2,966.4

Other Corridors Multiple States varies varies $2,687.7

All Corridors Multiple States varies Varies $10,914.8

*Pennsylvania DOT currently has no plans to complete this corridor, so the year 2045 was assumed for analysis

purposes only

Source:  Appalachian Development Highway System Cost‐to‐Complete Report, 2012, and Completion Plan Report,

2013.
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Benefit‐Cost Analysis Results

Benefit‐cost analysis results are presented from both a regional and a national perspective.  

 Regional Perspective: This includes only the share of transportation efficiency gains that

accrue within the Appalachian Region, and also includes the economic development gains

to the Region associated with both local productivity and inward investment.

 National Perspective: This includes all transportation efficiency gains accruing in the

United States, but only includes the market access gains that result in national

productivity growth (about 22 percent of market access effects). Market access gains

attributable to inward investment and business in‐migration to Appalachia (about 78

percent of market access effects) are shown in the regional perspective only.

Table 13 shows the present value of future project cost streams and benefit streams. It accounts for

specific sources of benefit, phasing of project costs, traffic growth rates, and the timing of benefits. It

shows that, from the national perspective, ADHS completion is expected to generate societal benefits 3.7

times its cost when a 7 percent discount rate is assumed. From the regional perspective, benefits are

approximately 2.7 times the costs. The benefit/cost ratios are even higher when a smaller discount rate

is assumed.

The effect of discount rate assumptions (which are consistent with U.S. DOT guidance) is considerable due

to the disproportionate share of benefits associated with Corridor X1 (which is not anticipated for

completion until 2045). With X1 accounting for over 36 percent of total investment costs, a significant

reduction in the discounting of these long‐term benefits (accruing between 2045 and 2075) causes the

lower discount rate to greatly magnify benefits in present‐value terms. Consequently, the 7 percent

discount rate may be more useful in reflecting effects of completing the overall system, accounting for

the value of the likely time it will take before the benefits of X1 are expected to occur.

Table 13:  Benefit‐Cost Analysis of ADHS Completion by 2045 (Present Value)*

Benefit and Cost Elements

Regional Perspective National Perspective

with 3%

discount rate

with 7%

discount rate

with 3%

discount rate

with 7%

discount rate

Vehicle Operating Cost Savings $3,195   $1,053   $5,042   $1,659  

Travel Time Saved $16,919   $5,602   $26,069   $8,622  

Reliability Time Saved $4,830   $1,589   $7,692   $2,526  

Safety Benefit   $1,914   $637   $2,853   $950  

Environmental & Emissions Benefit $804   $223   $1,292   $358  

Logistics and Supply Chain Savings $3,073   $986   $5,566   $1,786  

Market Access (Productivity Gain)   $4,993   $1,994   $1,049   $419  

Total Cumulative Benefits   $35,727   $12,083   $49,563   $16,320  

Total Cumulative Costs $7,005 $4,471   $7,005   $4,471  

Benefit‐Cost Ratio 5.1 2.7 7.1 3.7

*Note: All values are net present values of cost or benefit streams covering the period of 2016‐2075,  

using the specified 3 percent or 7 percent discount rate, and presented in terms of their 2015 value (millions of

dollars)
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

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Accelerating ADHS Completion 

This section explores the effect of accelerating ADHS completion. It presents effects of a hypothetical

analysis in which it is assumed that all ADHS corridors are completed by 2035 rather than 2045. The

purpose is to assess potential gains associated with competing the ADHS sooner (as could be

accomplished if more funding was made available sooner).  Alternatively, it can be viewed as showing the

lost economic opportunities associated with delay and longer time required to complete the system.

Table 14 demonstrates how acceleration would allow the Region to experience nearly $8 billion in

additional undiscounted cumulative benefits by 2035 in comparison to a scenario that would not complete

the ADHS system until 2045. Figure 19 shows how acceleration speeds the development of societal

benefits for future years.

Table 14:  Comparative Benefits of 2035 Completion vs. 2045 Completion (Undiscounted $M)

Benefit and Cost Elements

Cumulative Value

(2015‐2035)

Cumulative Value

(2015‐2035)

2045 Completion 2035 Completion

Vehicle Operating Cost Savings $820 $1,537

Travel Time Saved $4,396 $8,231

Reliability Time Saved $1,231 $2,315

Safety Benefit   $505 $944

Environmental and Emissions Benefit $125 $243

Logistics and Supply Chain Savings $732 $1,382

Market Access (Productivity Gain)   $2,511 $3,497

Total Cumulative Benefits   $10,320 $18,149

Figure 19:  Development of Benefits 2035 Completion vs. 2045 Completion

 ‐

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045

Cumulative Benefits (2015—2035)

2045 Completion 2035 Completion
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

31 

Table 15 shows the annual economic impact for the 2045 ADHS completion and the accelerated

completion until 2035. The table shows that by 2035 the Region is estimated to gain over 11,000 more

jobs as a result of accelerating completion of ADHS, as well as over $1 billion more in GRP and more than

$2 billion in additional annual business sales (output).  

Table 15: Economic Impacts of Completing ADHS

Economic Impacts of Completing ADHS

Annual Impact in 2035

(2045 Completion)

Annual Impact in 2035

(Accelerated)

Employment 38,502 49,700

Business Output $6,299 $8,439

Value Added (GRP)   $3,056 $4,111

Wage Income   $1,913 $2,592

Analysis of Major Remaining ADHS Corridors 

The local context of corridor investments yields insight into localized effects of intended improvements.

For this reason, five corridors with substantial unbuilt segments and total combined cost of 75 percent of

the entire ADHS system’s completion are analyzed specifically.

The five corridors show a variety of geographical and socioeconomic situations in which highway

improvements are planned to be undertaken within the ADHS. While Corridor X1 comprises a major

bypass highway for the Metropolitan area of Birmingham, Alabama, the analyzed corridors H, K, N, and Q

serve as connections between rural areas within Appalachia and neighboring urban areas, with the unbuilt

segments typically being in the mountainous parts and therefore more challenging to build. Corridor N is

a connection between East‐West‐oriented corridors: Corridor M, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and

Interstate Highway 68. These different characteristics are reflected by the expectation of different results.

The corridors are shown in Figure 1, appearing in the Introduction chapter of this report. The results of

the analysis for these five corridors are presented in Table 16.  

Table 16:  Benefit‐Cost Analysis and Economic Impact Analysis for Five ADHS Corridors

H K N Q X1

Investment Cost ($ mil) 948 1,296 694 845 2,966

Benefit‐Cost Analysis

Societal Benefits ($ mil, discounted 7%) 761 1,623 373 1,458 3,078

Cost ($ mil, discounted 7%) 278 887 239 739 727

Benefit‐Cost Ratio 2.7 1.8 1.6 2.0 4.2

Economic Impact Analysis

Gross Regional Product (after 10 yrs) ($ mil) 166 205 61 97 1,395

Employment Change (after 10 Yrs)   1,852 2,368 700 987 13,937

In many cases, the completion of the remaining segments on these corridors is relatively expensive as

they represent challenging highway segments to construct due to the topography and environmental

concerns. However, all of the corridors comfortably reach a favorable benefit/cost ratio greater than 1.0,
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

32 

most of them exceeding a ratio of 2.0. With the largest upfront capital investment cost, Corridor X1 is also

expected to generate the largest travel and societal benefits, and economic impact.

The market for the ADHS and the scope of its potential impacts and benefits extend far beyond the

immediate vicinity of any given project. For this reason, it is notable that the ultimate source of travel

time savings, mileage savings and productivity gain represent not only changes in regional travel patterns

within the scope of any given corridor, but also wider implications such as:

1) Savings and productivity gains enjoyed by households and firms that could relocate to

the Region thereby reducing the need to exchange people and goods with remote

locations far outside of specific corridor areas;

2) Savings enjoyed by the movement of people and goods currently using county, municipal

and minor arterial roadwaysto accessthe Region from areas outside of the direct vicinity

of each specific corridor; and

3) Redistribution and re‐routing of national traffic exchanged between locations outside of

the immediate corridor vicinity, using the corridor described.

Because the ADHS is a national system, representing entirely new connections for markets not currently

served by other systems, the localized conditions of any given corridor are not intended to exhaustively

encompass or represent all of the benefits and impacts enabled by any given corridor.  In other words,

part of the benefit of completing the ADHS is creating a fully‐connected network of highways (which is

difficult to capture in analysis of individual highway projects).
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

33 

4 Conclusions 

Effectiveness of ADHS Investment to Date 

From this retrospective analysis of the economic impacts of the ADHS to date, it is clear that system has

had, and continues to have, a profound impact on the Region’s economic performance. Most notably, a

historical view of the economic impact of the ADHS from 1965 to 2015 finds:

 Since 1965, areas served by the ADHS have enjoyed significant travel time savings and

significantly enhanced workforce access and same‐day truck delivery access. As of 2015,

annual VHT and travel reliability savings due to ADHS corridor investments are estimated

to be 360 million hours per year. These travel efficiency gains affect almost all sectors of

the economy, leading to increased business productivity and competitiveness. The

benefitting areas are largely rural and economically distressed counties.  

 As of 2015, the value of transportation cost savings and productivity gains amounts to

$10.7 billion per year. These gains extend beyond the Appalachian Region, benefiting the

entire U.S. Economy.  Twenty percent of car vehicle hours saved and 31 percent of freight

truck vehicle hours saved accrue to trips with at least one end located outside of the 13

Appalachian states. This indicates that the ADHS plays a particularly important role serving

longer‐distance goods movement and trade, connecting the Region to destinations

throughout the U.S.

 The accessibility and transportation cost savings enabled by ADHS system completion to

date can be directly linked to the creation of over 168,000 added jobs and over $11 billion

in annual GRP growth as of 2015. The cumulative effect of GRP growth continuing year

after year, for over fifty years (from 1965 to 2015), adds up to $388 billion. Those counties

with the greatest travel efficiency and access benefits have also shown the highest rates

of employment growth over time.

 The impact of ADHS completion on regional GRP and employment has continued to grow

in every period of ADHS development. While the largest share of economic impact is

attributable to a large block of highway system improvements made between 1965 and

1983, there is still significant ongoing growth in benefits and economic impacts from ADHS

system investment, which can be expected to grow as the system is completed in the first

part of the 21st century.  

System-wide ADHS Completion Effects 

Looking into the future, a separate analysis of ADHS completion impacts demonstrates a compelling case

for additional investment to complete the highway network, and if possible accelerating completion of

this system. Notable findings include:

 Completion of remaining ADHS corridor projects will bring savings in vehicle operating

costs, traveler time and reliability. For example, by 2045 ADHS completion is expected to

result in 121 million additional hours of travel time and reliability gainsfor the U.S., leading
Economic Analysis of Completing the Appalachian Development Highway System: Executive Summary 

34 

to over $1.8 billion in annual transportation efficiency, safety and environmental cost

savings. However, there are also substantial connectivity benefits from completing the

entire ADHS network, which will further enhance freight logistics, the scale of labor and

business markets, and overall business productivity.  

 ADHS system completion will generate a strong ROI (return on investment) for both the

Region and U.S. The present value of benefits – including travel time, travel cost, safety,

logistics, market access and environmental benefits – is estimated to exceed $16.3

billion. That is 3.7 times greater than the present value of costs associated with system

completion with benefits larger than costs in all scenarios tested in this study. National

gains will also include effects on facilitating long‐distance trips and intermodal

connectivity.

 The impact of fully completing the ADHS system will be in the form of increased economic

competitiveness, which will support more inward investment into the Region as well as

more exports from the Region to the rest of the world. The overall impact is estimated to

be nearly 47,000 additional jobs and $4.2 billion per year in additional GRP realized within

ten years after system completion. Around 77 percent of those impacts will occur within

the Appalachian counties; the rest will be disbursed elsewhere in the 13 Appalachian

states.

 Accelerated completion by 2035 rather than 2045 would help the Region realize economic

growth and development impacts more quickly. For instance, it would lead to over 11,000

more jobs and over $1 billion of additional GRP per year within the same study period.

 More than half of the jobs created by ADHS completion will be in the high‐value knowledge

or service sectors of the economy such as professional services, health‐care, and financial

services.  

Bottom Line – Economic Impacts, Benefits and Costs of ADHS

The ADHS investments to date have provided 5,119 additional lane‐miles of highway, achieving $10.7

billion in annual benefits—in terms of transportation system performance, accessimprovement (isolation

reduction), and resulting economic growth on the order of 168,000 jobs and $11.2 billion in annual GRP.

Completion of the system will also have substantial benefits, in terms of achieving network connectivity

to economic markets and intermodal facilities, and in terms of enabling trade and regional economic

growth to the effect of nearly 47,000 additional jobs and over $4.2 billion in additional GRP growth.  Based

on available cost estimates, the achievement of ADHS system completion will bring a strong ROI (return

on investment) for Appalachia as well as the broader set of Appalachian states and the nation, realizing

$3.65 of benefit for every dollar spent on the system. An examination of five major ADHS corridors that

are not yet completed also indicates a positive ROI for each, helping support the benefits of completing

each element of the ADHS. While future costs and timing remain uncertain, the analysisshowsthat efforts

to accelerate ADHS completion can help the Region enjoy significantly higher benefits much sooner.