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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 7 (Monday, January 13, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2781-2785]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00474]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2025-0002]

Draft Designation of National Multimodal Freight Network and 
State Input Process

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Maritime Administration (MARAD), 
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Great Lakes St. 
Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS), and Pipelines and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Draft designation and request for comment; response to 
comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT or Department) is 
publishing a draft designation of the National Multimodal Freight 
Network (NMFN or Network) as required Federal law. The designation is 
informed by the comments received on a notice published by DOT on April 
12, 2024. DOT is also using this notice to request comments or proposed 
modifications to the draft Network prior to designating the Network. 
Once the Network is designated by DOT, States will have the opportunity 
to submit additional designations through the ``State Input'' process 
required by statute.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 27, 2025 to 
receive consideration by DOT with respect to the draft designation of 
the NMFN.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that you do not duplicate your docket submissions, 
please submit them by only one of the following means:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200

[[Page 2782]]

New Jersey Ave. SE, W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is (202) 366-
9329.
     Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket 
number at the beginning of your comments. All comments received will be 
posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Baumer, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Multimodal Freight, 202-366-1092 or via email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Summary of Draft NMFN

    The Draft NMFN consists of approximately 175,000 miles of highways, 
railways, and waterways and 205 marine ports and airports that are 
proposed for designation due to their criticality to freight movement 
and global and domestic supply chains. The Network was designed to 
promote intermodal connectivity, based on measurable data assessing the 
significance of freight movement, including origins and destinations of 
freight movements, and in consideration of the factors outlined in 49 
U.S.C. 70103(b)(2). The Network is described in larger detail below.

Responses to 2024 NMFN RFI

    On April 12, 2024, DOT published a Request for Information (RFI) in 
the Federal Register (89 FR 25913) with a 60-day comment period 
soliciting information on the ``Goals, Criteria, Thresholds, and 
Measurable Data Sources for Designating the National Multimodal Freight 
Network.'' DOT received 43 written responses to the April RFI on the 
goals, criteria, thresholds, and measurable data sources for 
designating the NMFN. The respondents included representatives from 
State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs), Metropolitan Planning 
Organizations (MPOs), private sector shippers and carriers, port 
authorities, railroads, and community interest groups. DOT posed eight 
questions to the public through the RFI, and while not all responses 
addressed each question, several major themes emerged.
    NMFN Purpose: A plurality of respondents indicated that the using 
the NMFN to prioritize Federal formula or discretionary grant 
investment was the most important purpose to ensuring the NMFN provides 
a foundation for the U.S. to compete in the global economy. While this 
was the most frequent answer among commenters who responded to this 
question, DOT notes that several commenters felt strongly that the NMFN 
should not be used to prioritize Federal funding in this manner. Other 
commenters noted that NMFN should be linked with other Federal efforts 
to prioritize investment in zero-emission infrastructure and 
technologies, and that the NMFN can serve as a catalyst for economic 
development and the creation of high-quality jobs in the zero-emission 
freight sector.
    How the NMFN will be used: Replying to the second question, 
commenters described a variety of different plans for how they would 
use the NMFN once designated. Several State and local governments 
stated they planned to use the NMFN to better integrate freight 
planning and investment in order to support their economic, safety, and 
environmental goals. An association representing private sector 
operators indicated that the NMFN could assist with optimizing shipping 
routes and mode choice.
    Prioritizing Statutory Factors: Section 70103(b)(2) sets forth 
twelve factors DOT must consider in designating the NMFN. While, as 
required by statute, DOT is considering all of the statutory factors in 
its designation, DOT was particularly interested in how respondents 
would prioritize these twelve statutory factors. Due to the diversity 
in how commenters responded to the question, DOT chose to analyze the 
frequency with which a factor was ranked in the top 3 by each 
respondent. A table with the results is provided below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Frequency with
                                                           which factor
                         Factor                              was Top 3
                                                              ranked
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1. Origins and destinations of freight movement within,                6
 to, and from the United States;........................
2. Volume, value, tonnage, and the strategic importance                5
 of freight;............................................
3. Access to border crossings, airports, seaports, and                 5
 pipelines;.............................................
4. Economic factors, including balance of trade;........               2
5. Access to major areas for manufacturing, agriculture,               8
 or natural resources;..................................
6. Access to energy exploration, development,                          3
 installation, and production areas;....................
7. Intermodal links and intersections that promote                    14
 connectivity;..........................................
8. Freight choke points and other impediments                          7
 contributing to significant measurable congestion,
 delay in freight movement, or inefficient modal
 connections;...........................................
9. Impacts on all freight transportation modes and modes               2
 that share significant freight infrastructure;.........
10. Facilities and transportation corridors identified                 8
 by a multi-State coalition, a State, a State freight
 advisory committee, or an MPO, using national or local
 data, as having critical freight importance to the
 region;................................................
11. Major distribution centers, inland intermodal                      9
 facilities, and first- and last-mile facilities; \[3]\
 and....................................................
12. The significance of goods movement, including                      5
 consideration of global and domestic supply chains.....
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Commenters' priorities were widely distributed across the statutory 
factors, with every factor identified ranked in the top 3 at least 
twice. Nevertheless, a clear theme emerged, with a plurality of 
commenters expressing a clear preference that DOT prioritize 
``Intermodal links and intersections that promote connectivity.'' This 
aligns with the second most frequently cited factor, ``Major 
distribution centers, inland intermodal facilities, and first- and 
last-mile facilities.''
    Other factors of note included ``Access to major areas for 
manufacturing, agriculture, or natural resources'' and ``Facilities and 
transportation corridors identified by a multi-State coalition, a 
State, a State Freight Advisory Committee, or an MPO, using national or 
local data, as having critical freight importance to the region.''
    These comments informed DOT's approach to the Draft Network. First 
and foremost, DOT prioritized ensuring the Network would support the 
multimodal

[[Page 2783]]

movement of freight by including intermodal connections to the extent 
supported by available data. A large share of marine ports and 
airports, major multimodal freight generators, along with the National 
Highway System (NHS)-designated intermodal connectors included in the 
Primary Highway Freight System, were incorporated into the draft NMFN.
    To incorporate the consideration of manufacturing, agriculture, and 
natural resource economic sectors, along with other features of our 
modern supply chains, DOT analyzed commodity flows from the Freight 
Analysis Framework (FAF), Waybill, and Waterborne Commerce data, to 
ensure the Network had a broad reach and covered routes significant for 
one or more commodity groups. The data used and analyses conducted are 
described in more detail in the NMFN Designation Methodology and Extent 
section of this Notice.
    Other Factors for Consideration: DOT asked respondents to provide 
feedback on to what extent the NMFN should also reflect other factors, 
including safety, climate and sustainability, equity, national defense, 
consistency with other federally-designated networks, and 
transformation. A majority of respondents were supportive of 
considering these factors, with safety, and climate and sustainability 
most frequently cited.
    Community interest groups highlighted that NMFN designation should 
factor in air quality improvements, address historical disparities and 
promote equitable outcomes, and integrate meaningful participation from 
disadvantaged communities in the designation process. DOT intends for 
this notice and draft Network to serve as a starting point for 
conversation and input from impacted communities on proposed 
designations.
    Reflecting the interest in consistency with other networks, DOT 
used FHWA's Primary Highway Freight System (PHFS) as the initial base 
layer of the NMFN. Combined with the remainder of the Interstate 
Highway System, this constitutes more than 86.6% of the National 
Highway Freight Network (NHFN). The remaining NHFN mileage, 
constituting MPO assigned Critical Urban Freight Corridors (CUFCs) and 
State assigned Critical Rural Freight Corridors (CRFCs), were not 
comprehensively included in the base layer for the Draft Network, due 
to the inconsistent approaches in designating routes and frequent 
changes by States in assigning their limited CUFC/CRFC mileage. While 
previously designated Critical Urban/Rural Freight corridors were not 
included in the Draft Network base layer, DOT referred to designated 
CUFC/CRFCs to help validate other data sources on freight movement when 
necessary.
    Reflecting national defense needs, DOT included the Strategic 
Highway Network (STRAHNET), the Strategic Rail Corridor Network 
(STRACNET), and Strategic Sealift Ports as part of the NMFN's base 
layer.
    Other Comments: Some respondents expressed an interest in a more 
expansive highway network, noting in particular that the 2016 Interim 
National Multimodal Freight Network did not sufficiently capture the 
roadways significant to freight movement. It is worth noting that the 
highway component of the 2024 draft Network is approximately 28% larger 
than the 2016 Interim Network,\1\ prior to any additional designations 
that may follow this Notice.
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    \1\ The statutory language establishing the 2016 Interim 
National Multimodal Freight Network was repealed in the 
Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, Public Law 117-58 (2021).
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    The draft rail and waterway Network components were chosen based on 
available usage data, described below, with an effort to take a 
consistent approach to designation across modes. DOT also believes that 
these designations align with multiple statutory considerations while 
also encouraging investment in relatively under-utilized assets and 
will encourage and optimize the use of all modes over time as part of 
the broader multimodal freight transportation system in the U.S. 
Encouraging increased utilization of rail and waterway modes will 
increase the energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions 
related to freight transportation.\2\
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    \2\ https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/climate-and-sustainability/us-national-blueprint-transportation-decarbonization.
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NMFN Designation Methodology and Extent

    Highway Component Description: In designating the highway component 
of the NMFN, the FHWA-designated PHFS (23 U.S.C. 167(d)), the Strategic 
Highway Network (STRAHNET), and the Interstate Highway System were 
included. Additional segments were added by evaluating both Freight 
Analysis Framework (FAF) \3\ data and Highway Performance Monitoring 
System (HPMS) \4\ data, with consideration given to overall freight 
volumes as well as specific freight commodity groups. The specific 
thresholds below were proposed, in part, to produce a draft network 
that balanced the goals of a prioritized network and a network with 
broad coverage. Using 2022 HPMS data, facilities with 4,000 Annual 
Average Daily Truck Traffic (AADTT) or greater (85th percentile) and 
facilities with AADTT between 1,200 (70th percentile of volumes) and 
4,000 (85th percentile) were identified. Using FAF modeling, segments 
that carried 8,170 total annual tons of freight, inclusive of all 
commodities (top 20%) and segments that fall in the top 1% of annual 
tons of freight carried by specific commodity groupings (using FAF 
categories) were also identified. Facilities with 4,000 AADTT or 
greater according to HPMS were included independent of FAF modeling. 
Highway segments identified by FAF commodity flow modeling were added 
when HPMS data showed AADTT between 1,200 (70th percentile of volumes) 
and 4,000 (85th percentile). For segments where FAF commodity flow 
modeling and HPMS counts did not overlap, DOT considered other factors 
to determine whether to include them in the Network. These factors 
included whether the segment was on the National Network; \5\ whether 
it provided access to manufacturing, agriculture, natural resources, 
energy exploration, development, installation, or production areas; or 
if the roadway was discussed in a completed State Freight Plan.\6\ As 
part of this review, consideration was also given to designated CUFCs 
and CRFCs under 23 U.S.C. 167, as well as logical connections to other 
designated roadway segments.
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    \3\ https://www.bts.gov/faf.
    \4\ https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/hpms.cfm.
    \5\ The National Network is a congressionally authorized network 
for commercial truck traffic on which Federal truck width and length 
limits apply uniformly. https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/infrastructure/national_network.htm.
    \6\ For links to completed State Freight Plans, visit: https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/fpcb/toolkit/allplans.aspx.
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    Highway Network Extent: 78,274 total roadway miles
     Urban miles (urban areas of 50,000 population or greater): 
19,100
     Rural miles: 59,174
    Rail Component Description: The rail Network designation includes 
all intermodal rail routes, as identified by the FRA, and all Strategic 
Rail Corridor Network (STRACNET) routes. Additional rail routes were 
added for segments in the top \2/3\ based on the volume of freight 
carried, using Surface Transportation Board (STB) Waybill data.\7\ 
Additional segments were added that carry the top 102% of freight by 
commodity groups, consistent with the FAF commodity groupings used for 
the

[[Page 2784]]

highway designation. As an additional measure of significance, rail 
segments that carry five trains or more per day were also added. This 
threshold is more likely to capture important segments operated by 
short line railroads. Other segments were added if they provided 
logical connections to segments identified through the described 
methodology.
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    \7\ https://www.stb.gov/reports-data/waybill/.
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    Rail Network Extent: 80,309 total rail miles:
     Class 1 miles: 67,476
     Class 2 miles: 3,047
     Class 3 miles: 9,786
    Marine Ports Component Description: Marine ports that annually move 
1.5 million tons of freight or greater, as estimated by the most recent 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Waterborne Commerce Statistics 
Data (2022),\8\ were added to the Network. This threshold was informed 
by stakeholder input and to guarantee that selected ports would be 
served by moderate use waterways as defined by USACE. Commercial 
Strategic Seaports, as identified by the Maritime Administration and 
U.S. Department of Defense's National Port Readiness Network,\9\ were 
also added to the Network. To ensure coverage across commodity types, 
DOT also reviewed commodity level data to identify ports that handled 
at least 10% of any waterborne commodity type. This identified one 
additional port, Kivalina, Alaska, which was added to the Network.
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    \8\ https://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/About/Technical-Centers/WCSC-Waterborne-Commerce-Statistics-Center-2/WCSC-Waterborne-Commerce/.
    \9\ https://www.maritime.dot.gov/ports/national-port-readiness-network-nprn.
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    Marine Ports Extent: 140 Ports.
     Ports with 1.5 million annual tons or greater: 137 
(includes 16 of 18 Commerical Strategic Seaports)
     Additional Commercial Strategic Seaports: 2 (Everett, WA 
and Apra Harbor, GU)
     Additional ports carrying 10% or more of a freight 
commodity: 1 (Kivalina, AK)
    Waterways Component Description: DOT is defining ``Waterways'' of 
the NMFN to include both elements of the inland waterway system and 
coastal navigation projects as categorized by USACE, who group segments 
of the National Waterways Network \10\ as high use, moderate use, and 
low use. The network includes all high use waterways, which are those 
deep and shallow draft coastal navigation projects with 10 million tons 
or greater, and those inland waterways with 3 billion ton-miles or 
greater, based on the latest 5-year average (2018-2022) waterborne 
commerce statistics. The network also includes all moderate use 
waterways, which are those deep and shallow draft coastal navigation 
projects with one to 10 million tons, and those inland waterways with 1 
to 3 billion ton-miles, based on the latest 5-year average waterborne 
commerce statistics. The Draft Network does not include low-use 
waterways, with the exception of certain offshore coastwise shipping 
routes in Maine and Alaska, island segments, and a handful of small 
connections made to provide direct access to a strategic seaport.
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    \10\ https://geodata.bts.gov/datasets/usdot::navigable-waterway-network-lines/about.
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    Waterways Extent: 21,329 total waterway miles.
     High Use waterways miles: 9,761
     Moderate Use waterways miles: 7,360
     Low Use waterways miles: 4,208
    Airport Component Description: 2022 Bureau of Transportation 
Statistics (BTS) T-100 market data \11\ was used to identify freight 
volumes at airports. Airports that carry more than 0.2% of all freight 
and mail weight at all National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems 
(NPIAS) airports were designated. Additional NPIAS airports were 
designated that carry 0.2% of all freight weight, excluding mail 
weight. Additional NPIAS airports were also designated that had a 
higher-than-average freight to passenger ratio and fell within the top 
130 of all freight and mail weight.
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    \11\ https://geodata.bts.gov/datasets/usdot::t-100-domestic-market-and-segment-data/explore.
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    Airport Extent: 65 total airports.
     57 airports meet the 0.2% freight and mail threshold.
     2 additional airports meet the 0.2% of freight (no mail) 
threshold.
     6 additional airports meet the freight to passenger ratio 
criteria and are in the top 130 by all freight and mail weight.
    Other Infrastructure Considered: Pipelines and pipeline terminals 
are not included on the Network due to data security challenges, but 
connections to pipeline intermodal facilities were considered as part 
of other Network component designations. DOT conducted an analysis and 
determined that approximately 1,056 of 1,401 pipeline terminals 
identified by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) \12\ are 
located within 1 mile of the draft designated Network.
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    \12\ https://geodata.bts.gov/datasets/usdot::intermodal-freight-facilities-pipeline-terminals/about.
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    DOT also reviewed a database of Trailer-on-Flatcar (TOFC)/
Container-on-Flatcar (COFC) intermodal terminals identified by BTS \13\ 
to determine the extent to which the draft Network supports intermodal 
interchange between rail and truck. 230 of 241 identified TOFC/COFC 
terminals are located within 1 mile of the draft designated Network.
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    \13\ https://geodata.bts.gov/datasets/usdot::intermodal-freight-facilities-rail-tofc-cofc/about.
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Opportunity for Additional Stakeholder Input and Next Steps

    DOT is making an interactive version of the draft designated NMFN 
available here: (https://www.transportation.gov/freight-infrastructure-and-policy/NMFN). The web version of the map includes layers for draft 
designated roadways, railways, waterways, marine ports, and airports. 
It also includes multiple reference layers, including DOT's database of 
trailer-on-flat-car/container-on-flat-car intermodal facilities, marine 
Roll-on/Roll-off terminals, and air cargo terminals. Other networks, 
including the NHFN and the NHS Intermodal Connectors, are also 
included. Finally, DOT has also included a Safety Data layer capturing 
the location of truck-related fatalities from 2017-2022 Fatality 
Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database. These reference layers are 
being made available to provide additional context for DOT stakeholders 
and highlight opportunities for additional analysis in the future.
    DOT is encouraging all stakeholders, including multimodal freight 
system users, transportation providers, metropolitan planning 
organizations, local governments, ports, airports, railroads, and 
States to submit comments with proposed modifications to the draft 
network. DOT is particularly interested in hearing from the following 
groups:
     Tribal Nations who own and operate freight infrastructure, 
and Tribal users of the freight system, and Tribal members impacted by 
freight movement.
     Members of underserved, overburdened, and disadvantaged 
communities that are impacted by freight movement.
    Due to limitations in available freight data, DOT is interested in 
feedback or proposed modifications of the Draft Network that address 
the following areas:
     Preferred routing through urbanized areas, particularly to 
minimize negative community impacts.
     Key alternative routes that provide network redundancy are 
important for critical facilities, ensuring for resilience to 
disruptions.

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     Volumes and values of commodities that flow through 
critical intermodal facilities.
    DOT also invites comment on future opportunities for analysis, 
including the location and availability of dedicated truck parking, 
refueling sites for zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles, 
priority freight rail lines and rail yards for electrification, or 
priority ports for shifting to shore power to improve air quality for 
local communities.

State Input Process

    This Notice is providing an opportunity for stakeholders to comment 
on a draft Network. Based on the feedback provided to this Notice, DOT 
plans to designate the NMFN in Spring 2025.
    Once DOT has designated the NMFN, States will have the opportunity 
to submit ``Additional Designations,'' per the process outlined in 49 
U.S.C. 70103(b)(4). States will be required to consider nominations for 
additional designations from MPOs, State Freight Advisory Committees, 
and the owners and operators of multimodal freight infrastructure, and 
are highly encouraged to engage with community groups, particularly 
environmental justice communities, before submitting their 
designations. States will be limited to an additional 30% of mileage 
within each mode based on the DOT-designated network for the State. 
States will be required to certify their additional designations meet 
the requirements of statute. DOT anticipates providing States with an 
extended period of no less than 180 days to make these designations.
    DOT is required to redesignate the NMFN within 5 years after the 
initial designation, and every 5 years thereafter.

Schedule

    DOT is requesting comments, feedback, and proposed modifications 
within 45 days of publication of this Notice.

Public Comment

    DOT will accept written comments on the public docket associated 
with this notice. If commenters would like to submit GIS data files 
with proposed modifications, please email [email protected] to arrange 
for a file transfer.

    Issued: January 6, 2025.
Allison L. Dane Camden,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight.
[FR Doc. 2025-00474 Filed 1-10-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P
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