Editing Eisenhower: rethinking the urban segments of the U.S. interstate highway system

Battery-powered electric trucks could soon be deployed on a large scale along long-haul routes on the U.S. trunk highway system. These vehicles have numerous advantages, including zero emissions, fuel savings, and lower maintenance costs, that make them attractive for motor carrier companies. However, the deployment of this technology depends on the development of a convenient network of fast-charging stations that can provide sufficient driving coverage along the Interstate highway system. The majority of existing fast-charging stations in rural areas currently are not adequate for the movement of large trucks. A potential solution is to install fast-charging stations at the vast network of rural truck stops. Truck stops are specifically designed for the movement of trucks and are already located on the routes with the highest truck demand. The main objective of this study was to develop a methodology for identifying the driving coverage provided if fast-charging stations were located at truck stop facilities along the U.S. Interstate highway system. The contiguous U.S.A. was taken as the study area. The study approach was based on a geographic information system network analysis with a specific focus on the service area. It was found that truck stop facilities could potentially provide 99.5% driving coverage for electric trucks on the Interstate highway system. This makes them opportune locations for future fast-charging stations. These findings may assist transportation planners and operators in defining strategies required for planning the deployment of long-haul electric trucks on the U.S. highway system.

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Trade and the Topography of the Spatial Economy *

The Quarterly Journal of Economics ◽

10.1093/qje/qju016 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 129 (3) ◽

pp. 1085-1140 ◽

Cited By ~ 129

Author(s):

Treb Allen ◽

Costas Arkolakis

Keyword(s):

Economic Activity ◽

Geographic Location ◽

The United States ◽

Interstate Highway ◽

Interstate Highway System ◽

Simple Set ◽

Spatial Economy ◽

Structure Of Trade ◽

The Relationship ◽

Highway System

Abstract We develop a general equilibrium framework to determine the spatial distribution of economic activity on any surface with (nearly) any geography. Combining the gravity structure of trade with labor mobility, we provide conditions for the existence, uniqueness, and stability of a spatial economic equilibrium and derive a simple set of equations that govern the relationship between economic activity and the geography of the surface. We then use the framework to estimate the topography of trade costs, productivities and amenities in the United States. We find that geographic location accounts for at least twenty percent of the spatial variation in U.S. income. Finally, we calculate that the construction of the interstate highway system increased welfare by 1.1 to 1.4 percent, which is substantially larger than its cost.

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