Appalachia’s 1,500 miles of navigable inland waterways, coupled with thousands of miles of roadways and railways, continue to offer tremendous economic opportunity. Using intermodal transportation hubs and efficient freight management systems, Appalachia’s manufacturing industries can keep goods and services moving in and out of every domestic market — from the northeast corridor to the Pacific coast. International imports and exports are also available to the region through access to major global shipping ports like Baltimore, Savannah and New Orleans.
ARC supports research, planning and development initiatives to make Appalachia’s transportation systems more accessible and resilient in the face of changing economic conditions.
In 2007, ARC established a regional study group to evaluate changing macro-economic trends and published its research and recommendations in the report Network Appalachia. As a response to these changing trends in Appalachia, the Heartland Corridor initiative was implemented from Norfolk, Virginia, to Columbus, Ohio. This program allowed the double stacking of rail containers on trains, greatly increasing transportation capacity and enhancing global financial competitiveness.
To continue evaluating changing macro-economic freight trends, an update of Appalachia’s freight network infrastructure titled, Network Appalachia: Freight, Trade, and Economic Development, was completed in 2023 and profiles key freight logistics facilities and describes global context and trends. ARC investments also support research, planning and development initiatives to make Appalachia’s transportation systems more accessible and resilient in the face of changing economic conditions.
In addition to Network Appalachia assessments, other reports and studies have examined important issues related to intermodal transportation. In 2024, the Appalachian Regional Truck Parking Study demonstrated truck parking needs in the Appalachian Region.
A 2025 report, Export-Oriented Industry Clusters, Trade and Transportation in Appalachia, provided insight into the ports that are used most frequently to ship Appalachian exports and updates on key freight trends such as the growth in warehousing and distribution, and the long-term decline of coal.
Together, ARC’s assessments and initiatives show how intermodal transportation systems linking waterways, rails and roadways increase regional freight management efficiencies while lowering costs. They also expand Appalachia’s access to supply chains, encourage economic competition, attract new businesses and create employment.