Transportation News Summer 2004

New Interstate Projects Backed by Five Southern States

Political officials with the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi have joined together to tout two new federal highways that would lessen traffic in some of the region's largest markets. Politicians in the central South are calling for two new interstates. Interstate 3 would start in east Tennessee and continue south along the Georgia and South Carolina border. That interstate would ease traffic in the Atlanta area. The second proposed interstate, I-14, would connect the markets of Augusta, Macon and Columbus, Ga., from east to west and on through Alabama and Mississippi.

Memphis and Atlanta Airports Keep No. 1 Positions

The Memphis International Airport, with 3.4 million metric tons, kept its No. 1 position as the busiest cargo airport in the world in 2003, according to the Airport Council International. The report stated that 8 of 10 of the world's largest cargo airports saw increases in cargo last year. The Council also reported that Atlanta remained the No. 1 airport in the world in passenger traffic, with nearly 80 million passengers in 2003.

Improvements at Arkansas Inland Port

The Port of Pine Bluff, Ark., a 35-year-old inland port that provides access to the Mississippi River, recently completed $1.3 million in improvements. The port serves barges that move commodities in and out of southeast Arkansas. It handled 800,000 tons of cargo last year.

Alabama State Port Authority Acquires Land

Rumors flew in late June that the purchase by the Alabama State Port Authority of a former International Paper plant in Mobile is a precursor for a new steel plant in the south Alabama market. The Authority purchased 87 acres from International Paper, which closed its pulp and paper plant there in 2000. Port officials plan to market the property to a new user.

Northern Kentucky Airport Extending Runway

The U.S. Dept. of Transportation is making an $18 million investment at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron, Ky. The grant will extend one of the airport's runways by 2,000 feet, enabling fully loaded cargo planes to fly nonstop to Asia and Europe.