Integration and Consolidation of Border Freight Transportation Data for Planning Applications and Characterization of NAFTA Truck Loads for Aiding in Transportation Infrastructure Management: Second Year

Average Daily Truck Traffic (ADTT) increased dramatically in Texas in the 1900s partly because of the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Accurate information on truck volumes and truck characteristics is critical to transportation planning and infrastructure investments conducted by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and other public agencies responsible for the road system in the State of Texas. This report covers the second year activities of TxDOT Research Project 0-5339. The objectives in the second year were to (a) collect data from a statistical sample of Mexican carriers - those that have applied to operate beyond the current commercial zones once the border opens - on the size of the Mexican companies, the types of operations, and equipment currently used and anticipated to be used for cross-border movements, and (b) to collect and analyze weigh-in-motion data from Texas and Mexico in order to establish their main characteristics as they affect pavement performance.