Warehousing and Transportation

Various projects to assess the economic and transportation impact of warehousing on rural Pennsylvania.

Geographic and Economic Assessment of Trucking and Warehousing in South-Central Pennsylvania (Part I)

Part I: Economic Assessment & Impacts
Drs. Kurt Fuellhart & Paul Marr
June 2006

Geographic and Economic Assessment of Trucking and Warehousing in South-Central Pennsylvania (Part II)

Part II: Transportation Assessment and Site Analyses
Drs. Paul Marr & Kurt Fuellhart
June 2006

Economic and Transportation Impact of Warehousing on Rural Pennsylvania

Drs. Paul Marr, Scott Drzyzga, George Pomeroy, and James Biles
April 2008

Economic and Transportation Impact of Warehousing on Rural Pennsylvania

Drs. Paul Marr, Scott Drzyzga, George Pomeroy, and James Biles
November 2008

Trucking and Warehousing

Study Finds More Than 35,000 Jobs Generated in Region from Trucking and Warehousing

A research study recently completed for the Center for Land Use at Shippensburg University found that more than 35,000 jobs are affected by trucking and warehousing enterprises in the region. Last summer, the Center commissioned Kurt Fuellhart, Ph.D., and Paul Marr, Ph.D., both associate professors of geography-earth science at the university, to study the economic impact of trucking and warehousing on the southern I-81 corridor as well as the impact the growth of the industry is having on the transportation infrastructure and physical landscape of Cumberland and Franklin counties.

The researchers found that more 17,000 jobs are directly generated by the industry and another 18,000, indirectly. Part 1 of their report determines that the I-81 corridor pinpoints how largely these industries figure in the region’s economy. These industrial sectors generated $868 million in value added and $1.69 billion in regional output. Adding in the indirect effects of these industries, the figures swell to $1.79 billion in value added and $3.18 billion in regional output.

Cumberland County is especially reliant upon trucking and warehousing, with more jobs in these sectors than any other Pennsylvania county. Franklin County, adjusting for population size, ranks second in employment in warehousing and storage and 19th in truck transportation in the state.

Part 2 of the report identifies key impacts on the transportation infrastructure in Cumberland and Franklin counties and recommends long-term local and regional planning activities to help mitigate these impacts. Nearly 55 million square feet of warehousing and distribution space is located in both counties. Exits 14 (Wayne Ave.), 44 (Plainfield), 52 (Middlesex) and the interchanges of Route 11 and Route 15 in Camp Hill are especially impacted by the approximately 52,000 daily truck trips along I-81 in this area.

Recommendations from Part 2 include route upgrades of Allen Road at Exit 44 in Cumberland County to four lanes from Newville to Walnut Bottom Road, widening of Tower and Kriner Roads at Exit 14 in Franklin County, realigning traffic lanes, especially the south-bound lane at Exit 14 in Franklin County, and regional and local land use and transportation planning efforts that concentrate warehousing and trucking-related development to a few locations so that transportation upgrades and improvements may be maximized.

The Center for Land Use at Shippensburg University is a partnership among the university, the Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) Governor’s Center for Local Government Services, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, and the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. The Center provides conferences, workshops, technical assistance, research, and community education programs to promote sound land planning and to enhance the quality of life in the five-county service region of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, and Perry counties.

For additional information, please contact George Pomeroy, center for land use director, at (717) 477-1776; Kirk Stoner, Cumberland County planning director, at (717) 240-5381; Phil Tarquino, Franklin County planning director, at (717) 261-3855; or Mike Ross, Franklin County Area Development Corporation president, at (717) 263-8282.

Affiliated Scientists:

George Pomeroy, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Geography-Earth Science

Ph.D. in Urban Studies from University of Akron M.S. in Geography from Western Washington University B.A. Ed. in Geography from Western Washington University George Pomeroy is the Associate Director of the CLUS. He teaches courses and conducts research related to community and regional planning, as...
College of Arts & Sciences

Paul Marr, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Geography-Earth Science

B.A. in Anthropology from University of North Texas M.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies from University of North Texas Ph.D. in Geography from University of Denver My interests include historical geography, statistical techniques for spatial sciences, and spatial analyses of historical data. Additionally,...

Scott Drzyzga, Ph.D., GISP

Professor, Department of Geography-Earth Sciences

B.A. in Geography from State University of New York at Geneseo M.A. in Geography from Michigan State University Ph.D. in Geography from Michigan State University Dr. Drzyzga is the GIScience Director for the CLUS. He is an experienced specialist in geographic information science and technology, is a...
College of Arts & Sciences