Goods Movement & Transportation Solutions
Strengthening California’s Goods Movement and Transportation Systems to Ensure Economic Competitiveness in the
Global Marketplace
The Issue/Challenge
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the busiest seaports in the nation, handling more than 43% of all the waterborne containerized cargo coming into the U.S., generating 1.6 million trade-related jobs in Southern California. It’s not just the ports that light up the economy, it’s the entire supply chain including manufacturing, retail and wholesale trade, construction, transportation and warehousing sectors. Ramped up competition from Canadian and Mexican ports as well as other seaports in the U.S. and abroad are challenging California’s position as the international trade leader of the nation.
The Southern California Leadership Council’s Position
The Southern California Leadership Council supports actions needed to help California goods movement and transportation sectors maintain their competitive edge in light of increasing competition for market share. The Leadership Council supports:
- The advancement of a trade corridor system that delivers world class, clean, state-of-the-art logistics services that are community sensitive and environment friendly.
- Reforms that will streamline and accelerate permitting processes so that environmentally sound goods movement projects can move forward in real time–including CEQA reform and other measures that would accelerate the permitting and processing of trade.
- Protection of the supply chain network comprised of small, medium and large ports, rail, highways, airports, border crossings, and “last mile” connectors, which are of critical importance to the state’s transportation system and to the economy.
- Increased federal investment in the goods movement system through the establishment of a dedicated funding stream for freight projects.
- Increased investment in the repair and maintenance of California’s highways, roads and bridges.
- Policies and programs that will increase export trade which is key to California’s future economic growth.
- Efforts that grow cross border trade with Mexico and bolster an efficient goods movement system, including actions to reduce delays at the border.
- Measures that ensure meaningful economic analysis is undertaken as new regulatory frameworks impacting California’s goods movement system are developed.