Rural Roads and Bridges in the Midwest: The Growing Crisis and Recommendations to deal with it: 1982 Final Report, January 1983

(1983) Rural Roads and Bridges in the Midwest: The Growing Crisis and Recommendations to deal with it: 1982 Final Report, January 1983. Transportation, Department of

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Abstract

Within the last few years there has been a growing realization that America's agricultural strength and capability is only as strong as the transportation system that allows its produce to get to market. This is especially important when one considers that the agricultural sector supplies not only the essential foodstuffs for the nation, but also accounts for about 1/5 of the nation's export value. Increasingly, the ability of that transportation system to function effectively has been brought into question. It was for this reason that in 1978 Congress directed the administration to establish a Rural Transportation Advisory Task Force to develop recommendations in regard to a national agricultural transportation policy. The Task Force's report, published in 1980, noted that Transportation is not a final product, but a facilitative service. It is the life blood of commerce. In agriculture it is vital, both because of the geographic dispersion of farming, and because export of agricultural pro1ucts has become essential to the nation's balance of international payments.