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GREAT PLAINS INTERNATIONAL TRADE CORRIDOR

Heartland Expressway
International & Domestic Trading Parnerships on the Great Plains Corridor

• Colorado Trading Relationships
• Montana Trading Relationships
• Nebraska Trading Relationships
• New Mexico Trading Relationships
• North Dakota Trading Relationships
• Oklahoma Trading Relationships
• South Dakota Trading Relationships
• Texas Trading Relationships
• Wyoming Trading Relationships

Great Plains International Trade Corridor Map

• Connects Metropolitan Cities and Regional Trade Centers

  The Theodore Roosevelt Expressway, Ports-to-Plains and the Heartland Expressway which make up the Great Plains International Trade Corridor are not projects that were arbitrarily drawn on a map. This international corridor is strategically located to increase economic efficiency by connecting metropolitan cities and regional trade centers through the Great Plains from Canada to Mexico. These connections are significant as there are very few north-south highway corridors in the Central United States.

• Provide a Direct NAFTA Trade Route from Canada to Mexico

  The Great Plains International Trade Corridor will develop a significant NAFTA Trade corridor. This route will provide better accessibility between the Canadian markets of Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Vancouver and the Tex-Mex ports at Laredo, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and El Paso, as well as all points in between, particularly Lubbock, Amarillo, Denver and Rapid City. This corridor will also provide direct access to the Canadian markets from the Gulf of Mexico ports such as Houston and Corpus Christi.

• State Freight and Trade Information
  • Texas
  • Oklahoma
  • New Mexico
  • Colorado
  • Nebraska
  • Wyoming
  • South Dakota
  • North Dakota
  • Montana

• Mexico
  • Laredo Border Crossing Freight Flow Map
    
  • Other Border Crossing Freight Flow Map
    
  • El Paso Border Crossing Freight Flow Map
    
    
• Canada
  • Canada utilizes trucks for 80% of its trade.
    
  • There is no good connection between Lubbock/ Amarillo / Denver / Albuquerque / El Paso and Canadian markets such as Saskatoon. With NAFTA ushering in a new era of north-south trade, the Heartland Expressway and Theodore Roosevelt Expressway address this problem.
    
  • North Dakota and Minnesota Border Crossing Freight Flow Map
    
  • These significant numbers were attained without good accessibility. Imagine what the Great Plains Region could do with better access.
    
    
• Improve Homeland Security in Central United States

  One of the primary objectives of the Interstate Highway System is to improve National Defense. However, in the Central United States the Interstate Highway System is largely focused on moving traffic east and west rather than north and south.

  This creates some significant Homeland Security Issues in the Great Plains. There are numerous military bases in this region, particularly in Colorado and Texas. Despite their presence, there is only one (congested I-25) north-south, multi-lane highway between Kansas City and Salt Lake City. Furthermore, with mountains lying on the west side of this region and the few secondary highway alternatives available, the military could face a serious situation of it needed to move north or south through this region in times of a serious catastrophe.

• Enhance Mobility of Great Plains Military Bases

  There are numerous military bases throughout the Great Plains. While it is often difficult to move north-south in this region on a normal day, one can imagine the difficulty the military may have deploying if there was a major catastrophe. Unlike other areas of the country where there are dozens of secondary roads, there are very few alternatives in the Great Plains states. The Great Plains International Trade Corridor can thus provide a high volume alternative to assist in deploying ground-based military or moving citizens during a national crisis.

• The Economy of the Great Plains Needs Improvement

  The Interstate Highway system did not provide all regions with this necessary infrastructure, most notably the Appalachia, Delta and Great Plains. The Delta and Appalachia programs are largely and justifiably merited on income, out-migration, economic diversification and transportation infrastructure. The Great Plains is equally as bad or worse in all of these attributes.

  • The Great Plains has the greatest and most widespread levels of out-migration.
  • The Great Plains has the least developed multi-lane highway network in the non-mountainous areas of the continental United States.
  • The Great Plains has some of the lowest median wages, highest median ages and highest reliance on farm employment.
    
    
• Develop Significant Tourism Corridor

  The Great Plains Trade Corridor will develop one of the most significant tourism corridors in the United States. Dozens of national parks, national monuments and state parks are located along this corridor.

• Ties Interstate Highways Together

  The Great Plains International Trade Corridor will provide better access between ten Interstates including 10, 20, 25, 27, 40, 70, 76, 80, 90, and 94.

  When the Interstate System wasbuilt in central United States, it was basically east-west. NAFTA mandates better north south routes. The Great Plains International Trade Corridor is the logical extension of Interstate 27 between Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas which was never fully developed as a true interstate highway.