The Missouri Chamber Foundation’s Transportation2030 report is designed to analyze Missouri’s transportation infrastructure assets individually and collectively, and to provide a state blueprint to increase our logistics competitiveness.
Missouri’s central location has long been a major logistics advantage. Being within a day’s reach of half of U.S. households, manufacturing establishments and the agricultural heartland has motivated investment from a wide range of companies. But natural and long-held advantages can evaporate in the face of regional, national and global competition, especially if critical ongoing and new investments aren’t made.
This report, “Making Missouri a Leading Logistics Hub,” was commissioned by the Missouri Chamber Foundation, in partnership with the Missouri REALTORS Association, to identify the challenges that Missouri must overcome — and the assets our state can leverage — to meet our full potential and establish our state as one of the nation’s top logistics centers. The study is part of the Missouri Chamber’s overarching Missouri 2030 strategic initiative to reposition our state as a global leader.
Missouri’s central location has long been a major logistics advantage. Being within a day’s reach of half of U.S. households, manufacturing establishments and the agricultural heartland has motivated investment from a wide range of companies. But natural and long-held advantages can evaporate in the face of regional, national and global competition, especially if critical ongoing and new investments aren’t made.
This report, “Making Missouri a Leading Logistics Hub,” was commissioned by the Missouri Chamber Foundation, in partnership with the Missouri REALTORS Association, to identify the challenges that Missouri must overcome — and the assets our state can leverage — to meet our full potential and establish our state as one of the nation’s top logistics centers. The study is part of the Missouri Chamber’s overarching Missouri 2030 strategic initiative to reposition our state as a global leader.
A Gallup survey of 1,000 Missouri CEOs and business leaders revealed that basic infrastructure is a prevalent concern of employers, especially in industries that depend on roads and airports for moving goods. Gallup concluded that leveraging Missouri’s location through strategic policymaking and investment would be a smart move for the state.
This report is designed to analyze Missouri’s transportation infrastructure assets individually and collectively, and to provide a state blueprint to increase our logistics competitiveness. It highlights individual infrastructure assets’ strengths and weaknesses. It reveals how Missouri stacks up against neighboring states and nationally.
This report was developed with research and stakeholder input from site selectors, logistics professionals, commercial real estate experts and other executives knowledgeable about their region of the state. Polling results from Missouri CEOs and business leaders and voters at large were used in the report. It relies heavily on data provided by the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Freight Plan. The report also draws upon the comprehensive work of the 21st Century Missouri Transportation System Task Force.
A Gallup survey of 1,000 Missouri CEOs and business leaders revealed that basic infrastructure is a prevalent concern of employers, especially in industries that depend on roads and airports for moving goods. Gallup concluded that leveraging Missouri’s location through strategic policymaking and investment would be a smart move for the state.
This report is designed to analyze Missouri’s transportation infrastructure assets individually and collectively, and to provide a state blueprint to increase our logistics competitiveness. It highlights individual infrastructure assets’ strengths and weaknesses. It reveals how Missouri stacks up against neighboring states and nationally.
This report was developed with research and stakeholder input from site selectors, logistics professionals, commercial real estate experts and other executives knowledgeable about their region of the state. Polling results from Missouri CEOs and business leaders and voters at large were used in the report. It relies heavily on data provided by the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Freight Plan. The report also draws upon the comprehensive work of the 21st Century Missouri Transportation System Task Force.
As it always has been, having a competitive infrastructure advantage is vital to Missouri’s economic future. The state’s history is filled with stories of infrastructure firsts that have positioned the state for growth — and lost opportunities that have ceded advantages to others.
Missouri has many strengths. Missouri occupies a naturally strategic location in the center of the United States. The state has a robust logistics workforce supported by strong higher education programs focused on supply chain management and logistics. Missouri has competitive costs in many aspects of logistics — in labor, building space and energy costs to name a few. Missouri has strong assets in the four primary freight transportation modes — roads, rail, waterways and air — and has made past investments to position the state as an important logistics hub.
However, Missouri, like many states, is challenged by aging infrastructure and limited resources to address the problem. Much has been written about the mounting crisis beneath our declining highways and bridges. The issue of Missouri’s underused airports and waterways has not been as widely discussed, but these assets are a valuable resource waiting to be fully tapped. Missouri’s rail strength is unrivaled and provides our state a competitive advantage no other state can match, and with the right investment it could be an even greater asset.
Missouri currently stands out in the logistics industry among Midwestern rivals and nationally. But could infrastructure shortcomings damage the state’s logistics momentum? How do we convince voters that more investment in our logistics infrastructure is needed to move our state forward economically? In today’s fast-moving economy, if a state is not making intentional moves forward, it will be left behind. That is especially true in the booming logistics arena.
As it always has been, having a competitive infrastructure advantage is vital to Missouri’s economic future. The state’s history is filled with stories of infrastructure firsts that have positioned the state for growth — and lost opportunities that have ceded advantages to others.
Missouri has many strengths. Missouri occupies a naturally strategic location in the center of the United States. The state has a robust logistics workforce supported by strong higher education programs focused on supply chain management and logistics. Missouri has competitive costs in many aspects of logistics — in labor, building space and energy costs to name a few. Missouri has strong assets in the four primary freight transportation modes — roads, rail, waterways and air — and has made past investments to position the state as an important logistics hub.
However, Missouri, like many states, is challenged by aging infrastructure and limited resources to address the problem. Much has been written about the mounting crisis beneath our declining highways and bridges. The issue of Missouri’s underused airports and waterways has not been as widely discussed, but these assets are a valuable resource waiting to be fully tapped. Missouri’s rail strength is unrivaled and provides our state a competitive advantage no other state can match, and with the right investment it could be an even greater asset.
Missouri currently stands out in the logistics industry among Midwestern rivals and nationally. But could infrastructure shortcomings damage the state’s logistics momentum? How do we convince voters that more investment in our logistics infrastructure is needed to move our state forward economically? In today’s fast-moving economy, if a state is not making intentional moves forward, it will be left behind. That is especially true in the booming logistics arena.
Ted Abernathy is the managing partner of Economic Leadership LLC, a Raleigh, North Carolina–based company that helps businesses — and places — increase their competitiveness. Ted has 40 years of experience directing economic development and workforce development programs. From 2008 to 2013, Ted was the executive director of the Southern Growth Policies Board, a 42-year-old public-policy think tank that provided research to states and communities across the South.
Before Southern Growth, Ted was an economic developer for 28 years, including 8 years as executive vice president/COO for the Research Triangle Regional Partnership. His latest research has focused on reimagining workforce development, making manufacturing more competitive and analyzing 25 years of rural economic development policy. Ted received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his master’s from Johns Hopkins University. He is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute and is an Eisenhower Fellow for global economics.
Greg Payne joined Economic Leadership as vice president following lengthy experience in commercial real estate, economic development and land use planning. He worked for more than 13 years as a commercial and investment real estate broker in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina. Prior to that, he assisted local governments in North Carolina with economic and business development efforts and did land-use planning in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. At Economic Leadership, Greg has led efforts to develop economic strategies for county comprehensive plans, created regional workforce assessments and analyzed national best practices in both economic development and workforce development.
Greg received his bachelor’s degree from Duke University, and his master’s in urban and environmental planning from the University of Virginia. He is also a Certified Commercial Investment Member and graduate of the Economic Development Institute.
