Vincent Matheney, in association with Metro Analytics, led development of the Metro South Community Improvement District (MSCID) Freight Cluster Plan. The team worked with MSCID and DeKalb County staff to develop an implementable work plan that ensured partnership through the implementation process.
Key issues that shaped the study included the Cedar Grove Road Bridge closure, the only grade-separated crossing of the Norfolk Southern Railroad (NSRR) line in the area, which severely impacted freight mobility by forcing trucks onto the at-grade NSRR crossing at Henrico Road, often blocked for hours at a time; the need for additional truck parking, addressed through a special inventory of facilities and identification of potential new sites based on size, zoning, and adjacent land uses; and neighborhood conflicts from truck traffic through residential areas, addressed through coordination and recommended policies promoting Moreland Avenue as the primary access route to the MSCID along with truck restrictions on two local residential streets.
The recommended work program included a thorough review of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and identified potential funding sources, including FHWA and FRA discretionary programs, to promote resilience projects such as additional grade-separated NSRR crossings and to prepare for electrification of fleet vehicles.