2022 WSDOT FREIGHT SYSTEM PLAN

WSDOT released the 2022 Freight System Plan and will use it to guide future freight transportation policies, programs, and investments. This plan fulfills the federal freight planning requirements under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and supports Washington state’s six transportation policy goals. It was developed collaboratively with public and private partners and reflects the feedback gathered throughout the plan outreach process. 

This Plan sets the vision for the state’s multimodal freight system and outlines strategies and programs to prepare for the future. It provides a suite of resources and new tools for use by public and private partners. We encourage you to use this information as you pursue improvements in your communities. 

• An easy-to-read main plan and eight technical appendices providing additional details
• Interactive Story Map visually showing how different supply chains of key freight industries work in Washington state
• Commodity flow dashboard dynamically displaying existing and forecasted freight commodity flows for Washington state at county and MPO/RTPO level

The plan discusses critical areas for the potato sector to overcome in Washington State, including:

Pandemic recovery. Prolonged restaurant closures and lower demand for processed potato products, such as french fries, hash browns, mashed potatoes, etc., have hurt Washington’s potato sector. Reports found that growth in retail sales of potato products was not enough to make up for the 50% loss in food service sales. In 2020, growers reduced potato acreage by around 13% and replaced many potato crops with corn. Looking forward, with the return of many to restaurant and food service facilities, the potato sector outlook is positive for growth, albeit modest compared to previous years.

Rising labor costs. Potato growers have expressed concerns about the rising cost of doing business in Washington. An overtime bill for agricultural workers was passed in 2021 and goes into effect in 2022. An initial threshold of 55 hours per week will be phased out over the next three years until agriculture workers can receive overtime pay after 40- hour work weeks.

You can learn more and find these resources on the Freight System Plan webpage. If you have any questions, you may contact Wenjuan Zhao at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..