An efficient transportation system is critical to the Region’s future economic success. Reliable transportation systems ensure that people can safely and successfully access opportunities, services, and markets through highways, railways, and ports. Highways have been part of ARC’s core mission since 1965, when we began working with state transportation departments and other partners to develop the Appalachian Development Highway System and Local Access Roads. Ultimately, transportation investments aim to link Appalachia’s residents, businesses, and communities with each other and the rest of the nation.
Appalachian Development Highway System
For decades, the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), a 3,090-mile network of highways linking the Region to national Interstates, has generated economic development across Appalachia. ADHS’s 33 corridors provide access to regional and national markets, contributing to growth opportunities and improved access in Appalachia.
Local Access Road Program
ARC’s Access Road Program links the Region’s businesses, communities, and residents to the Appalachian Development Highway System and other key parts of the Region’s transportation network.
Freight Management and Intermodal Transportation
Appalachia’s 1,500 miles of navigable inland waterways, coupled with thousands of miles of criss-crossing roadways and railways, continue to offer tremendous economic opportunity. Using intermodal transportation hubs and efficient freight management systems, Appalachia’s manufacturing industries can keep goods and services moving in and out of every domestic market — from the northeast corridor to the Pacific coast.
