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The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) recently completed the second phase of a statewide multi-modal freight study, which identifies projects and strategies necessary to accommodate about $2 trillion worth of freight that’s transported throughout Virginia annually.

The study recommends rail, port, airport and highway projects considered vital to freight movement, including near- and long-term projects; determines potential policies, actions and initiatives that would supplement capital projects; describes the geography, economic structure, commodity flows, transportation facilities and potential capital projects within each of the state’s 11 multi-modal freight corridors; and reviews strategies the state should consider, including intelligent transportation systems, and freight planning and funding.

“The resulting improvements to our transportation infrastructure would substantially enhance our ability to move freight that supports approximately $350 billion of Virginia’s annual gross state product, contributing significantly to jobs and our economy,” said Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton in a prepared statement.

The study’s findings and recommendations will help VDOT form a more effective freight transportation policy, he said. The study’s first phase was completed in 2007.

“We need to work closely with the freight industry to find a comprehensive solution and accurately project the impact or value of each transportation improvement project versus another,” said Connaughton.

Meanwhile, Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board plans to hold four public hearings in late April and May to solicit public comments about vital rail, transit, highway and other projects that should be included in a working draft of a six-year transportation improvement program. The board expects to approve a six-year plan — covering fiscal years 2012 through 2017 — in June.