b'Community DevelopmentBenchmarks NorthwestRegional population Percentage of population 25 and older with 302,983 Associates Degree or higher across region39%Regional poverty rate Median home value13.22% $210,267Community Development Commodity by ValueFreight Plan2%RailInanticipationof2020censusdataconfirmingthe$154,529,049.81establishment of our regions first Metropolitan Planning Organization(MPO),theTraverseTransportation CoordinatingInitiative(TTCI)completedtheNorthwest16%PortMichigan Freight Plan.$1,117,846,892.97TTCIhasbeenthecoordinatingbodyforregional transportation issues in the greater Traverse area.This body has taken the lead and initiative to move forward82%Truckwith projects and plans that lay a foundation for an MPO to$5,678,278,048.26build upon.With $7 billion dollars worth of freight shipped in our region, according to 2018 data, movement of freight hasadirectimpactonourregionseconomicgrowth.The freight plan provides a base of data which identifies commodity types and amounts, and by what means those commodities are shipped throughout our region.Commodity by TonnageAsurveyconductedofbusinessesthatutilizefreight and direct shipping companies provided insight into the challenges facing the region, and also the opportunities that are available.The large geographic region with abundant26%Portlakes and lack of interstate freeways present challenges,1,822,069.00 tonsbuttheabilitytoaddtravellanes,adjustroundabouts, realign intersections and provide additional connections68%Truckare a few of the opportunities noted from the survey.The4,842,970.21 tons 6%Railplan concludes with future suggested projects that could436,240.00 tonsinclude a Freight and Economic Analysis, and the creation of a freight committee to the MPO.COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT / NETWORKSNORTHWEST.ORG 25'