Congestion is making its way inside the beltway but this time in a good way.

A new proposal has been introduced into the House regarding the use of barrier-separated, voluntary Toll Truckways to reduce the number of trucks in general-purpose highway lanes as well as the number of auto-truck accidents, while saving as much as $40 billion in shipping costs each year.

Meanwhile, the General Accounting Office recently produced a report on the state of the Interstate Highway System and came to some interesting conclusions. Respondents to a survey said the most important role that the interstates perform, other than supporting safe travel, is moving freight traffic across the U.S., but the report found major congestion issues holding up freight.

"I am particularly concerned with the effect of congestion on timely delivery of freight, which is expected to nearly double between now and 2020," said U.S. Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.), the chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee in a statement about the report. "Clearly, Congress must find ways to relieve the congestion problem on the Interstates as expeditiously as possible."

dhannon@reedbusiness.com