Arizona's physical connection to global trade

An interesting article on how tranporting imports affects Arizona's economy.

Imports from China alone have quadrupled in the past decade, with Los Angeles and Long Beach preferred destinations for that commerce. As America's trade expands with China and throughout the Pacific Rim, Arizona's ties to the two Southern California ports have tightened, as well.

"We're a land bridge for a lot of that freight," said Victor Mendez, director of the Arizona Department of Transportation.

In fact, more than two-thirds of the trade through Southern California starts or ends up in states east of here. As the goods unloaded at the ports are dispersed, much of the cargo eventually passes through Arizona en route to points farther east, with some of it stopping in warehouses in the West Valley or elsewhere in the state.

Also, some basic data on the ports.