Ohio Department of Transportation

Ohio Statewide Freight Study/Plan

Ohio Department of Transportationwith

Parsons Brinckerhoff

SCORT

Ohio Department of Transportation

Ohio $Imports

2

Trade imbalance – To gain economic balance, we must export

SCORT

Ohio Department of Transportation

Ohio $Exports

3

Ohio’s No. #1 customer = Canada

SCORT

Ohio Department of TransportationNational Freight System at a Glance

Ohio Department of Transportation

Ohio Rail System

5

Rail Freight Traffic Density Amtrak Passenger Rail Service

SCORT

Ohio Department of TransportationStatewide Freight PlanOhio Plan Development

– Included in Ohio’s Long Range Transportation Plan AO 2040Update and expansion of the 2010 Statewide Rail Plan

• Freight Rail – Modal analysis included in the Statewide Freight Plan

• Passenger Rail– Modal analysis covered within AO 2040 transit

SCORT May 30, 20126

Ohio Department of Transportation

State Rail Freight

Ohio has a very strong rail freight system

Large amount of public and private investment over the last 10 years, especially in intermodal

Capacity to do more, within economic and service constraints– Shipment size– Customer accessibility to rail– Speed and reliability

7 SCORT

Ohio Department of Transportation

Freight Rail Issues

Abandonments or underuse – there are still rail lines which are in disuse, with the threat of abandonment– Represents overcapacity, yet the rail corridors may once again be

needed

Marginal economics of some short line operators; lack of traffic to reinvest

Deficient infrastructure (especially short lines) such as inability to handle 286k pound cars; rail bridge and grade crossing deficiencies

8 SCORT

Ohio Department of TransportationFreight Multimodal Needs Short term: Strategic rail lines

in shale oil country may need reactivation

Many short-line railroads need upgrades to handle standard 286K pound railcars

Railroads have the capacity and economic potential to absorb some growth

Natural gas reserves are spurring transportation fuel conversion and increased desire for fueling infrastructure.

SCORT

Inactive Rail Lines (blue)

9

Ohio Department of Transportation

Rail Strategies Mode shift:

– Good data on truck freight to gauge the commodity/distance that could be “divertible” to rail;

– Expanding domestic intermodal via NS and CSX investments– Estimate benefits to highway system, and other public benefits

Reporting on rail freight deficiencies (“state of the system?”) to illustrate investment needs

New or expanding markets– Shale oil and gas– Agriculture export– Overweight highway loads

10 SCORT

Ohio Department of TransportationStatewide Freight PlanNext Steps:

MAP 21, SEC. 1118 Requirements for State Freight Plans Freight trends, needs, and issues Freight policies, strategies, performance measures

to guide investment Improved ability to meet national freight goals Technologies and strategies to improve freight

safety and efficiency Improve facilities that ease the intermodal exchange

of goods

SCORT May 30, 201211

Ohio Department of TransportationStatewide Freight Study / Plan

Mark LockerThe Ohio Department of Transportation

Office of Statewide Planning & ResearchManager Maritime, Freight & Logistics

Mark.locker@dot.state.oh.us

With the Help of Parsons Brinckerhoff

SCORT May 30, 2012