Efforts to Address Freight Mobility in the Mississippi Valley Region

1. Efforts to Address Freight Mobility in the Mississippi Valley Region Greg Waidley National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE), University of Wisconsin-Madison Teresa Adams, Ph.D. – Director Jason Bittner – Deputy Director www.mississippivalleyfreight.org http://cfire.wistrans.org

2. Outline • Motivations • Upper Midwest Freight Corridor Study • Mississippi Valley Freight Coalition • Workshop in Dearborn • Next Steps

3. Motivations • Economic health of region • Trade between the states • Dependence on manufacturing and agriculture sectors • Growing congestion on all modes • Freight bottlenecks • International competitors

4. Economic Health of Region

5. Economic Health (cont’d)

6. Economic Health (cont’d)

7. Trade Between the States • Manufacturing • Agriculture

8. Trade (manufacturing)

9. Trade (agriculture)

10. Growing Congestion on All Modes

11. Growing Congestion (cont’d)

12. Growing Congestion (cont’d)

13. Competitiveness

14. International Competitors • European Union • India • China

15. International Competitors - EU

16. International Competitors - India

17. International Competitors - China

18. Upper Midwest Freight Corridor Study • Efforts to address freight originated with UMFCS (active since 2003) • Involvement included… • Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin as well as provinces of Ontario and Manitoba • Also, FHWA, UW-Madison, UIC and Univ. of Toledo

19. Upper Midwest Freight Corridor Study (cont’d) • Potential activities (short term) • Collect improved data • Document regional freight funding needs and consequences • Create an ongoing regional organization • Improve political and public understanding of freight • Support multi-modal solutions for bottlenecks • Address regulatory bottlenecks at border crossings • Define a freight focal point in each state transportation agency

20. Upper Midwest Freight Corridor Study (cont’d) • Potential activities (long term) • Support river and lake lock improvements • Define a regional freight network • Define the role and structures appropriate for PPPs • Develop freight related planning approaches • Implement regional freeway management technologies; multi-state traffic operations program (MSTOP) • Consider modifications to Jones Act of 1920 – particularly provisions related to vessel production

21. Mississippi Valley Freight Coalition (MVFC) • Memorandum of Understanding • Charter • Committees • Executive • Technical • Policy Advisors • Traffic Operations Coalition • Customer • Pooled Fund • Priority Initiatives

23. Charter • Describes how the Coalition will carry out its mission of… • Sharing information between state agencies • Reaching out to shippers/carriers • Defining a system of multimodal freight corridors • Evaluating, implementing and operating technologies • Evaluating, implementing and enforcing traffic and vehicle regulations • Identifying bottlenecks • Defining and supporting national transportation policies

24. MVFC Committees

25. Pooled Fund • Signed in February 2007 • $450,000 • 9 states at $50K for two years • Wisconsin is lead state • Priority Initiatives • Regional Freight Workshop (Dearborn) • Logistics for the Public Sector Training Course • Model Freight Planning Approaches

26. Workshop in Dearborn • February 26-28, 2007 • Testimony • National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission • Project selection • Workshop to Endorse/Respond to/Consider Funding Commission and Other Activities • Mississippi Valley Traveler Information Clearinghouse • Define Regional Freight Bottlenecks • Expanded Truck Parking Facilities

27. Next Steps • National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) – Strategic Plan • MVFC Pooled Fund • Testimony (April 18th in Chicago) • How do I get involved?