Dan O’Neal, Chairman Washington State Transportation Commission

Shifting Dynamics in Freight Bulk Commodities Competition West Coast Ports Panama Canal MAP 21 Freight Policy Inslee Jobs Agenda Great Northern Corridor Study Trucking Challenges Passenger Rail Demands Intermodal facility in Ritzville. 2

National Freight Movement 3

Rail Growth Over Time 4

Rail Shipments by Commodity 5

Rail Volume and Revenue 6

Railroads by Revenue 7

32,000 route miles in 28 states and two Canadian provinces Over 40,000 employees Over 6,000 locomotives 13,100 bridges and 87 tunnels Moves one-fourth of the nation’s rail freight Operates over 1,400 freight trains per day Serves over 40 ports Unlike other forms of transportation, BNSF trains operate on an infrastructure financed almost entirely by the railroad The BNSF System 8

Statewide Rail System 9 Nearly the entire rail network is privately owned. BNSF and Union Pacific own almost all of the track in Washington. Amtrak and Sound Transit operate on BNSF track.

Washington’s Rail System Today Strengths: Providing good mobility for existing train volumes. Extensive network connects citizens and industry. Supports industries that contribute $106 billion to GDP and support 1.2 million jobs. Most fuel-efficient mode and produces the least amount of carbon. Challenges: Bottlenecks, constraints and access issues on Class I system. Delays and reliability concerns. Deferred maintenance degrading level of service on short-line railroads. Access to national and global markets. Meeting future demand. Maintaining a safe rail system. 10

Washington Rail Traffic Inbound Rail Flows Outbound Rail Flows Washington trades most with West North Central (45%), Mountain (18%) and East North Central region (14%) by rail. 11

Bulk Commodities There is concern that oil and coal will displace traditional agricultural commodities. Coal Terminals Oil from North Dakota Wheat from the Palouse Corn and soybeans from the Midwest 12

Projected change in Washington State commodity flows Research supporting the state rail plan anticipates commodity rail traffic to more than double by Shipments coming into Washington, most for export, are forecast to triple. 13

Competition Good News: 2012 Port of Tacoma container volume up 25%, best since On the Horizon: Expanded Panama Canal opening 2015 Port of LA --$500 million railyard investment Prince Rupert -- $295 million expansion 14

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP 21) Establish National Freight Policy (Sec. 1115) Establish National Freight Network. Factors: Freight origins and destinations Freight tonnage and value Annual average daily truck traffic Land and maritime ports of entry Access to energy exploration and production Population centers Network connectivity 15

MAP 21 Prioritize projects to improve freight movement Develop performance targets for freight State Freight Plan (WSDOT) State Freight Advisory Committee (FMSIB) Eligible projects may include construction, railway-highway grade separation, truck lanes, intermodal connectors, and intelligent transportation systems. 16

Inslee Jobs Agenda Washington is most trade dependent state in US Major focus on freight movement: Columbia River Crossing Puget Sound Gateway SR 167 connection to Port of Tacoma SR 509 connection from Port of Seattle to I-5 Snoqualmie Pass Grade separation projects 17

Great Northern Corridor Study 18

Participants: Montana is lead state. Others include Washington, Idaho, Oregon, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin. Includes many ports and economic development agencies Study Goals: Position Corridor as a national leader and a model in fostering a culture of collaboration and coordination among transportation alliances in eight states Enhance economic vitality and global competitiveness of the Region Support seamless integrated freight systems for the Region Promote freight mobility and encourage optimal modal share of freight based on efficiency, density, and environmental sustainability Invest in a 21 st Century transportation system for the Region to support economic growth Great Northern Corridor Study 19

Highways of Statewide Significance 20

Trucking Highlights Trucks carry about 70% of the tonnage carried by all domestic shipping modes. Motor carrier revenue is estimated at $650 billion (2009 est.) Commercial trucks account for 14 % of motor vehicle miles. 21

Trucking Challenges Fuel Costs Scarcity of long-haul truck drivers Weather 22

Passenger Rail Demands Washington State has received over $800 million in federal grants to improve Seattle-Portland passenger rail service. Sounder Commuter Rail now operates 9 round trip trains daily between Tacoma and Seattle. 23

AMTRAK and Designated High- Speed Rail Corridors 24

Thank You! 25