Efforts to Address Freight Mobility in the Mississippi Valley Region National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) Traffic Operations and Safety Laboratory University of Wisconsin-Madison Todd Szymkowski, P.E., PTOE – TOPS Deputy Director

Overview Motivations Upper Midwest Freight Corridor Study Mississippi Valley Freight Coalition

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

Economic Health of Region

Economic Health (cont’d)

Trade (manufacturing)

Trade (agriculture)

Growing Congestion on All Modes

Growing Congestion (cont’d)

Competitiveness

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

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

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

Mississippi Valley Freight Coalition (MVFC) Memorandum of Understanding CharterCommittees –Executive –Technical Policy Advisors Traffic Operations Coalition –Customer Pooled Fund –Priority Initiatives

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

MVFC Organizational Structure

Pooled Fund Signed in February 2007 $450,000 –9 states at $50K for two years –Wisconsin is lead state Priority Initiatives –Regional Freight Workshop –Logistics for the Public Sector Training Course –Model Freight Planning Approaches –Mississippi Valley Traveler Information Clearinghouse –Define Regional Freight Bottlenecks –Expanded Truck Parking Facilities

Questions? Todd Szymkowski (608)