Freight Bottleneck Study Update to the Intermodal, Freight, and Safety Subcommittee of the Regional Transportation Council September 12, 2002 North Central Texas Council of Governments Transportation Department

$500,000 NCTCOG study to: Understand and develop solutions for freight rail bottlenecks, including stage constructing intercity connectors Provide enhanced modeling capabilities for freight rail and commuter rail operations, truck movements, and external traffic Identify a short list of potential bypass routes and/or interchange improvements for further study Coordinate potential facilities, programs, policies and funding strategies with the Mobility 2030 Plan Freight Bottleneck Study Study Basics

Congestion relief for metropolitan areas Existing hazardous materials routes Corridors most likely to generate toll revenue Opportunities for economic development Freight Bottleneck Study TTC Priority Segments/ TXDOT Priorities

NCTCOG: Model – NCTCOG Transportation Department Mainframe (Current) and TransCad Regional Travel Model (2002) Capabilities – Roadway trucks and passenger vehicles demand and capacity, rail demand volumes TxDOT: Model – Statewide Analysis Model (Due December 2002) Capabilities – Roadway truck and passenger vehicle demand, freight rail demand FHWA: Model – Office of Freight Management and Operations National Goods Movement Modeling (Due Fall 2002) Capabilities – Roadway truck, rail freight demand Private sector: Data – Freight rail volumes and trends, commodity flow volumes and trends (variable years) Capabilities – Varies, used as input to modeling systems Freight Bottleneck Study Data and Modeling Resources

Comprehensive inventory of freight rail infrastructure and volumes Identification and documentation of freight rail bottlenecks (facilities beyond capacity to handle freight movements now, in the future, or in the event of passenger rail service) Review and reporting on costs associated with different types of improvements (new rail bed, switches, maximizing lines in a corridor, grade separations, roadway crossings, linkages to light rail, segments of the Trans Texas Corridor, et cetera) Identification of various routing options to relieve bottlenecks by providing bypasses and identification of structural improvement options to relieve bottlenecks Basic cost and benefit identification for all options and short list options for further study Freight Bottleneck Study Study Deliverables

Suggestion of preliminary routing options to relieve bottlenecks and link into the Trans Texas Corridor (current linkages and right of way preservation for future linkages) Unification of federal, state and regional models to evaluate various alignment scenarios related to the region Public Involvement coordination Review of final policy and facility recommendations Coordinate policy and program initiatives with the Regional Transportation Council and Texas Transportation Commission Freight Bottleneck Study NCTCOG Staff Activities

Improvements to bottleneck facilities Added urban capacity on existing corridors Added urban capacity on new corridors Added metropolitan capacity through new or improved near urban bypasses Links between urban and rural services Rural bypass routes on new or improved rights of way Freight Bottleneck Study Multi-modal Improvement Options

RTC Policy Position/Program on Freight Bottlenecks and/or Trans Texas Corridor RTC decisions on incorporating freight rail bypass or in- region bottleneck improvements into the next Mobility Plan Update RTC decisions on funding roads and passenger rail, improvements related to freight rail bottlenecks and improvements necessary to expand commuter rail Freight Bottleneck Study Regional Transportation Council Potential Future Action Items

Freight Bottleneck Study For More Information: Mike Sims, AICP NCTCOG Additional Background Information Follows.

Establish Office: Assigned to Turnpike Authority Office Establish Regional Mobility Authorities: July 18, 2002 new rules in effect on Authorities Considering $10 million set aside for Urban Authorities Market initial segments: Received bid for DFW to San Antonio segment Reach out to the public and to stakeholders: Four public events sponsored in August Begin environmental review and right-of-way acquisition: No action Freight Bottleneck Study TxDOT Current Status on Trans Texas Corridor

NCTCOG staff statements on Trans Texas Corridors (Governor’s briefing: Monday, July 8, 2002) 1.Compliment the Governor on corridor approach to transportation versus incremental investment. 2.TxDOT should request MPO assistance to refine plan near urban areas (e.g. not light rail to rural high-speed rail, but integrating high-speed rail into the metropolitan area). 3.TxDOT should request MPO evaluation of impacts for each urban area (e.g. truck safety, increased capacity). 4.TxDOT should work with local policy officials on a similar vision for urban areas. Freight Bottleneck Study

Growth in National Freight Rail Traffic

Freight Bottleneck Study Regional Growth Trend in Truck Traffic

Freight Bottleneck Study 1994 External Survey of Trucks Exiting the Region

Freight Bottleneck Study National Hazardous Wastes Eligible for Transport

Freight Bottleneck Study