1. Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program CREATE May, 2011
Program to improve
Passenger rail – Amtrak and commuter
Efficiency of freight rail
Congestion at highway rail grade crossings
Provides national and regional economic benefits – improving Chicago’s efficiency as the U.S. rail hub
Environmental benefits
Employment – maintaining thousands of jobs in the region

2. Chicago: Transportation Hub For The Nation
AIR HUB
O’Hare
Midway
ROAD HUB
I-94
I-90
I-57
I-55
I-80
I-65
RAIL HUB
BNSF CN
Canadian Pacific
CSX
Norfolk Southern
Union Pacific
Why is that important to us.
Chicago is a focal point for all modes of transportation in the U.S.
We have two major airports.
Six interstate highways that connect it to the rest of the county.
And 6 of the 7 Class I railroads in the country.
Chicago is the hub through which the majority of freight from coast to coast flows.

3. The Importance of Chicago in an Efficient National Rail Network

4. The U.S. Rail Network Depends on Chicago
25 percent of all U.S. rail traffic touches Chicago
46 percent of all intermodal units in the U.S. touch Chicago
54 percent of intermodal units to/from the ports of Seattle/Tacoma touch Chicago
26 percent of intermodal units to/from Los Angeles/Long Beach touch Chicago
Forecasted Rail Trade with Chicago, 2035
In our efforts to gain national support for CREATE we have met and worked with the ports in Seattle, Long Beach and New York as we all struggle to react to the high demand of freight.
Chicago is the rail hub of the nation. The nation’s ports depend on Chicago to move their freight to other U.S. destinations.
Source: FAF 2
Source: Waybill Sample, based on traffic analysis by ALK Assoc. 4

5. Why CREATE?
Freight rail trade (by value) with Chicago will increase 89% by 2035*
Passenger, freight and motorist delays are experienced daily on the current system
The region must improve freight movement and mitigate negative impacts
The region realized we had to do something to improve the movement of freight in the region and to mitigate negative impacts.
“Global trade follows the path of least resistance. It will go where there are the fewest impediments.” -UPS
*Freight Analysis Framework 2.2

6. CREATE Partners
This is the most important slide in terms of understanding the complex public-private partnership that is CREATE. All these partners work together on a daily basis to move CREATE forward and have for the past 6 years.
They came together when they realized that all operational improvements had been implemented and to make further gains infrastructure improvements would be needed. The railroads came together realizing that no one railroad was willing to make the improvements in some locations, as the ROI wasn’t enough for one railroad to justify. But the plan made sense for all of them together. Also note the passenger railroads that are partners in this program.

7. CREATE Program – 70 Projects
25 road/rail grade separations
6 passenger/freight rail grade separations
Railroad projects to improve rail infrastructure and upgrade technologies
Viaduct improvement program
Grade crossing safety enhancements
Rail operations and visibility Improvements
Consists of 71 projects – if the changes to the feasibility plan are approved
Underpasses or overpasses to separate trains from motor vehicles, other roadway users
Bridges carrying passenger trains over freight.
Viaducts - $30 M
Safety - $30 M
Rail improvements that will include signal upgrades, extra track capacity

8. CREATE
Projects
Map
This map has been altered from previous maps of CREATE you may have seen. CREATE has now removed the Central Corridor, which would have created a CN route through Chicago to remove trains from the St. Charles Airline rail route along the lakefront. With the EJ&E acquisition by CN, major portions of this route are no longer needed.
The green ovals are highway/rail grade crossing separations
The Orange circles are freight rail improvements,
The black triangles are freight/passenger rail flyovers

9. CREATE Timeline $19M in Federal Funding Released $400M
Authorized in Illinois Capital Bill
$100M in ARRA TIGER Funds
Awarded
$100M in SAFETEA-
LU Funds Authorized
$1.9M in FY09 Railroad
Relocation
Funds Authorized
$133M in ARRA
HSR Funds
Awarded
$100M in Railroad Funding Pledged
$48M in
Federal
Funding
Released
$23M in
Federal
Funding
Released
CREATE
Announced
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
First CREATE Project Completed (T1)
Project T12 Completed
Project GS5a Completed
Project EW4 Completed
4 Projects Completed: B8 B3
WA5 B6
3 Projects Completed: T8
T10
T11
CREATE Timeline

10. Public Benefits Passenger Rail Delay Reduction
19 projects benefit Amtrak
21 projects benefit Metra Commuter Rail
Auto Delay Reduction at 25 Grade Crossings
Air Quality Benefits
Safety
CREATE has significant benefits to the public in terms of commuter rail, intercity rail, and reduction in traffic congestion at key rail crossings. The program also improves air quality, reducing emissions by reducing the amount of time delayed locomotives and cars spend idling.

11. Here is a map showing the CREATE Projects benefiting high speed rail and which lines they benefit.
The green lines are those that are FRA designated HSR corridors according to the national vision for HSR released this spring.
Any corridor with red on the outside border is benefited by CREATE projects.
Yellow borders appear along routes that are part of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative.
Blue lines indicate current Amtrak routes. Hatched blue lines are planned Amtrak routes.

12. CREATE Benefits – Freight Rail Delay Reduction
Without CREATE
With CREATE
Corridor
Train Count
Avg. Speed
Delay Hours
Beltway
362
12.04
122
383
21.83 23
East-West
347
8.21 27
410
13.70 9
Western
298
5.05 97
219
13.25 5
The railroads ran a rail traffic simulation model of the freight rail projects in CREATE during the planning phase of the project. Note the significant improvements in delay and speed of freight trains expected with implementation of the CREATE projects.
Note: Over a 96 hour period
Source: Berkeley Simulation model

13. National Benefits of CREATE Freight Rail Investments
Annual benefit (2009):
$3.6 billion
28,000 job years
75% of impacts outside Midwest
Source: University of Illinois Regional Economics Applications Lab 13

14. Transportation Cost Savings from Completing CREATE
Industries’ annual cost savings on transportation
National
$1,766.38
Midwest IL IN MI OH WI
$360.70
$99.97
$51.55
$73.93
$93.92
$41.33
Millions (2009)
Source: University of Illinois Regional Economics Applications Lab 14

15. Regional Economic Impacts
If CREATE is not built and Chicago terminal reaches capacity:
172,000 job years not created from
$1 to $7 billion annual loss in production
Source: University of Illinois Regional Economics Applications Lab 15

16. Project Status Completed Projects 11 Under Construction 12
Final Design 5
Environmental Review 15
Remaining Projects 27
TOTAL 70
As of now we have the following projects in the following stages of development and construction.

17. CREATE Funding Received
$100 million - ARRA TIGER Grant
$100 million - SAFETEA-LU PNRS
$116 million - Railroad partners
$110 million - Illinois DOT (PNRS match & Capital Bill grade separations)
$4.2 million - Chicago DOT
$1.9 million - Federal Rail Line Relocation Funds
$286.5 million - Pre-CREATE funding (various sources)
Here is a summary of the funding sources for CREATE thus far.
The pre-CREATE funding is funds that were expended by the partners and other sources on CREATE projects that have not been formally credited to CREATE.
We have secured over half a million dollars for CREATE so far, and most of that has already been invested in projects.
The unfunded need to complete the rest of the program is $2.56 billion

18. CREATE Funding Expected
 Other CREATE Funding Awarded
$133 million – ARRA High Speed Rail
$300 million – Illinois Capital Bill, CREATE Program
Other CREATE Funding Commitments
$25.8 million – Chicago DOT
Additional Railroad partner contribution
As you may have heard, CREATE is very excited to have received $300 million in the state capital bill. This is critical to show the Federal government that our state supports CREATE. This money can be used as a match to leverage future Federal funds.
We do not know yet which projects it will be directed to. But we expect some of this funding will be presented in our ARRA grant applications as non-Federal match.

19. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
TIGER Grant Program
$100 Million for five CREATE projects:
UP Third Mainline track and Proviso Yard approach reconfiguration (B2)
IHB LaGrange/Broadview Signalization (B4/B5)
IHB Blue Island Track Signalization (B15)
Grade Crossing Separation at 71st Street and IHB (GS14)
14 Viaduct improvements throughout Chicago neighborhoods
All funding was obligated by Dec. 15th – less than six months after the grant agreement was signed 19

20. New railroad bridge & flyover connection
CREATE Program ARRA-TIGER Project: UP Third Mainline track and Proviso Yard approach reconfiguration (B2)
New railroad bridge & flyover connection
Increases maximum train speed from 10 mph to 20 mph
Eliminates freight delay during Metra commuter train peak periods
Creates new pedestrian underpasses at two suburban Metra commuter rail stations, improving safety
First of three construction segments awarded and ground broken in Fall 2010 20

21. B2 – Existing Schematic
B2 – Proposed Schematic

23. “CREATE signalization project begins construction”
CREATE Program ARRA-TIGER Project: IHB LaGrange/ Broadview Signalization (B4/B5)
Upgrades 21 hand thrown switches to computerized systems
Increases maximum train speed from 1-20 mph to 30 mph
Reduces delays to traffic at grade crossings in two suburbs
Saved 35 signal design jobs from imminent furlough
“CREATE signalization project begins construction”

25. CREATE Program ARRA-TIGER Project: IHB Blue Island Track Signalization (B15)
Installs signal systems and crossovers; eliminates hand-thrown switches
Increases maximum train speed from 15 mph to 30 mph
Design nearly complete; construction to start this Spring

26. CREATE Program ARRA-TIGER Project: Viaduct Improvement Program
Fourteen locations in the City of Chicago
Improved roadways, sidewalks and drainage under railroad viaducts
Enhanced safety and security for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians
Bid in early 2011
Construction during 2011 26

29. Eliminates a 4-track grade crossing:
CREATE Program ARRA-TIGER Project: 71st and IHB Grade Separation, Bridgeview
Eliminates a 4-track grade crossing:
in a major industrial area
adjacent to a 20,000-seat multipurpose stadium
near the entrance to a major rail yard complex (requires slow train movements and lengthy gate down times)
Separates 80 daily freight trains from 4,400 vehicles
Relieves more than 11,000 annual hours of vehicle delay
Planned bid letting in Spring 2011 29

31. CREATE Program ARRA-HSR Grant Project: Englewood Flyover (P1)
$133 Million for a rail-rail flyover at 63rd/State in Chicago
Eliminates conflict between:
78 daily Metra commuter trains
14 daily Amtrak trains between Chicago and points east
46 daily NS freight trains
Grade separate Metra and NS – Phase I - ECAD complete 10/1/08
Design 25%
PSI in phase II
Review draft project report - to METRA 10/7/08
METRA requested estimate for viaduct closure Phase II Design
State Rail Agreement for Phase II Design
Bid and award final design (METRA bid after DA complete - 11/08+
No parcels needed other than use during construction 31

32. Looking Ahead…

33. 2035 Rail Level of Service Without Investment
We Must Invest in Rail
$148 billion needed for rail infrastructure expansion in next 28 years
Without investment, 30 percent of the primary freight and passenger system demand will exceed capacity by 2035
2035 Rail Level of Service Without Investment
Source: AAR

34. Next Steps for CREATE Program
Complete remaining Rail Corridor Projects
Complete remaining Passenger-Freight Rail Flyover Projects
Complete remaining Grade Separation Projects
Continue cooperation and integration with Midwest High Speed Rail initiatives 34

35. info@createprogram.org www.createprogram.org
Please take a look at our website for the latest information on CREATE.