The Impact of Freight Congestion on the Chicago Area Commute
Principal Investigator:Joe DiJohn |
312-996-1458joedi@uic.edu |
|---|
Sponsors:
Metropolitian Transportation Support Initative (METSI)
Participants:
Joe DiJohn
Status:
Completed
Objective:
Identify the impacts of rail and motor carrier freight activity on the Chicago region commute and recommend policy actions to mitigate rail and highway congestion.
Strategy:
Undertake research into the factors that cause congestion in the Chicago metropolitan area, which is the second most congested in the United States when measured in travel time. Identify the business and social costs of congestion, estimated to be roughly $11 billion annually in terms of delay, excess fuel costs, productivity, environmental, unreliability, and cargo delays
Program Plan:
Investigate specific freight impacts:
* Freight train interference to Metra commuter trains
* Congested rail yards
* Blocked rail-highway grade crossings, delaying auto commuters, transit and school buses, and emergency vehicles
* Increased truck traffic due to global trade, increased intermodal containers and just-in-time transportation
* Decentralization of distribution facilities further from Chicago, such as the intermodal rail yards in Rochelle and Joliet.
