presented to

Ohio Conference on Freight

presented by

Mike Paprocki, Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission

Barb Sloan, Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

September 20, 2011

BHJ Freight Study

Agenda

Project Overview

Inventory and Profile Summary

Freight-Related Issues and Opportunities

Recommendations / Implementation Plan

Next Steps

1

BHJ Freight Study Overview

Project Scope

- Task 1 – Inventory and Profile

- Task 2 – Identify Assets, Needs & Opportunities

- Task 3 – Identify and Evaluate Recommendations

- Task 4 - Actionable Plan of Recommendations

2

Inventory & Profile – Infrastructure AssetsHighway

•

East-West: US 22, US 30•

North-South: WV SR 2, OH SR 7•

Existing Bridge Crossings: Newell Toll, Jennings Randolph, Veterans Memorial, Market Street, Ft. Steuben (not in use)

Water•

New Cumberland Lock & Dam•

Pike Island Lock & Dam•

52 River Terminals accessible by BHJ river system, all but 3 are privately ownedRailroad

•

4 rail providers - Norfolk Southern (NS), Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (W&LE), Columbus & Ohio River Railroad (C&OR), and Ohio-Rail Corporation

•

Intermodal - 15 river ports have direct rail accessAir

•

Pittsburgh International is the local air cargo connection

3

Study Area Infrastructure

4

Freight Generators

Harris InfoSource Database

Contains 1,850 companies with 7+ employees•

620 records representing possible major freight producers

Number of Jobs

5

Task 1 –Inventory &

Profile

Task 1 –Inventory &

Profile

6

Stakeholder Involvement

Included Online Survey, Stakeholder Interviews, and the Freight Study Steering Committee

Findings were Categorized into the Following Areas:•

Freight-Generating Industries•

Commodities Shipped•

Freight Movement Issues by Mode (highway, rail, air, water)•

Land Use Issues and Regulations•

Business Attraction•

Workforce Issues•

Funding

Results Incorporated into Issues, Opportunities and Recommendations of Technical Memorandum #2

Freight Movement in the BHJ Region

7

Existing and Future Freight Mode by Weight

8

Freight Flows by Weight (2007) Freight Flows by Weight (2040)

Existing and Future Study Area Commodities by Weight

9

29%

11%

7%5%5%

4%4%3%

3%

3%

26%

Coal

Gravel

Cereal grains

Waste/scrap

Coal‐n.e.c.

Base metals

Nonmetal min. prods.

Logs

Gasoline

Other foodstuffs

All Other

Study Area Commodities by Tons (2007)

Study Area Commodities by Tons (2040)

18%

16%

9%

6%4%4%4%3%

3%

3%

30%

Coal

Gravel

Cereal grains

Waste/scrap

Nonmetal min. prods.

Chemical prods.

Other foodstuffs

Logs

Nonmetallic minerals

Coal‐n.e.c.

All Other

Freight Related Issues and Opportunities

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Issues and Opportunities

Infrastructure•

Highway•

Rail•

Water•

Air

Land Use

Policy

11

Highway Issues and Opportunities

Roadway Condition

Roadway Capacity

East-West Connectivity

Truck Parking

12

Roadway Level of Service (2008 vs. 2030)

13

Source: BHJ MPC Source: BHJ MPC

Rail Issues and Opportunities

Funding for Rail Infrastructure Improvements

Railroad Abandonments

Changing Commodity Mix

Opportunities for Additional Rail Service

14

Waterborne Freight Issues and Opportunities

Waterborne Freight Capacity

Waterborne Freight Commodities

Infrastructure Improvements

15

Air Freight Issues and OpportunitiesProximity of Cargo Airports to Study Area

16BHJ Region Aviation Infrastructure

Land Use Issues and Opportunities

Available Land and Sites for Development

Site Selection Factors

17

Available Land and Sites for Development

18Source: BHJ MPC, Progress Alliance, BDC of Northern Panhandle

Policy Issues and Opportunities

Regional / Bi-State Coordination

Funding

Economic Development

Demographic Issues

3-2-1 Jobs Initiative

19

The BHJ Region’s Demographic Trends

County 2008 2014 2020 2030Brooke 24,602 24,431 24,268 24,061Hancock 31,971 30,965 29,961 28,223Jefferson 67,523 64,381 61,236 55,992BHJ Total 124,096 119,777 115,465 108,276

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Projected Population

Projected WorkersCounty 2008 2014 2020 2030

Brooke 10,445 10,327 10,194 10,016Hancock 14,125 13,643 13,152 12,318Jefferson 26,749 25,471 24,189 22,046BHJ Total 51,319 49,441 47,535 44,380

To Summarize….

•

Through its longstanding major industrial base, the BHJ region has significant assets:

−

A well-developed multimodal transportation system

−

Availability of industrial sites−

Skilled workforce

−

Access to the most populous region of the U.S.

21

Recommendations / Implementation Plan

Infrastructure•

Highway•

Rail•

Water•

Air

Land Use

Policy

22

Recommendations / Implementation Plan

Each of the 16 Recommendations Included:•

Action Items•

Cost Range (Low, Medium, High)•

Priority (Low, Medium, High)•

Timeframe−

Short-term: 0-2 years−

Mid-term: 3-5 years−

Long-term: > 5 years

•

Lead Agency(ies)

23

High Priority Recommendations#6 – Identify investment options that encourage expanded use of rail mode.•

Action Items:−

Pursue opportunities to expand intermodal linkages between rail and other modes.

−

Identify infrastructure investments for increasing competitiveness of rail mode.

−

Host a forum to promote freight rail connectivity among regional railroad operators; explore opportunities for improved coordination of terminal railroad operations.

−

Explore opportunities to recapture business on the Ohi-Rail’s Piney Fork Line between Minerva and Amsterdam, OH, and re- use of the Weirton Rail Yard.

−

Explore funding sources for rail infrastructure enhancements.

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TimeframeShort-term

PriorityHigh

Lead AgenciesRailroads, ORDC, WVSRA

High Priority Recommendations#7 – Explore opportunities to enhance intermodal connectivity between rail/water and highway/water modes.•

Action Items:−

Pursue opportunities to expand intermodal linkages between water and other modes.

−

Explore the establishment of a Bi-State port Authority to oversee the Ohio River ports in the 3-county region, and work with private sector partners to expand intermodal opportunities.

−

Work with the West Virginia Public Port Authority and the Ohio Port Authority Council in encouraging the development of intermodal opportunities along the region’s river frontage.

25

TimeframeShort-term

PriorityHigh

Lead AgenciesBHJ, ODOT, WVDOT, Port

Authorities

High Priority Recommendations#10 – Develop regional marketing strategy to promote the region’s freight-related assets to potential freight- dependent industries.•

Action Items:−

Market the region’s rail infrastructure and excess rail capacity to rail dependent industries.

−

Market the region’s accessibility to the Ohio River by identifying available sites along the river and the excess capacity of river transportation through the study area.

−

Market the region’s proximity to major markets in the Midwest and East.

−

Market the region’s own Jefferson County Airpark, as well as the area’s proximity to Pittsburgh International Airport (approximately 30 miles).

26

High Priority Recommendations•

Recommendation #10 Action Items (cont’d):−

Take advantage of the region’s assets that correspond to the most highly rated site selection factors for industrial development (labor costs, highway accessibility, tax exemptions, energy availability and cost, and corporate tax rate, all of which bode well for the study region).

−

Through partner agencies, implement projects and operations strategies that address the freight infrastructure and operations needs and deficiencies for growing and strong industries in the BHJ region to facilitate industrial retention and expansion.

27

TimeframeShort- to Mid-term

PriorityHigh

Lead AgenciesBHJ, Economic

Development Groups

High Priority Recommendations

#12 – Identify innovative strategies to better match new and available funds with freight system needs.•

Action Items:−

On a case-by-case basis, match freight project needs with current funding options and others that may become available through upcoming new Federal Transportation Bill.

28

TimeframeShort-term

PriorityHigh

Lead AgenciesRegional, State and

Federal Partners

High Priority Recommendations#13 – Establish a governance structure, such as a Bi- State Port Authority, to identify issues, guide investments and advocate on behalf of the region through public outreach and education, promoting the BHJ region’s economy and protecting the public interest.•

Action Items:−

Explore legislative requirements for creating a regional bi-state freight governance structure for the 3-county BHJ region.

−

Define responsibilities of the governance structure.−

Identify board member representation.−

Form a committee to work with legislators to garner support for creating the Bi-State Port Authority, providing assistance with drafting proposed legislation.

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TimeframeMid-term

PriorityHigh

Lead AgenciesBHJ Economic Development

Groups, Port Authorities

Next StepsImplementation / Make Freight Mobility in the BHJ Region an Action Plan

Keep the Momentum Going!!•

Continue the BHJ Freight Study Steering Committee as a self-sustaining group, with regularly scheduled meetings. Expand this group to include the identified lead agencies for the 16 study recommendations.

•

Monitor progress on implementing the 16 study recommendations.

•

Re-assess the region’s freight-related goals on a regular basis and monitor the region’s success in attaining those goals.

•

Use the past as an opportunity to shape the future.

30