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Study Shows that Freight Rail Can Reduce Gridlock on America's Highways



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new york traffic

Jul 2, 2008, News Report

The seventh annual Congestion Relief Index, a study of traffic congestion in 82 major urban areas, shows that freight rail can help reduce time spent in gridlock traffic, thus saving drivers hundreds of dollars in gasoline and hours behind the wheel. If 25 percent of freight volume is shifted from trucks to rail, by 2026, commuters across the United States could each save an average of $985 in fuel costs. Even more, the shift of freight volume would save commuters 41 hours a year - an entire work week - in time spent in their cars.

"With gas prices at an all-time high, Americans can't afford to waste money and time sitting in traffic. Because one intermodal train can take nearly 300 trucks off our highways, shifting freight from trucks to trains reduces competition between commuters, drivers and freight traffic for space on the road," said Wendell Cox, author of the study and principal of Demographia, a market research and urban policy consultancy. "Freeing up space on our highways increases the flow of traffic and saves commuters' time, money and gasoline."

The study shows that a 25 percent shift of freight from trucks to rail in urban areas in the U.S. by 2026 would, on average:

  • Save each commuter 41 hours a year
  • Save $985 in congestion costs per commuter each year
  • Save each commuter 79 gallons of fuel each year
  • Reduce air pollution by nearly 920,500 tons each year

In addition to easing highway congestion, shifting freight from trucks to rail also helps the environment. Freight trains are at least four times more fuel efficient than trucks, and can move one ton of freight 436 miles on a single gallon of fuel. Since modern freight locomotives emit less nitrogen oxide and particulate matter than trucks, shifting 25 percent of freight volume from trucks to trains would decrease air pollutant emissions by 920,500 tons.

"In order to realize the full potential of freight rail in reducing highway congestion and saving commuters' time and money, we need to ensure that there is sufficient rail capacity," said Cox. "While the railroads already invest billions of dollars each year maintaining and expanding the rail network, increased public-private partnerships, as well as tax incentives, will help America meet growing demand for freight transportation and yield benefits for the entire country."

Projections by urban area if 25 percent of freight was shifted from trucks to rail by the year 2026:

Urban Area

 

Annual Delay Hour Savings per Commuter

 

Annual Gallons of Fuel Saved per Commuter

 

Annual Congestion Cost per Commuter

 

Annual Tons of Pollution

 

 

Hours

 

Gallons

 

USD

 

Tons

 

 

41

 

79

 

985

 

920,500

Albuquerque, NM

 

41

 

83

 

$998

 

3,100

Albany, NY

 

42

 

80

 

$993

 

4,300

Atlanta, GA

 

61

 

133

 

$1,525

 

29,400

Allentown-Bethlethem, PA-NJ

 

35

 

66

 

$829

 

3,800

Austin, TX

 

44

 

96

 

$1,102

 

4,700

Baltimore, MD

 

40

 

77

 

$959

 

9,300

Bismarck, ND

 

20

 

34

 

$459

 

200

Bend, OR

 

22

 

39

 

$506

 

400

Boise, ID

 

52

 

99

 

$1,243

 

1,700

Boston, MA-NH

 

39

 

66

 

$898

 

15,600

Buffalo, NY

 

30

 

58

 

$723

 

6,300

Charlotte, NC

 

58

 

123

 

$1,423

 

8,500

Chicago, IL-IN-WI

 

42

 

69

 

$949

 

96,800

Charleston, SC

 

41

 

78

 

$969

 

4,100

Cincinnati, OH

 

42

 

79

 

$994

 

17,300

Cleveland, OH

 

72

 

126

 

$1,676

 

19,500

Columbus, OH

 

48

 

91

 

$1,138

 

17,100

Columbia, SC

 

38

 

73

 

$907

 

4,300

Denver, CO

 

40

 

67

 

$915

 

6,000

Des Moines, IA

 

38

 

75

 

$906

 

1,900

Detroit, MI

 

45

 

84

 

$1,065

 

42,600

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

 

40

 

84

 

$976

 

24,900

Duluth-Superior, MN-WI

 

23

 

44

 

$547

 

400

Eugene, OR

 

28

 

51

 

$649

 

1,100

Fargo, ND

 

47

 

91

 

$1,122

 

400

Fayetteville, AR

 

24

 

48

 

$583

 

800

Fort Smith, AR

 

21

 

41

 

$502

 

500

Gulfport-Biloxi, MS

 

42

 

91

 

$1,046

 

1,900

Harrisburg, PA

 

40

 

76

 

$958

 

3,600

Hartford, CT

 

43

 

84

 

$1,039

 

6,500

Houston, TX

 

43

 

87

 

$1,045

 

21,400

Hattiesburg, MS

 

38

 

72

 

$896

 

900

Indianapolis, IN

 

50

 

107

 

$1,236

 

17,600

Jonesboro, AR

 

22

 

42

 

$520

 

200

Jackson, MS

 

44

 

95

 

$1,090

 

4,700

Jacksonville, FL

 

47

 

102

 

$1,164

 

9,200

Kansas City, MO-KS

 

39

 

73

 

$922

 

8,000

Los Angeles-OrangeCounty, CA

 

39

 

72

 

$920

 

45,600

Little Rock, AR

 

25

 

49

 

$603

 

2,600

Las Vegas, NV

 

86

 

186

 

$2,132

 

7,800

Louisville, KY-IN

 

43

 

83

 

$1,031

 

9,200

Medford, OR

 

27

 

52

 

$647

 

800

Memphis, TN-AR

 

35

 

68

 

$828

 

6,100

Miami-West Palm Beach, FL

 

36

 

69

 

$858

 

36,600

Milwaukee, WI

 

51

 

87

 

$1,177

 

10,900

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

 

41

 

80

 

$990

 

9,000

New Orleans, LA

 

51

 

86

 

$1,170

 

5,900

Nashville, TN

 

38

 

83

 

$946

 

6,000

New York. NY-NJ

 

41

 

68

 

$928

 

87,700

Oklahoma City, OK

 

36

 

74

 

$884

 

5,000

Omaha, NE-IA

 

31

 

60

 

$740

 

2,500

Orlando, FL

 

45

 

97

 

$1,113

 

11,600

Pittsburgh, PA

 

35

 

67

 

$840

 

12,100

Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE

 

37

 

62

 

$853

 

32,100

Phoenix, AZ

 

72

 

136

 

$1,710

 

57,600

Portland, OR

 

51

 

93

 

$1,201

 

8,800

Providence, RI-MA

 

32

 

60

 

$754

 

3,400

Rochester, NY

 

39

 

82

 

$963

 

4,500

Riverside-San Bernardino, CA

 

89

 

170

 

$2,112

 

6,700

Richmond, VA

 

32

 

68

 

$791

 

7,600

San Antonio, TX

 

49

 

95

 

$1,169

 

6,400

Sacramento, CA

 

52

 

94

 

$1,219

 

5,700

Salem, OR

 

34

 

66

 

$817

 

1,000

San Diego, CA

 

46

 

88

 

$1,094

 

11,900

Seattle, WA

 

40

 

77

 

$952

 

10,600

San Francisco-Oakland, CA

 

40

 

73

 

$934

 

15,400

Springfield, IL

 

13

 

27

 

$322

 

900

San Jose, CA

 

47

 

79

 

$1,075

 

6,300

Salt Lake City, UT

 

35

 

59

 

$801

 

3,600

St. Louis, MO-IL

 

51

 

88

 

$1,172

 

12,700

Trenton, NJ

 

74

 

144

 

$1,777

 

2,000

Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL

 

33

 

63

 

$781

 

17,400

Tucson, AZ

 

43

 

83

 

$1,028

 

4,700

Tulsa, OK

 

20

 

39

 

$480

 

3,900

Texarkana , TX-AR

 

49

 

86

 

$1,130

 

400

Virginia Beach, VA

 

36

 

69

 

$858

 

10,000

Wichita, KS

 

22

 

41

 

$515

 

1,600

Washington, DC-MD-VA

 

38

 

71

 

$891

 

22,000

Youngstown, OH

 

48

 

91

 

$1,140

 

4,900

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