MAASTO Annual Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DRAFT i A letter from the president Greetings — I am pleased to present this 2017 annual report highlighting the achievements and innovations by our member states over the past year. The 10 states that comprise MAASTO are accomplishing some truly impressive things that will further elevate the prominent role we play in supporting our nation’s economy and enhancing the quality of life for citizens who call our region home. One thing is clear — as technology rapidly advances and the need deepens for identifying creative solutions for new and old problems alike, it is more important than ever that we work together to share best practices and inspire innovation. In that spirit, 43 individuals from across the region met in Chicago this spring for a summit on intermodal freight with an ultimate goal of strengthening the Midwest economy and improving the mobility of goods and people. A lot of discussion centered on opportunities for collabora - tion, as well as leveraging emerging technology and harmonizing regulations that vary by state and therefore affect freight movement. An overview of the summit begins on page 4. This report also highlights MAASTO’s effort to improve freight network safety and efficiency by providing truckers, dispatchers and their companies with real-time parking information. This is America’s first multistate effort of its kind. I am confident you will be impressed with the progress this partnership has achieved over the past year. We have a lot to be proud of and clearly can achieve great things together. Experiencing that level of partnership has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my role as MAASTO president. I appreciate the opportunity to serve in this capacity and look forward to what the next year brings. Wishing you every success, Randall S. Blankenhorn MAASTO President Illinois Transportation Secretary ii MAASTO members Illinois Michigan Randall S. Blankenhorn , Secretary Kirk Steudle , Director MAASTO President Michigan Department of Transportation Illinois Department of Transportation 425 W. Ottawa St., P.O. Box 30050 2300 S. Dirksen Parkway Lansing, MI 48909 Springfield, IL 62764 517.373.2114 217.782.5597 Minnesota Indiana Charles A. Zelle , Commissioner Joe McGuinness , Commissioner Minnesota Department of Transportation Indiana Department of Transportation 395 John Ireland Blvd. North 100 N. Senate Ave., Room N755-758 St. Paul, MN 55155 Indianapolis, IN 46204 651.366.4800 317.232.5525 Missouri Iowa Patrick K. McKenna , Director Mark Lowe , Director MAASTO Vice President Iowa Department of Transportation Missouri Department of Transportation 800 Lincoln Way 105 W. Capitol Ave., P.O. Box 270 Ames, IA 50010 Jefferson City, MO 65102 515.239.1111 573.751.4622 Kansas Ohio Richard Carlson , Secretary Jerry Wray , Director Kansas Department of Transportation Ohio Department of Transportation 700 SW Harrison St. 1980 W. Broad St. Topeka, KS 66603 Columbus, OH 43223 785.296.3461 614.466.2335 Kentucky Wisconsin Greg Thomas , Secretary Dave Ross , Secretary Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Wisconsin Department of Transportation 200 Mero St. 4802 Sheboygan Ave., P.O. Box 7910 Frankfort, KY 40622 Madison, WI 53707-7910 502.564.5102 608.266.1114 Table of Contents Summit on Intermodal Freight summary . 1 Truck Parking Information Management System update . 3 State Updates Illinois . 5 Indiana . 7 Iowa . 9 Kansas . 11 Kentucky . 13 Michigan . 15 Missouri . 17 Minnesota . 19 Ohio . 21 MAASTO map . 23 MAASTO by-the-numbers . 24 2016 MAASTO Conference summary . 25 1 Summit on Intermodal Freight Highlights Challenges, Opportunities for Midwest DOTs MAASTO President and Illinois Transportation Secretary The port is seeking to expand use of its property to Randy Blankenhorn, right, and Illinois International Port District new tenants to boost revenues and the movement Executive Director Clayton Harris III welcome MAASTO of goods through the Midwest. Its prime location members during a tour of the port. supports highway, rail and waterway transportation. “When you add ports to the conversation, you enhance the ability to move commodities,” Harris said. The summit also included a private sector panel to discuss where state DOTs are seen as ineffective when it comes to the efficient movement of goods, as well as to identify where states can better collaborate to meet private sector needs. Panelists included Mark Bristol, assistant vice president of Network Develop - ment, Union Pacific Railroad; Mike Mitchell, general In April 2017, MAASTO members convened in manager, Denton Cartage (Trucking Firm); Del Wilkins, Chicago for a summit on intermodal freight with an vice president of Northern Operations and Business ultimate goal of strengthening the Midwest economy Development, Canal Barge; and Ognen Stojanovski, and improving the mobility of goods and people. who works in policy and government relations with Forty-three individuals from nine states participated. Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group. The summit focused on two th emes: Major takeaways from the panel included: • Capital priorities: Identify priority freight Challenges corridors/bottlenecks and capital projects with • For waterways, shippers run into challenges Midwest benefits for targeted/shared investment when state agencies have different interpretations and related advocacy. of federal law (for example, how to handle • Eliminating borders and barriers: Determine greywater discharge). collaborative opportunities for MAASTO DOTs • State DOTs do not always recognize railroads as to create a seamless freight environment that being part of the solution to our freight challenges. better meets private sector needs. • Turnover in leadership at states and their DOTs can be challenging when collaborating on The summit began with a tour of the Illinois Interna - multi-year projects. tional Port District, hosted by executive director • While there is a lot of excitement related to Clayton Harris III. The Illinois International Port Dis - autonomous vehicles (AVs), there is also much trict was established by the Illinois General Assembly confusion, and greater education will be benefi - in 1951. Its mission is to help support and grow cial. There are opportunities related to platoon - inter- and intra-state and international commerce. ing, but that should not be conflated with AVs; The tour provided an opportunity to learn more related policies should be handled differently. about the role ports play in intermodal freight activity. • Congestion in areas across the Midwest is Attendees discussed the capital challenges faced by problematic for the efficient movement of goods. the port, which has not been adequately maintained Similarly, it can be a challenge to move freight in despite its rich economic potential for Midwest and out of intermodal facilities efficiently because freight movement. of traffic. Intermodal facilities need adequate 2 access, and the more distribution centers Next steps include: located by interstate interchanges the better. • Planning Directors Committee • States’ inconsistencies in taxing diesel for rail, in • Further refine MAFC research proposal with how they define autonomous vehicle technologies, additional budgetary detail. Future research bill-of-lading forms for waterway-born freight could focus on updating analysis related to and permitting of oversize/overweight trucks can regional freight flows and related economic lead to challenges for the freight community. Any significance. opportunity to make these areas more consistent • Explore the creation of a Midwest regulatory would be beneficial. model for platooning that could ultimately become a national standard. Opportunities • Autonomous technologies: Whether it • Motor Carrier Committee/Subcommittee involves self-driving trucks on highways, the use on Highway Transport of automated info systems (AIS) in broadcasting • Survey harmonization opportunities between locations on waterways or the use of positive states on oversize and overweight permits, train control on rail, this emerging technology including where statutory vs. regulatory changes will provide plenty of opportunities to enhance could be made; create a roadmap for future how people and goods are safely and efficiently harmonization efforts. transported in the future. • Explore the potential of using one online • Partnerships with private sector: Partnering system for these permits for the entire with the private sector to pool funding for capital MAASTO region. challenges and exchange information on best practices has proven successful for many state • Strategic Transportation Issues Committee DOTs. When statutory change is needed to find • Develop a survey for State Freight Advisory efficiencies, private sector support will be Council members to evaluate the most effective incredibly helpful. ways to engage the private sector in state • Funding capital improvements: Public- DOT work and decision-making around freight, private partnerships can be a great way to including the identification of multimodal improve infrastructure, but that financing model bottlenecks and the economic impacts in won’t work for all projects. Private industry in investing in those improvements. some cases may be willing to pay more in user fees if revenues are reinvested in transportation Nearly all summit attendees said MAASTO should and the private sector can assist in prioritizing have similar events in the future. Topic suggestions projects. Showcasing return on investment will included autonomous vehicles and other emerging always