Oregon State Rail Plan
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Oregon State Rail Plan Oregon Transportation Commission Final Draft September 18, 2014 Oregon Department of Transportation Copies of the 2014 Oregon State Rail Plan are available on the Project Website at: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP/Pages/railplan.aspx. Plan development was supported by five Technical Memorandums that served as background for the document. The Technical Memorandums, which reflect the latest information at the time of their development, can also be accessed at the Project Website (shown above) and include: Freight and Passenger System Inventory Needs Assessment: Oregon’s Economy Needs Assessment: Passenger Rail Needs Assessment: Freight Rail Investment Program Technical Report To obtain additional copies of this document contact: Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Transportation Development Division, Planning Section 555 13th Street NE, Suite 2 Salem, OR 97301-4178 (503) 986-4121 Oregon State Rail Plan OTC FINAL DRAFT: September 18, 2014 Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................... ES-1 1.0 The Role of Rail in Statewide Transportation .............................. 1-1 1.1 Oregon’s Multimodal Transportation Goals ..................................... 1-1 1.2 The Role of Rail in Oregon’s Multimodal Transportation System ...... 1-3 1.3 Institutional Structure of Rail Programs in Oregon .......................... 1-4 1.4 Oregon’s Funding and Financing Authority ..................................... 1-8 2.0 The Existing Rail System in Oregon.............................................. 2-1 2.1 Description and Inventory............................................................. 2-1 2.2 Passenger Rail Service Objectives and Evaluation ......................... 2-25 2.3 Current Rail Funding .................................................................. 2-34 3.0 Rail System Issues and Opportunities.......................................... 3-1 3.1 Trends and Forecasts ................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Rail Service Needs and Opportunities .......................................... 3-19 4.0 The State’s Rail Service and Investment Program ....................... 4-1 4.1 State Rail Plan Vision Statement and Goals .................................... 4-1 4.2 Decision-making Framework ......................................................... 4-4 4.3 Benefits of Rail Project Types ...................................................... 4-12 4.4 Rail Policies and Strategies ......................................................... 4-15 4.5 Passenger and Freight Rail Investment ........................................ 4-28 5.0 Coordination, Review and Next Steps .......................................... 5-1 5.1 Project Public Involvement Plan .................................................... 5-1 5.2 Public Agency Coordination ........................................................... 5-4 5.3 Rail Plan Steering Committee ........................................................ 5-5 5.4 Public Review and Comments ....................................................... 5-6 5.5 Steps Following Plan Adoption ...................................................... 5-7 Appendices A - Passenger Rail Definitions ............................................................... A-1 B - Example Projects by Type ............................................................... B-1 C - Findings of Compliance with Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goals ........ C-1 i Oregon State Rail Plan OTC FINAL DRAFT: September 18, 2014 This page intentionally left blank. ii Oregon State Rail Plan OTC FINAL DRAFT: September 18, 2014 List of Tables Table ES1 Rail Investment Decision-making Framework ............................ ES-15 Table 1.1 Snapshot of Oregon’s Multimodal Transportation System .............. 1-3 Table 1.2 ConnectOregon Rail Funding History ........................................... 1-9 Table 2.1 Freight Railroads Serving Oregon ................................................ 2-3 Table 2.2 Class I Railroad Operating Characteristics in Oregon .................... 2-7 Table 2.3 Non-Class I Railroads in Oregon, Ranked by Revenue, 2011 ......... 2-9 Table 2.4 Major Rail Yards and Terminals in Oregon ................................. 2-12 Table 2.5 Oregon Amtrak Stations and Services ........................................ 2-23 Table 2.6 WES Ridership, System Characteristics, and Performance, FY2009- 2012 .......................................................................... 2-25 Table 2.7 Amtrak Cascades On-Time Performance by Quarter (October 2011 to December 2012) .......................................................... 2-28 Table 2.8 Recent Oregon Rail Program Funding, FY 13-15 ......................... 2-35 Table 3.1 Statewide Commodity Flows by Mode ....................................... 3-11 Table 3.2 Summary of Non-Class I Railroad Conditions ............................. 3-24 Table 3.3 Rail Lines at Risk for Abandonment 2013-2020 .......................... 3-29 Table 4.1 Rail Investment Decision-making Framework ............................... 4-7 Table 4.2 Quantitative Evaluation Factors ................................................... 4-8 List of Figures Figure ES1 Rail System in Oregon .............................................................. ES-5 Figure ES2 Intercity Rail Service in Oregon ................................................. ES-8 Figure 1.1 Oregon’s Integrated Transportation Planning Process ................... 1-2 Figure 2.1 Rail System in Oregon ................................................................ 2-6 Figure 2.2 Freight Railroad Vertical Clearance Restrictions .......................... 2-17 Figure 2.3 Intercity Rail Service in Oregon ................................................. 2-21 iii Oregon State Rail Plan OTC FINAL DRAFT: September 18, 2014 Figure 2.4 Amtrak Cascades Ridership, 1994-2012 ..................................... 2-27 Figure 2.5 Amtrak Cascades On-Time Performance in Oregon (July 2012- April 2013) .............................................................................. 2-29 Figure 2.6 Empire Builder and Coast Starlight Ridership, 1981-2011 ............ 2-31 Figure 3.1 GDP Growth Index (1997=1.00), Oregon Compared to the United States, 1997-2011 ........................................................... 3-2 Figure 3.2 Oregon Population Growth, 1970-2040 ........................................ 3-3 Figure 3.3 Net Population Growth by County, 2010-2035 .............................. 3-4 Figure 3.4 Oregon Merchandise Exports and Imports, 2003-2012 In billions of dollars ........................................................................ 3-5 Figure 3.5 Oregon Merchandise Exports and Imports by Weight, 2003- 2012, In billions of kilograms ...................................................... 3-5 Figure 3.6 Oregon Rail Flows by Direction, 2010 and 2035 ......................... 3-13 Figure 3.7 Oregon Rail Flows by Commodity, 2010 and 2035 ...................... 3-14 Figure 3.8 Train Volumes in Oregon, 2035 ................................................. 3-16 Figure 3.9 Future Amtrak Cascades Passenger Rail Ridership: Eugene- Portland, 2030 ......................................................................... 3-18 Figure 3.10 Potential Passenger Rail Network Opportunities with County Population Characteristics ......................................................... 3-43 Figure 5.1 State Rail Plan Decision-making Structure ................................... 5-4 iv Oregon State Rail Plan OTC FINAL DRAFT: September 18, 2014 Executive Summary RAIL’S IMPORTANCE TO OREGON The rail system in Oregon is predominantly owned by private railroads, yet freight and passenger rail services are critical components of the state’s multimodal transportation network. Oregon recognizes the unique opportunities public- and private-sector collaboration presents and has a vested interest in proactively planning for the rail system’s future so that Oregon’s residents and businesses can capitalize on the many benefits freight and passenger rail services provide: The rail system is a significant conduit for economic and job activity. The 2011 Oregon Freight Plan estimates that 31 percent of Oregon’s economy is based on goods movement dependent industries, including those served by rail such as timber, wood products, and paper; agriculture and food; manufacturing; construction; and wholesale and retail trade. Efficient and accessible intercity passenger rail connects job markets, recreation and tourism centers throughout the state to support local economies. The rail system improves connections for people and goods. Passenger and freight rail systems in Oregon connect people and goods within the state, across the U.S. and to Canada. The freight rail system connects to ports in Oregon which import and export goods between international markets. The rail system provides mode choice and relieves congestion. Both freight and passenger rail systems provide modal options for users. By offering travel options, transportation costs of residents and businesses are lowered. Likewise, removing vehicles from the road brings positive impacts including congestion mitigation, reduced safety concerns, and decreased wear and tear on other parts of the system. Use of rail contributes positively to the environment. In general, rail is a more efficient mode in terms of fuel consumption, as compared to passenger vehicles and trucks, for moving both people