SECTION 1: Ongoing Planning Activities & Requirements

SECTION 1:

Ongoing Planning Activities & Requirements

1 Fiscal Year 2013 UPWP: Freight Planning Work Activity

This section contains the text of the CMMPO’s Unified Planning Work Program Freight Planning work activity. This task is part of the annually developed, federally required transportation planning program for the Central Massachusetts region. The UPWP lists transportation planning work to be completed along with its various resultant products. Funding levels allocated to complete the work task are also included. The UPWP is compiled by the regional planning staff, endorsed by the CMMPO membership, and is finally approved by FHWA and FTA.

The text from the 2013 program year task description follows. The overall freight planning summary document provided herein also includes work completed during 2012.

2 Task Title: Freight Planning

Reference: #3.7

Description

The primary mission of Freight Planning in the Commonwealth is to improve intermodal transportation system connectivity and performance. Improvements in system performance increase the opportunities to move freight and interregional passengers at less cost and with fewer impediments. These efforts influence the decisions that are made regarding public policies and transportation investments. Freight Planning provides effective inputs to the overall transportation planning process through continued development, evaluation and recommendation of strategies to improve system performance. This is done in the interest of the public at large by balancing intermodal cost and operating efficiencies with the potential impacts of proposed decisions.

Initially developed as an Intermodal Management System (IMS) by MassDOT predecessor agencies and the RPAs, Freight Planning has evolved as both a regional and statewide effort. The major intermodal freight facilities connected to the National Highway System (NHS) are a primary focus of the Freight Planning work task. This effort also includes other minor intermodal activities as well as the interregional component of passenger intermodal activity. The three main goals of Freight Planning in the Commonwealth are as follows:

1. Improve the performance of freight and interregional passenger intermodal corridors and terminals.

2. Coordinate and cooperate with affected constituencies, both decision makers and stakeholders, from the public and private sectors.

3. Assist in identifying and considering the economic, social, environmental, energy, safety and external impacts of potential decisions as appropriate.

Carried out by MassDOT and the RPAs, Freight Planning is an ongoing process of system evaluation, supported with data collection activities in the field, which is utilized to provide technical support in the development of the RTP and both the regional and statewide TIP documents. The CMMPO, the MPO Advisory Committee, and the CMRPC will continue to influence the ongoing refinement and operation of this planning effort. MassDOT, the RPAs and other agencies will continue using travel demand modeling, vehicle classification counts and other methods to identify the existing and future needs of the intermodal transportation system as well as to suggest/evaluate potential strategies and projects to meet these identified needs. In most instances, it is recognized that MassDOT will need to take a lead role in the formation of statewide policies and projects.

Intermodal freight and passenger data has been available from the RPAs, various state agencies, FHWA’s Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) and the Massachusetts Rail and Freight Plans. Any new data collection efforts are envisioned to be concise and fairly limited. This may

3 include purchasing available data from vendors or acquiring information through the proactive Public Outreach Program, including the Regional Rail Advisory Group. The deployment of ATRs at key locations along the region’s NHS Connector roadways is an example of ongoing monitoring efforts. It is also realized that many freight intermodal requirements can only be met with data provided from the private sector.

In response to identified needs in the intermodal transportation system, Freight Planning participants will continue to recommend statewide, regional and location‐specific strategies to improve the NHS Connectors which provide access to major intermodal facilities. These strategies, ranging from operational improvements to major capital investment, will address both existing and projected future year conditions. Under MAP‐21, the Freight Planning Program will continue to evolve with the new requirement for Performance Measures. Potential improvement projects, which may address such issues as roadway condition and capacity, physical restrictions or safety, would need to be programmed in the CMMPO TIP project listing. Further, the Commonwealth now has the ability to engage in Public/Private Partnerships to fund improvements to the freight system.

The CMMPO, following the intent of the Freight Planning provisions of MAP‐21, is required to provide the opportunity for input from the member communities as well as all interested stakeholders. The CMRPC staff has forged relationships with various modal providers in the railroad, trucking and intermodal industries. It is increasingly important for the CMMPO, decision makers and stakeholders to understand the issues and needs concerning freight mobility when formulating regional transportation policy.

Previous Work

• Staff research concerning MBTA Commuter Rail service to Worcester, the call for increased service frequency along the Worcester Line, as well as other passenger rail initiatives in the state and the greater Northeast region

• Compilation of informational guide entitled Passenger Rail in the Central Massachusetts Region: News, Events & Studies, 2006‐2007

• Continuing NHS Connector monitoring efforts include the collection of daily traffic volumes and vehicle classification counts

• Corridor Profile series Freight Planning component, 2005‐Present

• Since 2008, staff has periodically convened a Regional Rail Advisory Group consisting of participants from a wide variety of backgrounds and expertise

• Several PowerPoint presentations compiled and refined by staff have worked to inform and educate decision makers & stakeholders about freight and passenger rail operations, known challenges and identified needs in the greater region

• Staff hosted outreach meetings for development of Massachusetts Rail and Freight Plan documents, 2008‐2010

• Staff attendance at pertinent meetings, including the New England Rail Club’s annual Railroad Expo. In 2012, staff was invited to present at one of the Expo’s technical sessions. The topic was “Shortline Railroads Operating in the Central Massachusetts Region,” 2009‐2013

• 2010 Freight Planning Progress Report document. In addition to summarizing all freight planning related tasks completed by staff, this document also includes an in‐depth review of the region’s established NHS Connector roadways as specifically requested by FHWA

• 2012‐2013 Freight Planning Progress Report document (under ongoing compilation)

• Staff ongoing review of rail freight periodical Rail Pace magazine and the Atlantic Northeast Rails & Ports e‐newsletter (The general news media provides little about freight rail other than the reporting of problem incidents, while the coverage of passenger rail service is often biased and uninformed.)

• Compilation and distribution of a variety of data resources concerning freight and passenger rail, intermodal operations, and trucking as well as the need to conserve energy and reduce emissions

Procedures

As the CMMPO needs to carry out, as appropriate, the Freight Planning provisions of MAP‐21, this work activity includes:

1. Regional Freight Advisory Group activities

Continue periodic efforts to convene the Regional Freight Advisory Group under the auspices of the CMMPO. One meeting of the group is anticipated over the next program year. It is intended that the Freight Advisory Group serve to assist and inform the CMMPO, as appropriate, in the transportation policy‐making process. Considering the region’s central location as a distribution center to the entire New England and eastern New York marketplace, it is critical that the CMMPO be kept aware of existing freight operations and known issues (rail, truck and intermodal) within the region, neighboring MPOs, statewide and the Northeast. Further, in part due to steadily rising fuel costs and redevelopment opportunities, local demand for expanded commuter and intercity passenger rail remains strong. Beyond freight and passenger rail, other topics that require further discussion are area trucking activities, “last mile” distribution and intermodal challenges and inefficiencies impacting the region.

Periodic roundtables allow for the CMMPO to obtain improved information concerning existing operations, identified deficiencies and planned improvements ‐ particularly those that have the potential to reap regional and/or statewide benefits.

5 In addition to the CMMPO, the region’s communities need to be made aware of the nature of freight and passenger flows – in a knowledgeable fashion from both the public and private viewpoints – including the inefficiencies that limit their mobility and growth.

Potential topics of discussion include:

o Rail Passenger Service: Enable the CMMPO to be made aware of the extent of competing MBTA Commuter Rail initiatives, priorities and challenges both in the region and on a statewide basis.

o Rail Freight Service & Intermodal: Enable the CMMPO to be apprised of rail freight activities and challenges throughout the greater region to aid in formulating transportation policy and the programming of projects.

o Trucking Operations: Trucking operations are projected to significantly increase on the nation’s ‐ and region’s ‐ highways over the coming decades. The CMMPO needs to be aware of trucking’s critical role and the needs of the industry at large, the mode that moves by far the largest share of the Commonwealth’s freight. The often unique needs of trucking and associated freight movement need to be indentified and fully considered in the planning process and the programming of improvement projects. A roundtable discussion will be convened that focuses on area trucking activities and identified inefficiencies. Prior, staff will research potential participants and establish a meaningful agenda to attract interest.

2. Continue ongoing monitoring efforts by conducting traffic volume and vehicle classification counts on the region’s established NHS Connectors (See Regional Traffic Counting Program Task).

3. Host meetings of significance concerning freight and/or passenger issues, allowing the opportunity for shared consensus and strategy building. (The CMRPC office is located in Worcester’s historic Union Station, an ideal setting for rail‐related discussions. In April 2013 the agency hosted the Providence & Worcester Railroad’s Annual Shareholder meeting for the fourth consecutive year.) 4. Attend meetings of significance in the region and elsewhere, particularly the New England Rail Club’s annual Railroad Expo, the Boston MPO’s Regional Transportation Advisory Council’s (RTAC) Freight Committee, the Rhode Island Rail Plan Advisory Committee and the 495 MetroWest Partnership.

5. Review various periodicals, documents and research pertaining to freight and/or passenger issues, including Rail Pace magazine and the Atlantic Northeast Rails & Ports e‐newsletter.

6 o Document Review: Potential examples include assessing the findings and recommendations of pertinent studies as well as evaluating the secondary impacts (roadway, parking, pedestrian & bicycle issues) associated with the expansion of passenger service or intermodal freight operations. Further, as applicable, work with host communities to ensure that project information is available to interested parties.

o Research Review: This will allow for the CMMPO to be informed on current public policy related to freight mobility on the federal, state and local levels and, additionally, private sector freight initiatives and responses to local and larger market conditions. This work effort would also utilize the agency’s GIS capabilities to produce various maps and/or conduct various cursory analyses. Examples include maps of the greater region’s rail network, intermodal yards, designated truck routes, weight restricted structures, etc.

6. Address unanticipated Freight Planning‐related requests from MassDOT and/or FHWA.

Products & Schedule

1. Annual Freight Planning Progress Report document. Staff’s freight planning efforts will be summarized in a report document complete with tables, graphics, and maps, documenting ongoing efforts over the past year, helping to inform the TIP & RTP project development process as appropriate – September, 2014

2. Conduct traffic volume and vehicle classification counts on the region’s NHS Connectors – Ongoing

3. Continue efforts to periodically convene the established Regional Freight Advisory Group under the auspices of the CMMPO. This group will continue to assist and inform the CMMPO, as appropriate, in the transportation policy‐making process. It is anticipated that the Advisory Group will convene at least once annually. Anticipated topics of discussion include, but are not limited to:

• Area trucking activities • Rail passenger service • Rail freight service & intermodal • “Last Mile” distribution

Staff will continue to document the proceedings of the Regional Freight Advisory Group in order to provide a record for consideration and reference by the CMMPO – September 2014.

7 4. As previously mentioned, the mission of Freight Planning in the Commonwealth is to increase the opportunities to move freight and interregional passengers at reduced cost and with fewer impediments. Based upon input from the Regional Freight Advisory Group, staff will continue to stress the critical importance of freight movement through the development, evaluation and recommendation of strategies to address identified issues and challenges, including continued public education and outreach – Ongoing

5. Host meetings concerning freight and/or passenger issues for MassDOT and other CMMPO partners as well as private freight transportation providers serving the greater region’s railroad and trucking needs – Ongoing

6. Attend various Freight Planning meetings in the region and elsewhere, particularly the annual Railroad Expo and the 495 MetroWest Partnership – Ongoing

7. Staff will continue the compilation of GIS produced freight and/or passenger related maps. Both aerial and Pictometry views of the region’s major intermodal transloading facilities will be updated as necessary – Ongoing

8. Topic‐specific PowerPoint slide presentations, used to both educate and inform decision makers and stakeholders, will continue to be compiled and customized – Ongoing

9. Staff will continue the ongoing review and chronology of rail freight periodical Rail Pace magazine and the Atlantic Northeast Rails & Ports e‐newsletter – Ongoing

10. Staff review of various documents and research pertaining to freight and/or passenger issues – Ongoing

11. Address unanticipated Freight Planning‐related requests from MassDOT and/or FHWA – As necessary

8 FHWA “Freight Program Assessment” of the CMMPO October 2013

Conducted periodically by FHWA staff, a Freight Program Assessment consists of an interview with a member of the regional transportation planning staff which is later summarized and made available on‐line. It is used to measure and outline the level of effort devoted by the local MPO to freight planning work activity.

Based on a staff interview conducted in October 2013 via telephone with FHWA officials, the text of the CMMPO assessment is included on the following pages. The results are provided here for overview and reference purposes.

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2013 MPO Freight Program Assessment

MPO List Instructions Logout

Click here for a printer-friendly version. (Page breaks have been added for printing; best printed in portrait view.) Central Massachusetts MPO Worcester , MA Institutional Organization

Current Status Yes No IP Comments/Description 1. The MPO has an organizational CMRPC Staff MPO

capacity that is dedicated to freight Advisory Freight issues (please describe where it is in Committee Stakeholder the organization) Pressure Organizational A Project Manager

capacity performs these duties. He attends freight a. A collateral duty related meetings and for one or more performs freight people – [Where in planning, but has other the organization is major duties as an MPO this located and if staff member like there is a Position overseeing the annual Description please creation and updaing of provide it] the STIP. The MPO advisory Committee has freight experience.

b. Dedicated/permanent duty for one or more people - [Where in the organization is this located and if there is a Position Description please

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provide it] c. Organizational

unit (freight section) - [Where in the organization is this

located and if there is a Position Description please provide it] 2. There is a "Freight Champion" in a

leadership role (who is this/what position) at the MPO They attend meetings

and conduct planning efforts that affect freight at the state and MPO level. An example of 3. Does the MPO work with the State this effort is a Study to DOT on freight transportation issues? develop the greatest If yes how do they work together and economic use out of the are there examples of these efforts? new rail yard in Worcester. Because the Freight Planner works for the Worcester TMA, he is involved in this effort. 4. The MPO has working relationships

with other organizations specifically related to freight transportation (such as economic development organizations, port authorities, rail roads, etc.). Please identify who they interact with and how

5. Other: please describe how freight is addressed in the MPO if none of the above fit.

MPO provided input to the Providence-Worcester application of a Tiger Grant. With regard to economic development, The CMRPC staff work to identify the industry and economic influences that contribute to the best/highest use of land surrounding the new rail yard and facilities.

Public and Private Sector Relationships

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Current Status Yes No IP Comments/Description 1. The MPO has met Ex. HNTB, CSX's real estate

with the private sector experts, have attended MPO freight stakeholders on meetings to learn about the MPO's specific issues related to ideas, like carrying passenger freight transportation service on the Providence to (such as projects and/or Worcester CSX line. This has transportation evolved to an economic planning/policy development study and a study on development- please high speed rail connection on an provide examples) inland route. 2. There is an

established freight Board of selectmen, Town owned advisory committee/task rail line department, and the freight group at the MPO level advisory group. They no longer made up of private and meet regularly but are able to meet public sector interests when needed. that the MPO meets with regularly 3. Input from the

Freight Advisory Advisory Committee is at the table. committee is considered THe projects compete for limited during project/program resources. prioritization 4. The MPO has not

established relationships This is not true. with the private sector stakeholders 5. The MPO has

participated in or been There is no standing freight invited to participate in advisory committee. a State Freight Advisory Committee Planning and Programming

Current Status Yes No IP Comments/Description 1. The documented public As part of the Long Range involvement process Transportation Plan includes outreach to freight development. stakeholders

2. The MPO has identified

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freight transportation goals in the Long Range Transportation Plan or TIP or both If yes what are they? 3. Freight transportation

issues and needs are included in the Long Range The Rail and Intermodal Transportation Plan (please chapter freight flows. Link is provide the plan not avaiolable yet. electronically or a link to the plan.) 4. The MPO has completed Freight Planning Progress a freight related Report. NHS connectors were transportation study (if yes reviewed and recommendations please provide a link to the were made. study.) 5. The MPO has identified

freight transportation performance measures (provide list of performance Measures) 6. The MPO's selection

criteria for programming projects includes freight

needs and issues (economic development, significant freight corridors etc.) 7. The MPO has provided

or been asked to provide

input for the state's freight plan Funding

Current Status Yes No IP Comments/Description 1. Is freight one of the CMAC tends to be used on

criteria used in selecting smaller projects, sometimes projects for CMAQ involving transit service and bus funding? purchases.

2. If CMAQ funds are allotted within specific

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categories (transit, operations, Ped/Bike, etc.)

is freight one of these categories? 3. Have CMAQ funds been

used to fund any freight Only by default or happy transportation coincidence. Mostly because of improvements? If yes congestion. please provide examples. Freight Operations

Current Status Yes No IP Comments/Description 1. Does the MPO include

"Operations" in their planning process? (If so The private sector does NOT please explain how and/or seem to welcome this. provide a link to documents) 2. Is freight transportation

included in the approach ITS architecture is being revised to Operations? (if yes and may bebefit freight please provide examples operations. and/or a link to documents) 3. Has the MPO developed

a Congestion Management Updated annually. Process (CMP)? 4. If yes does the CMP Only by coincidence - like CMP specifically address freight improvements to congested transportation? (If yes roadways, but may also benefit please provide examples freight transportation. and/or a link to examples) 5. Are there examples of

effectively managing Integrating GIS and ITS to freight in congested areas? benefit congested locations and (if yes please provide will likely also benefit some examples and/or a link to freight services. documents) Multi-Jurisdictional Coordination

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Current Status Yes No IP Comments/Description 1. The a. Leads a multi

MPO: jurisdictional transportation planning coalition that addresses freight transportation issues and meets regularly b. is a member of a multi

jurisdictional transportation planning coalition that addresses freight transportation issues and meets regularly c. is a member of a multi-

jurisdictional transportation planning coalition that addresses freight but collaborates intermittently on an as needed basis. 2. The MPO coordinates

jurisdictions within their region Occasionally perform on freight transportation issues environmental profile (state, counties, towns, cities, work. other MPO’s) 3. The MPO has yet to

participate in multi- jurisdictional coalitions NHS Intermodal Connectors

Current Status Yes No IP Comments/Description 1. The MPO updates the list

of Intermodal Freight December, 2009 Connectors as appropriate. Latest update on MM/YY

2. The MPO monitors the performance of the NHS Intermodal Freight Via GIS, ITS, CMP, % of Connectors. If yes describe trucks, and pavement

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how this monitoring takes conditions. place and how information is used by the MPO. 3. The MPO includes

provisions in their planning This happensd by default to ensure improvements to because of the MPO's work the Intermodal Freight with the CMP and the GIS and Connectors as needed. Note ITS work being done. projects. Land Use

Current Status Yes No IP Comments/Description 1.Does the MPO coordinate

with the organization(s) The Central Massachusetts responsible for Regional Planning Comprehensive Land Use Commission (CMRPC) does Planning in your area? If yes comprehensive land use please identify the planning. organization(s) 2. Does the MPO review and Not all, but sometimes, comment on the CMRPC creates Master Plans Comprehensive Land Use for member communities. Plan(s)? 3. Does the MPO include

freight transportation and freight access issues (freight distribution centers, access to hospitals, stores, the community in general etc.) in their comments on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan? 4. Is zoning tied to the

Comprehensive Land Use Plan in the MPO area?

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Additional Comments

Please provide any additional information on how the MPO is dealing with freight transportation that may not be covered in the questions provided. (If you have no information to provide in this section, please check "N/A" below.)

If you need assistance or experience problems with this website, please contact Nicholas Kehoe at [email protected]

17 http://freightprogramassessment.com/mpofreight/print_profile.asp 12/10/2013 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP‐21)

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP‐21) is the currently‐effective national transportation legislation. This section of the report document provides a brief summary of the freight planning provisions of MAP‐21. MAP‐21 seeks to improve the overall performance of the nation’s multimodal and intermodal transportation network in order to remain economically competitive on a global basis

Performance Management, a cornerstone of MAP‐21, is also summarized. This concept attempts to begin to measure the results of transportation investments that, for example, reduce congestion, improve pavement and enhance freight movement and economic vitality. US DOT will soon release proposed rulemaking concerning means of measurement and appropriate data resources.

An overview of the MAP‐21’s proposed National Freight Network is also included, as is a summary of MAP‐21’s Railway‐Highway Crossings Program. Other materials review Operation Lifesaver, a national railroad safety education effort. Further, an inventory Public At‐Grade Highway/Rail Crossings in the region is featured.

• Freight Provisions

• Performance Management

• Proposed National Freight Network

• Railway‐Highway Crossings program o Operation Lifesaver: Rail Safety Education o Central Mass Regional Public At‐Grade Highway/Rail Crossings Inventory

18 MAP-21 - Fact Sheets - Significant Freight Provisions | Federal Highway... http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/factsheets/freight.cfm

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 202-366-4000

Significant Freight Provisions

Purpose

MAP-21 includes a number of provisions to improve the condition and performance of the national freight network and support investment in freight-related surface transportation projects.

Statutory citation(s): MAP-21 §1115-1118, 1201-1203, 1401, 1510-1511, 32801-32802; SAFETEA-LU §1301; 23 USC 127, 133-135, 148-150, 167

Provisions

National freight policy

Establishes a policy to improve the condition and performance of the national freight network to provide the foundation for the United States to compete in the global economy and achieve goals related to economic competitiveness and efficiency; congestion; productivity; safety, security, and resilience of freight movement; infrastructure condition; use of advanced technology; performance, innovation, competition, and accountability in the operation and maintenance of the network; and environmental impacts. [§1115; 23 USC 167]

National freight network

Requires DOT to establish a national freight network to assist States in strategically directing resources toward improved movement of freight on highways. The national freight network will consist of three components:

(1) a primary freight network (PFN), as designated by the Secretary, (2) any portions of the Interstate System not designated as part of the PFN, and (3) critical rural freight corridors.

DOT must designate the PFN within one year of enactment of MAP-21. When initially designated, the PFN may contain a maximum of 27,000 centerline miles of existing roadways that are most critical to the movement of freight. DOT may add to the PFN up to 3,000 additional centerline miles of roads critical to future efficient movement of goods on the PFN. States will designate the critical rural freight corridors using criteria contained in MAP-21 [§1115; 23 USC 167]

National freight strategic plan

Directs DOT to, within three years of enactment of MAP-21, develop a national freight strategic plan in consultation with States and other stakeholders, and to update the plan every five years. The plan must –

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assess the condition and performance of the national freight network; identify highway bottlenecks that cause significant freight congestion; forecast freight volumes; identify major trade gateways and national freight corridors; assess barriers to improved freight transportation performance; identify routes providing access to energy areas; identify best practices for improving the performance of the national freight network and mitigating the impacts of freight movement on communities; and provide a process for addressing multistate projects and strategies to improve freight intermodal connectivity. [§1115; 23 USC 167]

Freight data, planning, and reporting

Directs DOT to develop or improve data and tools to support an outcome-oriented, performance-based approach to evaluating proposed transportation projects.

Directs DOT to consider improvements to existing freight flow data collection. [§1115; 23 USC 167]

Freight conditions and performance report

Requires DOT to prepare a biennial report describing the condition and performance of the national freight network. [§1115; 23 USC 167]

Prioritization of projects to improve freight movement

Authorizes DOT to allow a maximum Federal share of 95% for an Interstate System project (or of 90% for a non-Interstate System project) if the project makes a demonstrable improvement in the efficiency of freight movement and is identified in a State freight plan (as described in section 1118 of MAP-21). [§1116]

State freight advisory committees and freight plans

Requires DOT to encourage each State to establish a freight advisory committee composed of a representative cross-section of public- and private-sector freight stakeholders. [§1117]

Requires DOT to encourage each State to develop a comprehensive plan for its immediate and long-range freight-related planning and investment. [§1118]

Changes in freight eligibility under grant and loan programs

STP: Provides eligibility for truck parking and surface transportation infrastructure improvements in port terminals for direct intermodal interchange, transfer, and port access. [§1108; 23 USC 133] HSIP: Offers eligibility for truck parking. [§1112; 23 USC 148] CMAQ: Allows use of funds for a project or program to establish electric vehicle charging stations or natural gas vehicle refueling stations. [§1113; 23 USC 149] Projects of National and Regional Significance (PNRS): Continues program with some changes. [§1120; SAFETEA-LU §1301] TIFIA: Restricts use of loans for freight rail projects to direct intermodal transfer. [§2002; 23 USC 601(a)(12)(D)(i)(I)]

(For additional detail, see the program-specific fact sheets for each of these programs.)

Jason's Law

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Makes construction of safety rest areas, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) parking facilities, electric vehicle and natural gas vehicle infrastructure eligible for Federal funding. Requires DOT to survey States within 18 months of enactment regarding their CMV traffic and capability to provide CMV parking. DOT must periodically update this survey, and must post the results on DOT's website. [§1401]

Compilation and Study of Truck Size and Weight Limits

Requires DOT, in consultation with States and other relevant Federal agencies, to report to Congress within two years of enactment on a comprehensive study of truck size and weight limits. [§32801]

Requires DOT to report to Congress within two years of enactment on a compilation of State limitations on the size and weight of trucks that may travel on the National Highway System. [§32802]

Idle Reduction Technology

Raises the truck weight exemption for idle reduction equipment from 400 to 550 lbs. [§1510; 23 USC 127]

Special Permits During Periods of National Emergency

Allows States to issue divisible load permits to overweight trucks exclusively carrying relief supplies for up to 120 days following a Presidential declaration of a major disaster. [§1511]

Metropolitan and Statewide Planning

Continues ability for freight shippers and providers of freight transportation services to participate in metropolitan and Statewide transportation planning processes. [§1201-1202; 23 USC 134(g)(3), 135(f)(3)]

Continues requirement that planning processes provide for consideration of projects and strategies to –

increase the accessibility and mobility of people and for freight; and enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight. [§1201-1202; 23 USC 134(h), 135(d)]

Performance

Within 18 months of enactment, requires DOT (within a broader rulemaking on performance) to establish measures for States to use to assess freight movement on the Interstate System. [§1203; 23 USC 150(c)]

Requires each State to set performance targets in relation to these measures and integrate the targets within its planning processes. States must also report periodically on their progress in relation to the targets and on how they are addressing congestion at freight bottlenecks. [§1201, 1203; 23 USC 135(d)(2), 135(f)(7), 150(d)-(e)]

Requires each MPO to set performance targets in relation to the freight measures, integrate these targets within their planning processes, and report periodically on their progress in relation to these targets. [§1201; 23 USC 134(h)(2), 134(i)(2)(C)]

(See "Performance Management" fact sheet.)

Additional Information

For additional information on the U.S. Department of Transportation's freight activities, see Press Release, "USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Creation of Freight Policy Council" and USDOT Freight Transportation.

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U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 202-366-4000

Performance Management

Program purpose

A key feature of MAP-21 is the establishment of a performance- and outcome-based program. The objective of this performance- and outcome-based program is for States to invest resources in projects that collectively will make progress toward the achievement of the national goals.

Statutory citation(s): MAP-21 §§1106, 1112-1113, 1201-1203; 23 USC 119, 134-135, 148-150

National policy in support of performance management

“Performance management will transform the Federal-aid highway program and provide a means to the most efficient investment of Federal transportation funds by refocusing on national transportation goals, increasing the accountability and transparency of the Federal-aid highway program, and improving project decision- making through ”[§1203; 23 USC 150(a)]

National performance goals

Establishes national performance goals for the Federal-aid highway program in seven areas:

[§1203; 23 USC 150(b)]

Goal area National goal

Safety To achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads Infrastructure condition To maintain the highway infrastructure asset system in a state of good repair Congestion reduction To achieve a significant reduction in congestion on the National Highway System System reliability To improve the efficiency of the surface transportation system Freight movement and economic vitality To improve the national freight network, strengthen the ability of rural communities to access national and international trade markets, and support regional economic development Environmental sustainability To enhance the performance of the transportation system while protecting and enhancing the natural environment

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Reduced project delivery delays To reduce project costs, promote jobs and the economy, and expedite the movement of people and goods by accelerating project completion through eliminating delays in the project development and delivery process, including reducing regulatory burdens and improving agencies’ work practices

Performance measures

Requires the Secretary, in consultation with States, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and other stakeholders, to establish performance measures in the areas listed below. Provides for DOT to establish such measures within 18 months of enactment, and prohibits DOT from establishing additional performance measures. [§1203; 23 USC 150(c)]

Pavement condition on the Interstate System and on remainder of the National Highway System (NHS) Performance of the Interstate System and the remainder of the NHS Bridge condition on the NHS Fatalities and serious injuries—both number and rate per vehicle mile traveled--on all public roads Traffic congestion On-road mobile source emissions Freight movement on the Interstate System

Performance targets

Setting of State targets. Within one year of the DOT final rule on performance measures, requires States to set performance targets in support of those measures. States may set different performance targets for urbanized and rural areas. [§1203; 23 USC 150(d)]

To ensure consistency each State must, to the maximum extent practicable –

coordinate with an MPO when setting performance targets for the area represented by that MPO; and coordinate with public transportation providers when setting performance targets in an urbanized area not represented by an MPO. [§1202; 23 USC 135(d)(2)(B)]

Setting of MPO targets. Within 180 days of States or providers of public transportation setting performance targets, requires MPOs to set performance targets in relation to the performance measures (where applicable). To ensure consistency, each MPO must, to the maximum extent practicable, coordinate with the relevant State and public transportation providers when setting performance targets. [§1201; 23 USC 134(h)(2)].

Plans requiring targets. Requires the following plans to include State targets (and/or MPO targets, as appropriate): Metropolitan transportation plans. [§1201; 23 USC 134(i)(2)(B)] Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). [§1201; 23 USC 134(j)(2)(D)] Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). [§1202; 23 USC 135(g)(4)] State asset management plans under the National Highway Performance Program (NHPP). [§1106; 23 USC 119(e)] State performance plans under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program. [§1113(b)(6); 23 USC 149(l)]

Additionally, State and MPO targets should be included in Statewide transportation plans. [§1202; 23 USC 135(f)(7)]

23 2 of 4 1/31/2014 9:00 AM MAP-21 - Fact Sheets - Performance Management | Federal Highway Adm... http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/factsheets/pm.cfm

Reporting on progress. Requires States to report on the condition and performance of the NHS; the effectiveness of the investment strategy document in the State asset management plan for the NHS; progress toward achieving performance targets; and the ways in which the State is addressing congestion at freight bottlenecks. [§1203; 23 USC 150(e)]

Thresholds for bridge and pavement condition

Establishment of thresholds. Requires DOT to establish, as part of its rulemaking on performance measures, minimum thresholds for Interstate pavement condition. [§1203; 23 USC 150(c)(3)]

Requires each State to maintain minimum thresholds for Interstate pavement condition (the level set by DOT in its rulemaking) and NHS bridges (no more than 10% of total NHS bridge deck area may be on structurally deficient bridges). [§1106; 23 USC 119(f)]

Failure to meet thresholds. Requires a State that fails to meet or maintain these thresholds over a statutorily-designated time period to reserve a specified portion of its NHPP funding for Interstate pavement and NHS bridge projects. In some cases also requires the State to transfer a specified portion of its Surface Transportation Program (STP) funding to NHPP. (See NHPP fact sheet for detail) [§1106; 23 USC 119(f)]

Trends in safety performance

Imposes additional requirements on a State in relation to specified measures of highway safety: [§1112; 23 USC 148(g)]

Rural road safety. If the fatality rate on rural roads in a State increases over the most recent two year period, the State must dedicate a specified amount of funds under the Highway Safety Improvement Program for high risk rural road safety projects.

Older driver and pedestrian safety. If the traffic fatalities and serious injuries per capita for drivers and pedestrians over the age of 65 in a State increase over the most recent two year period, the State must detail in its next Strategic Highway Safety Plan how it intends to address increases in those rates.

Other accountability measures

Target achievement under NHPP. Requires a State that fails to achieve (or to make significant progress toward achieving) its performance targets for the NHS for two consecutive reports to describe in its next performance report to DOT (under amended 23 USC 150(e)) the actions it will take to achieve its targets. [§1106; 23 USC 119(e)(7)]

Target achievement under HSIP. Requires a State that fails to achieve (or to make significant progress toward achieving) its HSIP performance targets within two years of the targets’ establishment to – dedicate a specified portion of its obligation authority to HSIP projects until the Secretary determines that the State has made significant progress toward or met the targets; and annually submit to the Secretary an implementation plan that includes certain specified components related to highway safety until the Secretary determines that the State has made significant progress toward or met the targets. [§1112; 23 USC 148(i)]

Certification of planning process for Transportation Management Areas (TMAs). Continues to require the Secretary to certify at least once every four years whether the metropolitan planning process of an MPO serving a TMA meets the requirements, including the requirements of 23 USC 134 and other applicable Federal law. One of these requirements is to include a performance-based approach in the metropolitan transportation planning process (see 23 USC 134(h)(2)). Absent this certification, DOT

24 3 of 4 1/31/2014 9:00 AM MAP-21 - Fact Sheets - Performance Management | Federal Highway Adm... http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/factsheets/pm.cfm

may withhold up to 20% of the funds attributable to the metropolitan planning area. [§1201; 23 USC 134(k)(5)]

Page last modified on September 12, 2013.

25 4 of 4 1/31/2014 9:00 AM 1/31/2014

Overview of the Draft Highway Primary Freight Network

November 20, 2013 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET Coral Torres Ed Strocko

MAP-21 Language for Designation of National Freight Network

In general:

The Secretary shall establish a national freight network in accordance with this section to assist States in strategically directing resources toward improved system performance for efficient movement of freight on highways, including national highway system, freight intermodal connectors and aerotropolis transportation systems.

26 1/31/2014

National Freight Network Components

National Freight Network

Remainder of the Interstate Critical Rural Freight Primary Freight Network System 27k limit + 3k Corridors Current Future Between 17k and 47k miles Unlimited miles Importance Importance

MAP-21 Language for Designation of Primary Freight Network NFN General language • NHS; • Aerotropolis; • Intermodal Connectors.

PFN Language: • “Based on an inventory of national freight volume conducted by FHWA…”

PFN Factors for Consideration: • Origins and destinations of freight movement in the United States; • Total freight tonnage and value of freight moved by highways; • Percentage of annual average daily truck traffic in the annual average daily traffic on principal arterials; • Annual average daily truck traffic on principal arterials; • Land and maritime ports of entry; • Access to energy exploration, development, installation, or production areas; • Population centers; • Network connectivity. 4

27 1/31/2014

MAP-21 Language for Designation of Critical Rural Freight Corridors CRFC Language: A State may designate a road within the borders of the State as a critical rural freight corridor if the road -

1) Is a rural principal arterial roadway and has a minimum of 25% of the annual average daily traffic of the road measured in passenger vehicle equivalent units from trucks (FHWA vehicle class 8 to 13); or 2) Provides access to energy exploration, development, installation, or production areas; or 3) Connects the Primary Freight Network, a roadway described in paragraph (1) or ((),2), or Interstate S ystem to facilities that handle more than – a) 50,000 20 foot equivalent units per year; or b) 500,000 tons per year of bulk commodities

National Freight Network Role

• The USDOT recognizes that as a highway-only network, the NFN is an incomplete representation of the system that iidtffiitldfftilfihtithis required to efficiently and effectively move freight in the United States.

• The lack of a stated application for the highway PFN and NFN introduces uncertainty into the designation process.

• USDOT’s goal is to des igna te a hig hway PFN tha t w ill improve system performance, maximize freight efficiency, and be effectively integrated with the entire freight transportation system, including non-highway modes of freight transport.

28 1/31/2014

Possible Applications and Future Role of PFN

What should be the focus or objective behind PFN?

• National Strategic Freight Plan • North American Corridors • Intercity routes • Areas with high levels of congestion • Connectivity • Performance Measures • Funding

PFN Limitations • The statutory language in MAP-21 limits the designation to highways only. Therefore, this netkitltitwork is not multi-modldal.

• Multitude of factors for designation generates an infinite number of possibilities for designation.

• 27k mileage cap results in a network that is not representative of the most critical highway elements of national freight system that exists in the United States.

29 1/31/2014

2008 Freight Story Map

30 1/31/2014

31 1/31/2014

Centerline versus Corridor Approach

• The statutory language in MAP-21 clearly directs USDOT to use centerline roadway miles for the development of the highway PFN.

• This does not necessarily allow for the designation of multiple routes in a region that comprise an active and fluid highway freight system.

• USDOT suggests that corridor-level analysis and investment has the potential for widespread freight benefits, and can improve the performance and efficiency of the highway PFN.

32 1/31/2014

Limitations of National Data

• Data utilized for the development of the draft initial highway PFN comprises the best information available on freight behavior at a national level.

• Nevertheless, national data is not sufficient to understand fully the behavior of freight in smaller subsets of the Nation, to include goods movement in urban areas.

• Issue with first and last mile connectivity.

Urban Freight Routes

• Need to address connectivity within urban areas; first and last mile urban goods movements.

• NFN language in 23 U.S.C. 167(d) lacks a parallel process to Critical Rural Freight Corridors for designating critical urban freight routes.

• Lack of precision of national data at the urban level.

• USDOT believes there is merit in establishing a process for local, regional, or State government entities to designate critical urban freight routes that are important for freight movement in urban areas.

33 1/31/2014

Five Areas for Comments in the Federal Register Notice

(1) Specific route deletions, additions, or modifications to the draft initial designation of the highway PFN contained in this notice; (2) The method ol ogy f or achi evi ng a 27 , 000-mile fina l des igna tion; (3) How the NFN and its components could be used by freight stakeholders in the future; (4) How the NFN may fit into a multimodal National Freight System; and (5) Suggestions for an urban-area route designation process.

Process for Designating the Draft Initial Highway Primary Freight Network

y The draft initial highway PFN was informed by measurable and objective national data. For the development of the draft initial highway PFN, FHWA considered the following criteria and data sources:

y Origins/destinations of freight movements - (FAF) 3.4 y Freight tonnage and value by highways - (FAF) 3.4 y Percentage of Average Annual Daily Truck Traffic (AADTT) on principal arterials - (HPMS) 2011 y AADTT on principal arterials - (HPMS) 2011 y Land & maritime ports of entry - U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) Containers by U.S Customs Ports; DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Transborder data; U.S. Army Corps, Navigation Data Center y Airports - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) CT 2011 Cargo Airports by Landed Weight; FAA Aeronautical Information Services – Airport Database in the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD) 2013 y Access to energy exploration, development, installation or production areas - United States Energy Information Administration Data; Pennwell Mapsearch data via Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) y Population centers - 2010 Census y Network connectivity - (FAF) 3.4 y Intermodal Connectors - FHWA National Highway System Intermodal Connectors y Railroads - Federal Railroad Administration analysis of Rail Inc Centralized Station Master data

34 1/31/2014

Draft Initial Highway Primary Freight Network Methodology

• The methodology employed by USDOT in developing a draft initial highway PFN included the following steps:

1. Obtain the top 20,000 miles of road segments that qualify in two of the following four factors: value, tonnage, (AADTT), and percentage of AADTT. 2. Network connectivity by length of gaps and segments. 3. Land ports of entry with truck traffic higher than 75,000 trucks per year. 4. Intermodal Connectors and top 50 airports by landed weight within urban areas with a population of 200,000 or more were identified. 5. Road segments within urban areas with a population of 200,000 or more that have an AADTT of 8,500 trucks/day or more were identified. 6. The network was analyzed to determine the relationship to population centers, origins and destinations, maritime ports, airports, and rail yards and some other minor network connections were made. 7. Roads connecting key ports, airports and intermodal connectors to population centers in AK, HI and PR were incorporated into the draft initial highway PFN. 8. The network was analyzed to determine the relationship to energy exploration, development, installation, or production areas. 19

Draft Initial Highway Primary Freight Network Designation Results

• This methodology resulted in a comprehensive map of 41,518 centerline miles, including 37,436 centerline miles of Interstate and 4, 082 centerline miles of non -Interstate roads .

• Since the statute limits the highway PFN to 27,000 centerline miles, the USDOT then identified those segments with the highest AADTT.

• These road segments represented on the draft highway PFN map comprise 26,966 miles of centerline roads that reflect consideration of the criteria offered by Congress.

35 1/31/2014

Additional Miles on the Highway Primary Freight Network • The Secretary of Transportation, under Section 167 of title 23, U.S.C., may increase the highway PFN by up to 3,000 centerline miles above the 27,000-mile limit, to accommodate existing or planned roads critical to future efficient movement of goods on the highway PFN.

• In the draft initial designation of the highway PFN, USDOT focused on freight routes critical to the current movement of freight.

• USDOT is aware of emerging freight routes that will be critical to the future efficient movement of goods and believes there is value in expanding the highway PFN in the future to reflect these routes as the Nation grows.

36 1/31/2014

NFN website USDOT has posted the details of the draft initial highway PFN, including the 26,966-mile draft highway PFN map, the 41,518-mile comprehensive mappp, State maps and lists of desi gnated routes, tables of milea gyge by State, and information regarding intermodal connectors and border crossings at:

NFN website: http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/infrastructure/nfn/index.htm

Notice website: httppgg://www.archives.gov/federal_register

Docket for comments: http://www.regulations.gov

PFN website

37 1/31/2014

38 1/31/2014

Next steps

The following is the approximate schedule for designation of the NFN: • Draft designation of highway PFN – Fall 2013 • Comment period for highway PFN designation –fall 2013 • Review and analysis of comments – early 2014 • Final initial hPFN release – early 2014 • Finalization of CRFC guidance- early 2014 • Reqqguests for States to designate CRFC – sppgring 2014 • Compilation of State-designated CRFC routes – spring 2014 • Release of the initial designation of the full NFN (including highway PFN, rest of the Interstate System, CRFCs) – mid 2014

Qti?Questions?

39 40 MAP-21 - Fact Sheets - Railway-Highway Crossings Program | Federal H... http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/factsheets/rhc.cfm

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 202-366-4000

Railway-Highway Crossings Program

Year 2013 2014 Funding $ 220 M $ 220 M

Program purpose

This program funds safety improvements to reduce the number of fatalities, injuries, and crashes at public grade crossings.

Statutory citation(s): MAP-21 §1519; 23 USC 130

Funding features

Funded by contract authority from the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund. Funds are subject to the overall Federal-aid obligation limitation.

Funds are derived from a set-aside of amounts calculated for apportionment to the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).

First, each State's funding level is determined based on the following factors:

50% based on the formula factors for the Surface Transportation Program (STP) in 23 USC 104(b) (3)(A), as in effect the day before enactment of MAP-21; and 50% based on the number of public railway-highway crossings.

[23 USC 130(f)]

Each State is guaranteed to receive a minimum of ½% of the program funds.

The railway-highway crossings program funding level determined for each State is set aside from the State's HSIP amount.

50% of each State's railway-highway crossings funds must be set aside for the installation of protective devices at railway-highway crossings. [23 USC 130(e)]

Special rule -- If a State demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that it has met all its needs for installation of protective devices at railway-highway crossings, the funds may be used for other highway safety improvement purposes. [23 USC 130(e)]

Federal share: The Federal share is 90 percent. [23 USC 130(f)(3)]

41 1 of 2 1/31/2014 8:57 AM MAP-21 - Fact Sheets - Railway-Highway Crossings Program | Federal H... http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/factsheets/rhc.cfm

Eligible activities

All previous eligibilities under 23 USC 130 continue.

A State may use up to 2% of its railway-highway crossings funds for compilation and analysis of data for the required annual report to the Secretary on the progress that is being made implementing the program.

Activities funded under this program are also eligible for funding under the broader HSIP eligibilities. The STP also includes eligibility for funding of railway-highway crossings projects.

Program features

Many of the requirements of the program remain unchanged, including:

Each State is required to conduct and systematically maintain a survey of all highways to identify those railroad crossings that may require separation, relocation, or protective devices, and establish and implement a schedule of projects for this purpose. At a minimum this schedule is to provide signs for all railway-highway crossings. [23 USC 130(d)] A railroad participating in a hazard elimination project is responsible for compensating the State transportation department for the net benefit to the railroad of the project. The net benefit is determined by the Secretary of Transportation, but may not exceed 10 percent of the project cost. [23 USC 130(b) and (c)] States are required to submit annual reports, and the Secretary is required to report to Congress every two years on the progress being made by the States to implement this program. [23 USC 130(g)] A State may use its railway-highway crossings funds to make an incentive payment to local government for a public at-grade crossing closure, as long as the railroad owning the track also makes an incentive payment. [23 USC 130(i)] National Crossing Inventory – Each State is required to annually update information in the DOT crossing inventory database, including information about warning devices and signage, for each public crossing located within its borders. [23 USC 130(l)]

Page last modified on September 12, 2013.

42 2 of 2 1/31/2014 8:57 AM About Us | Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Page 1 of 3

Welcome

Ever stopped to consider the dangers involved with crossing highway-rail grade intersections or trespassing on railroad property? At Operation Lifesaver, we have.

We know that injuries and fatalities that occur at highway-rail crossings or on railroad property are a real, but often preventable, problem. Few people realize that in America, a person or vehicle is hit by a train roughly every three hours, and that's a reality we're determined to change. Welcome to Operation Lifesaver, a non-profit organization providing public education programs to prevent collisions, injuries and fatalities on and around railroad tracks and highway-rail grade crossings. Mission and History

We started in 1972 when the average number of collisions at U.S. highway-rail grade crossings had risen above 12,000 incidents annually. To address this, the Idaho governor's office, along with the Idaho Peace Officers and Union Pacific Railroad launched a six-week public awareness educational campaign called Operation Lifesaver to promote highway-rail grade crossing safety. After Idaho's crossing-related fatalities fell that year by 43%, the successful program was adopted by Nebraska (1973) and Kansas and Georgia the following year. Within a decade it had spread around the country; in 1986 a non-profit national Operation Lifesaver office was created to help support the efforts of state OL programs and raise national awareness on highway-rail grade crossing issues.

Today Operation Lifesaver's network of authorized volunteer speakers and trained instructors offer free rail safety education programs in fifty states. We speak to school groups, driver education classes, community audiences, professional drivers, law enforcement officers, and emergency responders. Our programs are co-sponsored by federal, state and local government agencies, highway safety organizations and America's railroads. Together we promote the three E's - education, enforcement and engineering - to keep people safe around the tracks and railway crossings within our communities.

Trains - passenger, light-rail, and freight - offer among the most efficient transportation available to move us into the 21st century. U.S. Department of Transportation projections calling for substantial increases in rail transport over the next three decades mean that we, along with rail safety partners in the rail industry and at the federal, state and local levels, must work together to meet the safety challenges that accompany a rail renaissance. As advanced technology helps build quieter, faster trains, our responsibility to teach people how to be safe around them increases, too. At Operation Lifesaver, we're committed to raising awareness and improving public safety on and around highway-rail grade crossings and tracks through public awareness and education; we're committed to saving lives.

Learn More About:

• The Operation Lifesaver, Inc, (OLI) Board of Directors [http://oli.org/about-us/contact/board-of-directors] • The National Advisory Council [http://oli.org/about-us/national-advisory-council/] • Safety Partners and Contributors [http://oli.org/about-us/contact-us/Safety-Partners-and-Contributors/] • International OL [http://oli.org/about-us/international] • Information for the Media [http://oli.org/about-us/news/media] ◦ Who to Contact [http://oli.org/about-us/news/media] ◦ Press Releases [http://oli.org/about-us/news] ◦ Videos [http://oli.org/video]

• Passenger Rail Safety [http://oli.org/site/page/265] • Statistics on Collisions, Casualties, Fatalities, etc. [http://oli.org/about-us/news/statistics] • OL En Espanol [http://oli.org/about-us/ol-en-espanol/] • Links to Additional Educational Resources [http://oli.org/about-us/links]

43 http://oli.org/about-us 12/6/2013 About Us | Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Page 2 of 3

Operation Lifesaver's national office in Alexandria, VA, supports state programs, developing videos, educational brochures, instructional information and other materials for audiences of all ages. Our state coordinators are located in all 50 states.

National Office

Operation Lifesaver, Inc. 1420 King Street, Suite 201 Alexandria, VA 22314

1-800- 537-6224 (703)-739-0308 Fax: (703)-519-8267 Email : [mailto:[email protected]][email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]

Contact Our Staff [http://oli.org/about-us/contact/]

Contact Your OL State Coordinator [http://oli.org/state_coordinators/]

If you're curious about Operation Lifesaver rail safety education activities and programs in your area, your state coordinator is the person to contact. He or she can help schedule a free rail safety presentation for your school, community group, or office. We even offer free presentations at country fairs and special events. Interested in volunteering? Your coordinator will tell you the best way to get involved.

Find your State Coordinator [http://oli.org/state_coordinators/] or call us at 1-800-537-6224 for information about presentations, training and volunteer opportunities available in your area.

Contact your OL State Coordinator [http://oli.org/state_coordinators/] or call us at 1-800-537-6224 for information about presentations, training and volunteer opportunities available in your area.

Engage with OLI

Let's Keep the Conversation Going.

[https://www.facebook.com/operation.lifesaver?v=wall] [https://twitter.com/olinational] [http://pinterest.com/olinational]

[http://instagram.com/operation_lifesaver_inc]

Request an IRS 990 Form

Contact: Carol Dorsey Director of Administration Operation Lifesaver, Inc. 1420 King Street, Suite 201 Alexandria, VA 22314

44 http://oli.org/about-us 12/6/2013 About Us | Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Page 3 of 3

Sign Up Now [http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?llr=jqn7jxnab&p=oi&m=1114252391945&sit=iyxrijaib&f=a0014c20-99f9 -41b4-9e5a-0b8b542b6216]

Receive periodic updates from Operation Lifesaver, Inc.

Save the Date: 2014 Leadership Workshop May 14-15, 2014

Embassy Suites [http://embassysuites3.hilton.com/en/hotels/new-mexico/embassy-suites-albuquerque-hotel-and-spa- ABQEMES/index.html] 1000 Woodward Place NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico [https://www.google.com/maps? q=1000+Woodward+Place+NE,+Albuquerque,+New+Mexico&hl=en&sll=38.804821,- 77.236967&sspn=2.880719,6.696167&hnear=1000+Woodward+Pl+NE,+Albuquerque,+New+Mexico+87102&t=m&z=16&iwloc=A]

Be There

www.oli.org [http://oli.org/]

Copyright 2013 Operation Lifesaver, Inc. All rights reserved. Educational use only permitted. No part of these materials may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means for any commercial purpose without permission in writing from Operation Lifesaver, Inc.

45 http://oli.org/about-us 12/6/2013 Driving Safety Tips | Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Page 1 of 2

• Trains and cars don't mix. Never race a train to the crossing — even if you tie, you lose. • The train you see is closer and faster-moving than you think. If you see a train approaching, wait for it to go by before you proceed across the tracks. • Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the locomotive engineer sees you, a freight train moving at 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop once the emergency brakes are applied. That's 18 football fields! • Never drive around lowered gates — it's illegal and deadly. If you suspect a signal is malfunctioning, call the 1-800 number posted on or near the crossing signal or your local law enforcement agency. • Do not get trapped on the tracks; proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing only if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. Remember, the train is three feet wider than the tracks on both sides. • If your vehicle ever stalls on a track with a train coming, get out immediately and move quickly away from the tracks in the direction from which the train is coming. If you run in the same direction the train is traveling, when the train hits your car you could be injured by flying debris. Call your local law enforcement agency for assistance. • At a multiple track crossing waiting for a train to pass, watch out for a second train on the other tracks, approaching from either direction. • When you need to cross train tracks, go to a designated crossing, look both ways, and cross the tracks quickly, without stopping. Remember it isn't safe to stop closer than 15 feet from a rail. • ALWAYS EXPECT A TRAIN! Freight trains do not follow set schedules. Request a Free Presentation

Contact your state coordinator [http://oli.org/state_coordinators/]to schedule a free highway-rail safety presentation. Certified Operation Lifesaver Presenters may be available to speak in school classrooms, with scouting and community service groups, to driver education students and for company safety programs. Become a Presenter

Join the many dedicated volunteers across the country who are trained to deliver our rail safety messages. For information, click on become an Operation Lifesaver Presenter [http://oli.org/training/become-a-presenter], call us at 1-800-537-6224 or contact your OL state coordinator.

Imagine - Safety Tips for New Drivers

New drivers love exploring the roads with their newfound freedom. Learn how to stay safe with this video.

46 http://oli.org/education-resources/driving-safety-tips 12/6/2013 Driving Safety Tips | Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Page 2 of 2

What is an emergency notification sign?

An Emergency Notification Sign (ENS), posted at or near a highway-rail grade crossing, lists a telephone number along with the crossing's US DOT number and is used to notify the railroad of an emergency or warning device malfunction. (Image credit: MUTCD)

• [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Lifesaver-Inc/146346092048363? v=wall] [https://twitter.com/olinational] [http://oli.org/feed] • [http://oli.org/about-us/contact/] • [http://oli.org/about-us/links] Copyright 2013 Operation Lifesaver, Inc. All rights reserved. Educational use only permitted. No part of these materials may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means for any commercial purpose without permission in writing from Operation Lifesaver, Inc.

47 http://oli.org/education-resources/driving-safety-tips 12/6/2013 Pedestrian Safety | Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Page 1 of 2

Rail safety is for everyone, not just drivers. Pedestrians who choose to walk or play around railroad tracks are trespassing on private property and could be fined, seriously injured or killed.

Safety tips:

• The only safe place to cross is at a designated public crossing with either a crossbuck, flashing red lights or a gate. If you cross at any other place, you are trespassing and can be ticketed or fined. Cross tracks ONLY at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings. • Railroad tracks, trestles, yards and equipment are private property and trespassers are subject to arrest and fine. If you are in a rail yard uninvited by a railroad official you are trespassing and subject to criminal prosecution; you could be injured or killed in a busy rail yard. • It can take a mile or more to stop a train, so a locomotive engineer who suddenly sees someone on the tracks will likely be unable to stop in time. Railroad property is private property. For your safety, it is illegal to be there unless you are at a designated public crossing. • Trains overhang the tracks by at least three feet in both directions; loose straps hanging from rail cars may extend even further. If you are in the right-of-way next to the tracks, you can be hit by the train. • Do not cross the tracks immediately after a train passes. A second train might be blocked by the first. Trains can come from either direction. Wait until you can see clearly around the first train in both directions. • Flashing red lights indicate a train is approaching from either direction. You can be fined for failure to obey these signals. Never walk around or behind lowered gates at a crossing, and DO NOT cross the tracks until the lights have stopped flashing and it's safe to do so. • Do not hunt, fish or bungee jump from railroad trestles. There is only enough clearance on the tracks for a train to pass. Trestles are not meant to be sidewalks or pedestrian bridges! Never walk, run, cycle or operate all terrain vehicles (ATVs) on railroad tracks, rights-of-way or through tunnels. • Do not attempt to hop aboard railroad equipment at any time. A slip of the foot can cost you a limb or your life. • Be aware trains do not follow set schedules. Any Time is Train Time!

48 http://oli.org/education-resources/pedestrian-safety 12/6/2013 Pedestrian Safety | Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Page 2 of 2

Common Sense - Use it every day.

Visit the Common Sense campaign website [http://www.commonsenseuseit.com] for videos and activities about pedestrian-train safety!

49 http://oli.org/education-resources/pedestrian-safety 12/6/2013 Rail Safety | Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Page 1 of 2

The Importance of Rail Safety

Current projections show continued growth of all types of rail transportation—freight, passenger, light and high speed. Engineering advancements along with boosted ridership promise more trains on more tracks going faster than ever before. Operation Lifesaver's rail safety education programs, dedicated to keeping people safe around trains by reducing the likelihood of train/vehicle and pedestrian collisions, are more relevant today than they have ever been.

What is the future of rail?

Freight transportation demand is projected to nearly double by 2035--if present market trends continue, railroads will be expected to handle an 88% increase in tonnage during that same period (source: DOT Strategic Plan 2010- 2015.) Amtrak, with ridership at record levels of 31.2 million passengers for fiscal year 2012, predicts those numbers could increase to 60 million by 2050. Although current economic challenges mean these growth projections will take longer to come about, educating people through Operation Lifesaver's rail safety programs will still be critical to keeping them safe around increasing numbers of trains, railroad-rights-of-way and rail property. Safety is more important than ever.

Since 1972 Operation Lifesaver programs have augmented important engineering improvements and law enforcement efforts to produce a steady decline in injuries and fatalities at highway-rail grade crossings (an 83% decrease in incidents since our founding.) Yet with nearly 220,000 private and public crossings in use today, improving grade-crossing safety and maintaining those gains remains a constant challenge. In partnership with rail safety advocates in the railroad industry and at federal, state and local governments, Operation Lifesaver is dedicated to answering rising rail transportation demands with an equally powerful commitment using education to keep people safe around railroad-rights-of-way.

Our modern, technology-driven world constantly introduces fresh challenges for rail safety advocates. From teens walking with headphones to distracted drivers approaching highway-rail grade crossings, it's vitally important to look and listen near tracks or railroad property and stay alert to stay alive. At Operation Lifesaver, we believe that through the 3 E's—education, enforcement and engineering—we can successfully join other rail safety partners to address these challenges, making communities with tracks and railroad property safer, reducing collision incidents and decreasing the likelihood of injuries and fatalities. At Operation Lifesaver, what we do helps save lives. Learn More about Rail Safety:

• Engineering [http://oli.org/rail-safety/engineering] • Enforcement [http://oli.org/training/law-enforcement-community] • Education [http://oli.org/rail-safety/education]

50 http://oli.org/rail-safety/ 12/6/2013 Rail Safety | Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Page 2 of 2

Decline in collisions

We’ve helped to reduce the number of train/motor vehicle collisions from a 1972 high of roughly 12,000 annual incidents to approximately 1,953 incidents in 2012. (Source: FRA preliminary 2012 statistics).

About Operation Lifesaver

Operation Lifesaver’s mission is to end collisions, deaths and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on rail property through a nationwide network of volunteers who work to educate people about rail safety. Our national office in Alexandria, VA, supports state programs, developing videos, educational brochures, instructional information and other materials for audiences of all ages. Our state coordinators [http://oli.org/state_coordinators/] are located in all 50 states.

National Office Operation Lifesaver, Inc. 1420 King Street, Suite 201 Alexandria, VA 22314

1-800-537-6224 703-739-0308 Fax: 703-519-8267 Email : [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]

Media Inquiries: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Our Staff [http://oli.org/about-us/contact/]

51 http://oli.org/rail-safety/ 12/6/2013 REGIONAL AT-GRADE HIGHWAY/RAILROAD CROSSING INVENTORY

An inventory of the region’s “public” at-grade highway/railroad crossings has been compiled using the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) at-grade highway/railroad crossing database. Publically-utilized, at-grade highway/railroad crossings with the region’s highway network, both federal-aid and local, are the focus of this effort as opposed to “private” crossings. The more recently updated FRA database was also cross-referenced with earlier inventory materials provided by MassDOT predecessor agencies. Minor discrepancies were adjusted.

Table 1 provides a summary of the public at-grade highway/railroad crossings in the region by community. The location of these public crossings is shown in Figure 1. At this time, there are over 100 active, public highway/railroad crossings within the planning region. Future freight planning efforts will likely include a further investigation of private crossings. Long established from the early days of railroading in the greater region, private grade crossings usually serve established trackside industries, older single family homes and rural farmlands.

FRA’s database of documented crash incidents at the region’s at-grade crossings was also referenced. The FRA materials contain highway vehicle/railroad equipment crash records that date back to the mid-1970’s. The DOT-calculated Accident Prediction Factor has also been included in the table for reference. Based on the FRA records, there appear to have been a minimal number of reported at-grade vehicle crashes over the nearly 40 year period covered by the database. Although crash prevention measures appear to have been fairly effective, grade crossing deterioration has been noted in the region. Preservation and modernization efforts are necessary in order to simply maintain the existing grade crossing infrastructure. This challenge will continue to be the case as highway traffic volumes, as well as train frequencies, steadily increase.

52 WORCESTER

(! PRINCETON (! AUBURN BARRE P&W (! MILLBURY Legend (! (! Public At-Grade Highway/ RUTLAND (! Railroad Crossing (! WEST (! (! (! BOYLSTON (!BERLIN Railroad Type ! (! HOLDEN BOYLSTON ( Active (! HARDWICK (! OAKHAM (! Multiple Use, Active & Recreational (! (! (! ! ( (! (! Recreation (! Out of Service (! (! NEW (! (! (!! Unknown Status !(! (! ( (!(! (! BRAINTREE NORTHBOROUGH (! Abandoned, Rail Trail PAXTON Existing and Potential WORCESTER Abandoned, Right of Way NORTH (!(! WEST BROOKFIELD SPENCER (! SHREWSBURY in Public Ownership BROOKFIELD 53 (! WESTBOROUGH LEICESTER (! (! (! (! (! (! T (! S D (! A L GRAFTON E E I (! (! O F (! (! WARREN (! BROOKFIELD K (! AUBURN MILLBURY (! 0 1 2 4 6 8 O (! (! (!(! O (! Miles R (! (! B UPTON (! (!(!! ! ((!(!(!(!( (! Information depicted on this map is for planning purposes only. (! (! ! (! G&U ( This information is not adequate for legal boundary definition, (! (! H regulatory interpretation, or parcel-level analysis. Use caution ! O CHARLTON ( P intrepreting positional accuracy. (! SUTTON (!E (! (! NORTHBRIDGE D OX(!FORD A (! Source: Data provided by the Central Massachusetts Regional L (! STURBRIDGE E Planning Commission (CMRPC) and the Office of Geographic (! (! Information (MassGIS), Commonwealth (! of Massachusetts, InformationTechnology Division. (! MENDON Produced by the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) (! 2 Washington Square, Union Station

DUDLEY E Worcester, MA 01604 L

(! L (! UXBRIDGE I BLACKSTONE SOUTHBRIDGE WEBSTER DOUGLAS V L L

(! I M Connecticut Rhode Island

Figure 1 Regional Public At-Grade Highway/Railroad Crossings Table 1 Regional Inventory of Public At-Grade Highway/Rail Crossings including FRA "Accident Prediction Value"

Crossing AADT % Prediction ACPD ACPD Community Street RR Division Subdivision ID AADT Year Trucks Value Ranking Date AUBURN ELM ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501860E 4,000 2002 1.0 0.013495 16 11/24/10 AUBURN SWORD ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501866V 4,700 2002 7.0 0.012821 19 11/24/10 AUBURN CENTRAL ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501863A 1,800 2003 7.0 0.009312 36 11/24/10 AUBURN SOUTH ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501859K 1,200 2002 7.0 0.008081 49 11/24/10 BARRE NO. BROOKFIELD RD MCER NORTHEASTERN NEW ENG. DIV. 526028W 2,700 2002 15.0 0.003538 88 11/24/10 BERLIN RANDALL RD CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547143L 1,900 2001 6.0 0.007003 57 11/24/10 BERLIN JONES RD CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547139W 1,100 2001 5.0 0.005734 67 11/24/10 BERLIN LINDEN ST CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547140R 990 2001 5.0 0.005514 71 11/24/10 BERLIN CROSBY RD CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547138P 230 2001 5.0 0.003163 91 11/24/10 BERLIN WEST ST CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547141X 8,000 2001 6.0 0.000114 104 11/24/10 DUDLEY WEST DUDLEY RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501830M 200 1970 5.0 0.000195 102 12/19/03 54 DUDLEY MILL RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501831U 380 2002 5.0 0.000114 104 11/24/10 GRAFTON CARROLL RD GU 861462S 2,100 2002 3.0 0.014241 13 11/24/10 GRAFTON WATERVILLE STR GU 861469P 9,300 2002 3.0 0.012777 20 11/24/10 GRAFTON UPTON RD GU 861459J 8,700 2002 4.0 0.012506 21 11/24/10 GRAFTON WESTBORO RD GU 861470J 3,500 2002 3.0 0.012348 22 11/24/10 GRAFTON SNOW RD GU 861465M 1,200 2003 3.0 0.011921 23 11/24/10 GRAFTON PLEASANT ST. PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871909F 3,300 2003 5.0 0.011427 28 11/24/10 GRAFTON NORTH ST. GU 861460D 5,300 2002 3.0 0.010622 32 11/24/10 GRAFTON FOLLETTE ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871907S 880 2003 1.0 0.008895 39 11/24/10 GRAFTON SIBLEY RD GU 861458C 450 2002 3.0 0.008633 41 11/24/10 GRAFTON EAST ST. GU 861468H 2,800 2002 3.0 0.008532 42 11/24/10 GRAFTON OLD UPTON RD GU 861455G 390 2002 3.0 0.008228 47 11/24/10 GRAFTON RAY ST. GU 861467B 390 2002 3.0 0.008228 47 11/24/10 GRAFTON BOULEVARD AVE GU 861461K 2,200 2002 3.0 0.007836 53 11/24/10 GRAFTON BROWNS RD GU 861457V 200 1984 3.0 0.003729 85 11/24/10 HARDWICK SMITH'S XING MCER NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 526034A 2,700 2004 20.0 0.008424 44 11/24/10 HARDWICK PAPERMILL/RTE32 MCER NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 526031E 2,400 2006 20.0 0.008081 49 11/24/10 HARDWICK BRIDGE ST MCER NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 526039J 590 2001 5.0 0.004836 76 11/24/10 HARDWICK SHUNPIKE RD MCER NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 526032L 370 2001 10.0 0.004051 82 11/24/10 HARDWICK RIVER RUN MCER NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 526036N 240 2001 5.0 0.003431 89 11/24/10 HARDWICK CREAMERY XING MCER NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 526035G 160 2002 5.0 0.002931 92 11/24/10 HARDWICK GROVE ST MCER MASS CENTRAL 526038C 100 1970 5.0 0.000841 96 3/16/09 HARDWICK WEST RD MCER BOSTON & MAINE US 5 MAP 60 052941N 415 1970 4.0 0.000428 97 10/3/00 HARDWICK RAILRD LANE MCER NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 526037V 6 2001 20.0 0.000394 98 11/24/10 HARDWICK CREAMERY RD MCER BOSTON & MAINE US 5 MAP 62 052944J 200 1970 4.0 0.000236 99 10/3/00 HOLDEN PLEASANT ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871874G 1,000 2002 4.0 0.008243 46 11/24/10 HOLDEN BAILEY RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871876V 2,400 2000 4.0 0.008081 49 11/24/10 HOLDEN INDUSTRIAL DRIVE PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871891X 2,200 2003 5.0 0.006171 62 11/24/10 HOLDEN QUINAPOXET ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871871L 3,200 2003 5.0 0.005647 70 11/24/10 HOLDEN PRINCETON ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871870E 410 2003 5.0 0.003268 90 11/24/10 HOLDEN SUNNYSIDE ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871872T 70 2000 4.0 0.002119 94 11/24/10 HOPEDALE MELLEN ST MBTA NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 546905K 120 2002 4.0 0.004962 74 11/24/10 HOPEDALE HOWARD ST MBTA NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 546906S 50 2002 2.0 0.003645 87 11/24/10

55 HOPEDALE GREEN STR GU 861431T 500 1979 3.0 0.000206 100 6/21/01 HOPEDALE MENDON STR GU 861433G 6,900 1984 3.0 0.000206 100 6/21/01 MILLBURY S.MAIN ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871901B 3,700 2003 5.0 0.010460 33 11/24/10 MILLBURY CURVE ST. PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871902H 520 2003 5.0 0.005973 63 11/24/10 MILLBURY RICE RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871903P 470 2003 5.0 0.005754 66 11/24/10 MILLBURY MCCRACKEN RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871898V 80 2003 4.0 0.003674 86 11/24/10 NORTHBORO MAIN ST. CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547132Y 18,500 2001 7.0 0.015356 9 11/24/10 NORTHBORO SUMMER ST. CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547131S 2,400 2001 6.0 0.007616 54 11/24/10 NORTHBORO COLBURN ST. CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547135U 2,300 2001 6.0 0.007501 56 11/24/10 NORTHBORO PIERCE ST. CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547133F 1,600 2001 6.0 0.006580 59 11/24/10 NORTHBORO BRIGHAM ST CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547129R 1,200 2001 6.0 0.005921 64 11/24/10 NORTHBORO COLLINS RD CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547128J 1,100 2001 6.0 0.005734 67 11/24/10 NORTHBORO SCHOOL ST. CSX ALBANY FITCHBURG 547130K 1,100 2001 6.0 0.005734 67 11/24/10 NORTHBRIDGE SUTTON ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871912N 6,600 2003 5.0 0.014270 12 11/24/10 NORTHBRIDGE UNION ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 861580U 700 2003 1.0 0.008315 45 11/24/10 NORTHBRIDGE ELSTON AVE. PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871913V 260 2003 5.0 0.004611 78 11/24/10 OXFORD SUTTON AVE. PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501847R 20,100 2002 6.0 0.024886 1 11/24/10 OXFORD FEDERALL HILL RD. PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501851F 2,900 2003 6.0 0.010948 30 11/24/10 OXFORD DEPOT RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501854B 2,300 2001 7.0 0.010753 31 11/24/10 OXFORD DANA RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501850Y 1,500 2001 6.0 0.009298 37 11/24/10 OXFORD MILLBURY RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501853U 1,400 2003 6.0 0.008532 42 11/24/10 OXFORD HOLBROOK RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501843N 930 2001 7.0 0.007864 52 11/24/10 OXFORD GEORGE ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501844V 530 2001 4.0 0.006421 60 11/24/10 OXFORD WATER ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501848X 620 2003 4.0 0.006372 61 11/24/10 OXFORD HALL RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501849E 150 2001 4.0 0.004003 84 11/24/10 PRINCETON BROOKS STATION RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871867W 1,200 2003 5.0 0.004926 75 11/24/10 PRINCETON ROUTE 62 PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871862M 1,200 2003 5.0 0.004297 80 11/24/10 PRINCETON BALL HILL RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871866P 770 2003 5.0 0.004165 81 11/24/10 PRINCETON RALPH RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871863U 290 2003 5.0 0.002875 93 11/24/10 PRINCETON OLD COLONY RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871861F 20 2003 1.0 0.001866 95 11/24/10 SUTTON BLACKSTON RD. PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871906K 180 2003 5.0 0.004009 83 11/24/10 UPTON MAPLE AVE GU 861449D 8,700 2002 3.0 0.021770 2 11/24/10 UPTON PLEASANT ST. GU 861448W 6,200 2002 3.0 0.019754 3 11/24/10

56 UPTON WILLIAMS ST. GU 861453T 5,000 2002 3.0 0.018547 4 11/24/10 UPTON MENDON ST. GU 861447P 4,600 2002 3.0 0.018094 6 11/24/10 UPTON GROVE ST GU 861445B 2,500 2002 3.0 0.015035 10 11/24/10 UPTON CHESTNUT ST GU 861443M 1,200 2002 3.0 0.011921 23 11/24/10 UPTON PLAIN ST. GU 861446H 610 2002 3.0 0.009555 35 11/24/10 UPTON HARTFORD AVE GU 861451E 490 2002 3.0 0.008883 40 11/24/10 UPTON GLEN AVE GU 861452L 240 2002 3.0 0.006978 58 11/24/10 UXBRIDGE HARTFORD RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 861578T 7,800 2002 6.0 0.015462 8 11/24/10 WEBSTER N. MAIN ST. PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501841A 6,300 2003 5.0 0.014065 15 11/24/10 WEBSTER MAIN ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501838S 19,500 2001 7.0 0.013409 17 11/24/10 WEBSTER HILL ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501837K 3,300 2001 7.0 0.009035 38 11/24/10 WEBSTER U PERRYVILLE RD PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501836D 830 2001 7.0 0.005495 72 11/24/10 WEST BOYLSTON TEMPLE ST BM BOSTON & MAINE US-6 MAP 8 053838E 7,900 2002 4.0 0.014237 14 11/24/10 WEST BOYLSTON SHREWSBURY ST BM BOSTON & MAINE US-6 MAP 6 053842U 3,300 2003 4.0 0.011411 29 11/24/10 WEST BOYLSTON PRESCOTT ST BM BOSTON & MAINE US-6 MAP 12 053837X 290 2002 4.0 0.005809 65 11/24/10 WORCESTER THOMAS ST PW NORTHEASTERN US-6 MAP-1 844556Y 4,800 2000 7.0 0.018388 5 11/24/10 WORCESTER MILLBURY ST SO. PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871893L 7,600 2000 5.0 0.017159 7 11/24/10 WORCESTER HOPE AVE PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501869R 9,000 2000 8.0 0.014494 11 11/24/10 WORCESTER BURNCOAT ST BM BOSTON & MAINE US-6 MAP 5 844540C 3,600 2002 7.0 0.013068 18 11/24/10 WORCESTER BRATTLE ST. PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871884M 11,300 2000 5.0 0.011672 25 11/24/10 WORCESTER HOLDEN ST. PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871885U 11,300 2000 5.0 0.011672 25 11/24/10 WORCESTER NEW BOND ST. BM BOSTON & MAINE US-6 MAP 4 844543X 2,200 2003 7.0 0.011641 27 11/24/10 WORCESTER SCHOOL ST PW NORTHEASTERN US-6 MAP-1 844554K 1,300 2002 7.0 0.009854 34 11/24/10 WORCESTER RIVERDALE ST PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 871915J 560 2003 2.0 0.007584 55 11/24/10 WORCESTER JACKSON ST PW 501875U 500 1970 6.0 0.005046 73 12/19/03 WORCESTER GARDEN ST PW NORTHEASTERN VS-6 MAP 2 844549N 140 2003 7.0 0.004688 77 11/24/10 WORCESTER TRACY PLACE PW NORTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND 501868J 190 2000 6.0 0.004380 79 11/24/10 WORCESTER GARDEN ST PW US 6 MAP 2 844550H 420 2000 7.0 0.000161 103 12/19/03 WORCESTER PRESCOTT ST PW NORTHEASTERN VS 6 MAP 2 844548G 2,100 2003 7.0 0.000094 106 11/24/10 57 US DOT Freight in America

The following is a presentation put together by US DOT that provides an overview of the freight planning provisions of MAP‐21. It reflects the importance of freight movement for the national economy as well as pertinent environmental and safety aspects. Through ongoing key investments the United States can better compete in a global economy where transportation costs are critical both in the harvesting of raw materials and the manufacture and delivery of finished products.

• Economic Competitiveness, Environmental Sustainability and Safety

58 59 National Freight Network

Critical Rural Freight Interstate System Primary Freight Network Corridors (portion not on the PFN)

• Designated by US DOT • Designated by States • Publication of Draft PFN • Guidance and technical

60 for Comments - Spring assistance for analysis of 2013 potential CRFCs—Summer • Initial Designation of the 2013 PFN – Fall 2013 • Request to States to identify CRFCs — Fall 2013

Importance of your input when the draft PFN is released: • Feedback on the identified PFN routes • How the PFN and ultimately the designation of the NFN could be used and useful to freight stakeholders in the future • How the National Freight Network may fit into a larger multimodal National Freight System as part of the National Freight Strategic Plan

Prioritization of Projects to Improve Freight Movement

• MAP-21 provided the option to obtain a higher federal share (up to 95 percent) of federal aid highway funding for freight projects

• FHWA issued implementation guidance for this provision in October 2012 61 • Eligibility will be determined by the Secretary, and is based on demonstrated future benefits and inclusion in a State freight plan that meets the criteria set by Congress in MAP-21

• Our FHWA Division Offices are standing by, ready to provide technical assistance in this process to help get these projects out the door!

State Freight Plans • State Freight Plan Guidance – Interim guidance published in October 2012 – Final guidance will be issued this spring

• State freight plans are important aspects of eligibility for higher federal matching funds 62 • State freight plans will help US DOT gain insight into the projects, current and emerging issues, and policy principles important to states as we work to develop the National Freight Strategic Plan

• FHWA will hold a “Talking Freight” webinar at 1:00 p.m. ET on March 18 for States and our FHWA division offices to address questions related to developing or revising State freight plans.

Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study • Addressing the differences • Comparing and contrasting the between trucks within the potential safety and current standards and those infrastructure impacts of legally operating in excess of alternative configurations to the federal limits in: current Federal TSW law and • safety regulations

63 • infrastructure impacts • Estimating the effects of freight • effect on levels of diversion due to these enforcement alternative configurations

• Technical Studies will be objective and data driven products • FHWA will institute an independent peer review of our technical studies • FHWA will host a series of stakeholder listening and information sessions beginning this spring

Other Freight Activities Spring and Summer 2013 • National Freight Policy and Related Activities – Freight Partnership V Meeting – Summer – Projects of National and Regional Significance Survey - Summer 64 • MAP-21 Truck Related Studies – Revised Guidance on Emergency Permits - Summer – Jason’s Law Truck Parking Survey – Summer – Compilation of Truck Size and Weight Laws – Late Summer Freight Performance Measures

• A key feature of MAP-21 is the establishment of a performance- and outcome-based program. – The objective of this program is for the nation to invest resources in projects that will make progress toward the 65 achievement of the national goals.

• US DOT is working to ensure connections are made between the various sections of MAP-21 that call for performance measurement.

Freight Transportation Conditions and Performance Report • MAP-21 requires US DOT to develop a Freight Transportation Conditions and Performance Report by October 1, 2014, and again every 2 years

• US DOT will produce a multi-modal report that provides a comprehensive look at the United States freight system

66 • We will consider multimodal measures for:

– Economic Efficiency, Productivity, and Competitiveness – Reducing Congestion – Safety, Security, and Resilience – State of Good Repair – Use of Innovative Technology, Competition, Performance Management, and Accountability, – Reducing Adverse Environmental and Community Impacts

• The data and findings in this Report will be used as a key input for another MAP-21 requirement, the National Freight Strategic Plan

2012 New England Railroad Club Forum & Expo

This section contains a presentation entitled “Operational & Regulatory Challenges for Area Shortline, Regional & Tourist Railroads” that was provided as an educational seminar at the 2012 New England Railroad Club Rail Forum & Expo held at the DCU Center in Worcester. It included a presentation by guest speaker Rich Rydant, CMRPC Transportation Project Manager, on Regional Economy and Land Use Issues.

The expo, held in March 2012, is seen by staff as an opportunity to discuss the role of regional planning with rail freight providers and review the potential benefits with them. It is attended by rail freight providers, equipment manufacturers, government officials, and other interested parties.

67 68 69 2012 New England Railroad Club Rail Forum & Expo Worcester, MhMassachusetts March 27, 2012 Afternoon Seminar: Operational & Regulatory Challenges for Area Shortline, Regional and Tourist Railroads Regional Economy and Land Use Issues Rich Rydant Transportation Project Manager Railroad & Trucking Contact Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission Staff to the Central Massachusetts Metropolitan Planning Organization (CMMPO)

Overview of the Role of Regional Planning & Potential Benefits z Learn what planning assistance, opportunities and services may be available z Provide input to long term planning efforts z Potentially gain funding at the state and federal levels z MPO/RPA staff can be made aware of the type of relationships that can be forged

70 Overview of the Role of Regional Planning & Potential Benefits

Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)

• Regional transportation policy and programming body • Often decides use of federal‐aid transportation funding • CMMPO has 10 members

Regional Planning Agencies (RPAs)

• Often serve as technical planning staff to MPO • Staffing levels vary between urban and rural regions (+200k) • Role varies by state

MultiMulti‐‐Modal & Intermodal Transportation Planning

Potential for building relationships with the local providers of rail freight

• Shortline Railroads • Switching Railroads • Intermodal Facilities Important federally‐required documents

• Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), 2012 • Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), 2012‐2015 • Freight Planning Progress Report series

71 MPO “Certification Document” Development

• Open & cooperative process • Must involve all major modes • Freight and passenger railroads have the opportunity to participate Today’s focus is on the various operators in the Central Massachusetts planning region • Current conditions, various challenges & future visions Non‐proprietary information sharing

Freight Railroads Serving the Region

Staff has established and continued working relationships with all private rail freight providers serving the planning region: • CSX Transportation • East Brookfield & Spencer Railroad • Grafton & Upton Railroad • MassCentral Railroad • North Brookfield Railroad • Pan Am Railways • Providence & Worcester Railroad

72 Map of the Region’s Railroad System

National & Regional Rail Freight Carriers

• CSX TTiransportation Eastern US ‐ 21,000 miles

• Pan Am Railways Northern New England ‐ 750 miles

• Providence & Worcester Railroad Southern New England, 500 miles

73 “Year of the Shortlines”

ViVarious examples from the CtlCentral MhttMassachusetts planning region z Introduction of locally‐based providers z Periodic interactions z Continues to evolve z Range of focus areas z Considered ongoing process

East Brookfield & Spencer Railroad, 7 miles

• Performs switching operations for the New England Automotive Gateway (NEAG)

• The NEAG is a modern intermodal facility serving major automotive producers

• CSX has noted the NEAG as one of the most efficient automotive yards in their entire system

74 Grafton & Upton Railroad, 17 miles

• Line invigorated and restored under new ownership, serves modernized intermodal yards and line side customers

• There exists strong potential for intermodal growth along the line

• Railroad seeks cooperate and partner with local host community leadership to both inform and educate

75 MassCentral Railroad, 26 miles

• “Phoeni x Plaza” idindust tilrial park estblihdtablished at SthSouth Barre terminus

• The South Barre intermodal yard is ideally located for rural customers, both agricultural and industrial • American Rock Salt invested in the construction of a modern salt shed, additional parcels are currently available

76 North Brookfield Railroad, 4 miles

• Never abandoned, this dormant community‐owned line is being resurrected and reconstructed

• Survey work, vegetation removal and installation of track and highway crossings are forthcoming, encroachment has occurred • Strong potential exists for line side customers

77 MPO/RPA Activities & Assistance

EtEast BkfildBrookfield & Spencer RilRailroad

• Operator has been engaged in the regional planning process for nearly 20 years! Lines of communication maintained with host community officials

• Early impact studies were reviewed by staff, particularly land use, zoning and traffic, on behalf of the host namesake communities. It took nearly a decade of planning and preparation before the NEAG site opened for business

• Numerous site mitigation techniques used at the NEAG, including concrete sound barriers, earthen berms, secure perimeter fencing and gatehouse, overhead lamp pole height limitations, as well as unprecedented CSX horn blast restrictions

78 MPO/RPA Activities & Assistance

Grafton & Upton Railroad

• Revitalization and reconstruction of the line described in CMMPO’s 2012 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) document (See cmrpc.org)

• Prior to new ownership, there was the strong potential for a rail trail conversion. With the rail revitalization, there is now an alternative to long distance trucking within the host communities

• There is the future vision of Commuter Rail service being extended from Franklin to Hopedale, site of the 1 MSF Draper Mill building

MPO/RPA Activities & Assistance

MassCentral Railroad

• A series of “Environmental Profile” maps were prepared for the operator working in tandem with the host community of Barre, in order to help establish a “Priority Development Site” under 43D

• The railroad’s terminus in South Barre is where Phoenix Plaza is located, a new industrial park with economic development potential

79 MPO/RPA Activities & Assistance

North Brookfield Railroad

• Staff provided limited peripheral assistance during the resurrection of the dormant line

• A series of “Environmental Profile” maps were prepared for the Selectmen, who also serve as the railroad’s Board of Directors

• Land use staff provided zoning guidance to the Selectmen, preparing for new line side industry

• Operator is a member of the CMMPO Advisory Committee

Other examples of potential MPO/RPA assistance and services (Depends on state and planning region)

Full Inclusion in the Regional Transportation Planning Process

• Traditionally highway‐oriented • US DOT calls for a multi‐modal and intermodal planning process • Must include freight movement providers and shippers Membership on Various Advisory & Technical Committees

• CMMPO Advisory Committee ¾ Two freight railroads & Rail advocate/historian • Annual meetings of Regional Freight Advisory Group ¾ Roundtable discussions

80 Other examples of potential MPO/RPA assistance and services (Depends on state and planning region)

National Highway System (NHS) Connector

• “To the gate” planning effort • All significant intermodal facilities included, freight & passenger • Ongoing traffic volume monitoring effort “Early Consultation”: Challenges & Opportunities

• Land use, zoning, traffic volume counts, heavy vehicle usage, environmental • CSX staff and consultants referenced in‐house data • Modernization & expansion of the Franklin Street Intermodal Yard

Other examples of potential MPO/RPA assistance and services (Depends on state and planning region)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) • Mapping services • MassCentral Railroad Infrastructure Inventory • North Brookfield Railroad Environmental Profile Limited Technical Assistance • State and federal grant applications • TIGER Program (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) • Local zoning regulations interpretation

81 Other examples of potential MPO/RPA assistance and services (Depends on state and planning region)

Meeting Host for Regional Transportation‐Related Events z Annual Providence & Worcester Railroad Shareholders Meeting z Annual meetings of Regional Freight Advisory Group z National Corridors Initiative, Jim RePass

Broker of Multi‐Modal and Intermodal Data z Traffic volume counts z Vehicle classification z Vehicle speeds

2012 New England Railroad Club Rail Forum & Expo

Thkhank You!

Questions & Commentary

CMRPC Union Station Intermodal Transportation Center 2 Washington Square Worcester, MA 01604‐4016

[email protected] Rydant Direct 508‐459‐3312 CMRPC 508‐756‐7717 Fax 508‐792‐6818

82 CMRPC Quarterly Meeting September 13, 2012

Proceedings from a Quarterly Meeting of the delegates and alternates of the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission are included. The main agenda topic for the meeting was a presentation on “Rail Freight/Intermodal & Economic Development.”

In addition to staff, two modal providers participated along with a freight transportation planning consultant. Support was sought for a locally based freight planning study to benefit the region’s communities as well as modal freight providers. A panel discussion was held along with a question and answer period. The meeting was well populated and the topic matter was of great interest to those in attendance.

• CMRPC Staff Presentation: Rail Freight/Intermodal & Economic Development

83 From: Richard Rydant Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2012 3:17 PM To: 'Scott Conti'; 'Maurice_O'[email protected]'; 'Steve Cotrone'; 'Daniel Bigda'; '[email protected]' Cc: 'Angelini, Marie'; 'Brad Blodget' Subject: CMRPC Quarterly Meeting Rail Freight Panel Discussion

Hello‐

Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Quarterly Meeting of the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) to be held the evening of September 13, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the agency office in Worcester’s Union Station. The event will be held in the “Union Hall” conference room located on the second floor of the station.

Following the regular business of the Commission, the main topic of the meeting is “Rail Freight/Intermodal=Economic Development”. This will entail a “Panel Presentation & Discussion”. Following a brief introduction from CMRPC Executive Director Lawrence Adams, Transportation Project Manager Rich Rydant (me) will provide a broad overview of rail freight intermodal activities in the region.

At that time, each panel member will be asked to provide an 8 to 10 minute overview of their respective operations in the greater region and the impact each rail freight/intermodal provider has on economic activity, basically raw materials, finished goods, employment, quality of life, etc. Staff can accommodate PowerPoint slide presentations; they will be projected on a large screen.

The Panel Members confirmed for the event are:

• Dan Bigda, President, Boxcar Services & North Brookfield RR • Scott Conti, President, P&W Railroad • Steve Cotrone, President, Intransit Container Incorporated (ICI) • Maurice O’Connell, Vice President, CSX • Chris Steele, President, CWS Consulting Group LLC • (One other shortline carrier has also been invited to participate.)

The Panel presentations will be followed by moderated, interactive discussion as well as Q&A. The meeting should be complete by 9:00 PM.

84 I can be contacted anytime to answer your questions or to provide additional information. Again, thanks for agreeing to participate in the CMRPC’s Quarterly Meeting on September 13th.

Best,

Rich Rydant Transportation Project Manager Railroad & Trucking Contact Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission Union Station Intermodal Transportation Center 2 Washington Square Worcester, MA 01604-4016 [email protected] Rydant Direct 508-459-3312 CMRPC 508-756-7717 Fax 508-792-6818

85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 CMRPC Quarterly Meeting September 2012 Union Hall September 13, 2012 Panel Presentation & Discussion: Rail Freight/Intermodal= Economic Development Host: Rich Rydant Transportation Project Manager Railroad & Trucking Contact Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission Staff to the Central Massachusetts Metropolitan Planning Organization (CMMPO)

Overview of the Role of Regional Planning & Potential Benefits y Planning assistance, opportunities & services y Input to long term planning efforts y Potential for funding at the state & federal levels y Forging lasting relationships

96 Overview of the Role of Regional Planning & Potential Benefits

Metetropo lit taan Plaagnning OgaOrganiza atotions (Os)(MPOs) • Regional transportation policy and programming body • Decides use of federal‐aid target transportation funding • CMMPO has 10 members Regional Planning Agencies (RPAs) • Serve as technical planning staff to MPO • Staffing levels vary between urban & rural regions (+200k) • Role varies by state

Multi‐Modal & Intermodal Transportation Planning Building relationships with the local providers of rail freight • Shortline Railroads • Switching Railroads • Intermodal Facilities

Important federally‐required documents • Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), 2012 • Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), 2013‐2016 • Freight Planning Progress Report series

97 MPO “Certification Document” Development

• Open & cooperative process • Must involve all major modes • Freight and passenger railroads have the opportunity to participate Tonight’s focus is on the various operators in the Central Massachusetts planning region • Current conditions, various challenges & future visions Non‐proprietary information sharing

Freight Railroads Serving the Region

98 Map of the Region’s Railroad System

National & Regional Rail Freight Carriers

• CSX Transportation Eastern US ‐ 21,000 miles

• Pan Am Railways Northern New England ‐ 750 miles

• Providence & Worcester Railroad Southern New England, 500 miles

99 2012 N.E Rail Forum & Expo: “Year of the Shortlines”

VViarious examples from the ClCentral MMhassachusetts planning region y Locally‐based providers y Periodic interactions y Continues to evolve y Range of focus areas y Considered ongoing process

East Brookfield & Spencer Railroad, 7 miles

• Performs switching operations for the New England Automotive Gateway (NEAG) • The NEAG is a modern intermodal facility serving major automotive producers • CSX has noted the NEAG as one of the most efficient automotive yards in their entire system

100 Grafton & Upton Railroad, 17 miles

• Line invigorated and restored under new ownership, serves modernized intermodal yards and line side customers • There exists strong potential for intermodal growth along the line • Railroad seeks cooperate and partner with lllocal hhtost community lldeaders hip to both inform and educate

101 MassCentral Railroad, 26 miles

• “Phoen ix Plaza ” iidndustr ilial park establis he d at SShouth Barre terminus • The South Barre intermodal yard is ideally located for rural customers, both agricultural and industrial • American Rock Salt invested in the construction of a modern salt shed, additional parcels are currently available

102 North Brookfield Railroad, 4 miles

• Never abandoned, this dormant community‐owned line is being resurrected and reconstructed • Survey work, vegetation removal and installation of track and highway crossings are forthcoming, encroachment has occurred • Strong potential exists for line side customers

103 MPO/RPA Activities & Assistance

East BBkfildrookfield & Spencer RRilailroa d

• Operator has been engaged in the regional planning process for nearly 20 years! Lines of communication maintained with host community officials • Early impact studies were reviewed by staff, particularly land use, zoning and traffic, on behalf of the host namesake communities. It took nearly a decade of planning and preparation before the NEAG site opened for business • Numerous site mitigation techniques used at the NEAG, including concrete sound barriers, earthen berms, secure perimeter fencing and gatehouse, overhead lamp pole height limitations, as well as unprecedented CSX horn blast restrictions

104 MPO/RPA Activities & Assistance

Grafton & Upton Railroad

• Revitalization and reconstruction of the line described in CMMPO’s 2012 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) document (See cmrpc.org) • Prior to new ownership, there was the strong potential for a rail trail conversion. With the rail revitalization, there is now an alternative to long distance trucking within the host communities • There is the future vision of Commuter Rail service being extended from Franklin to Hopedale, site of the 1 MSF Draper Mill building

MPO/RPA Activities & Assistance

MassCentral Railroad

• Owned mainly by the Commonwealth, staff provided limited peripheral assistance with a physical assessment of line, including maps showing all at‐ grade highway crossings and bridge structures/culverts, potential for TIP inclusion for track rehab considered by CMMPO and PVMPO • A series of “Environmental Profile” maps were prepared for the operator working in tandem with the host community of Barre, in order to help establish a “Priority Development Site” under 43D • The railroad’s terminus in South Barre is where Phoenix Plaza is located, a new industrial park with economic development potential

105 MPO/RPA Activities & Assistance

North Brookfield Railroad

• Staff provided limited peripheral assistance during the resurrection of the dormant line • A series of “Environmental Profile” maps were prepared for the Selectmen, who also serve as the railroad’s Board of Directors • Land use staff provided zoning guidance to the Selectmen, preparing for new line side industry • Potential operator working with community leadership

Other examples of potential MPO/RPA assistance and services

Full Inclusion in the Regional Transportation Planning Process • Traditionally highway‐oriented • US DOT calls for a multi‐modal and intermodal planning process • Must include freight movement providers and shippers Membership on Various Advisory & Technical Committees • CMMPO Advisory Committee ¾ Two freight railroads & Rail advocate/historian • Annual meetings of Regional Freight Advisory Group ¾ Roundtable discussions

106 Other examples of potential MPO/RPA assistance and services

National Highway System (NHS) Connector • “To the gate” planning effort • All significant intermodal facilities included, freight & passenger • Ongoing traffic volume monitoring effort “Early Consultation”: Challenges & Opportunities • Land use, zoning, traffic volume counts, heavy vehicle usage, environmental • CSX staff and consultants referenced in‐house data ¾ Modernization & expansion of the Franklin Street Intermodal Yard

Other examples of potential MPO/RPA assistance and services

107 Other examples of potential MPO/RPA assistance and services

MMieeting Host for RRiegiona l TTiransportation‐RRlelate d Events y Annual Providence & Worcester Railroad Shareholders Meeting y Annual meetings of Regional Freight Advisory Group y National Corridors Initiative, Jim RePass Broker of Multi‐Modal and Intermodal Data y Traffic volume counts y Vehlhicle cllfassification y Vehicle speeds

CMRPC Quarterly Meeting September 2012 Thank You! Questions & Commentary CMRPC Union Station Intermodal Transportation Center 2 Washington Square Worcester, MA 01604‐4016 [email protected] Rydant Direct 508‐459‐3312 CMRPC 508‐756‐7717 Fax 508‐792‐6818

108 Accomplishments & Vision

This section contains items that summarize some recent accomplishments and proposals in the area of freight and passenger movement. Key capital improvements aimed at improving the movement of freight in the planning region’s central communities are included from the Worcester Regional Mobility Study. On a broader basis, a consultant proposal for a multi‐ regional freight study, to be done in conjunction with the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC), is included. The CMRPC, at the time this document was compiled, was investigating the feasibility and funding source for such a study with state level economic development officials. Lastly, a succinct article on the need for ongoing freight planning efforts is provided.

• Report Progress: Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development, September 2012

• Worcester Regional Mobility Study (WRMS): Suggested Freight System Improvements Summary

• Central Massachusetts & the City of Worcester: Freight‐Based Economic Development Study Proposal for CMRPC & MRPC Planning Regions

• Media: “The Forgotten Urban Transportation Problem We Should be Trying to Fix”

109

Office of Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray

Report of Progress: Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development

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110 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 1

A Milestone for Massachusetts

October of 1826 marked the beginning of a transportation revolution in the United States, when freight rail cars began hauling granite blocks from the Quincy quarries to the docks on the Neponset River to then ship to Charlestown to build the Bunker Hill Monument. The three-mile-long Granite Railway, designed and built by Gridley Bryant of Scituate, was the first commercial railroad in the country and a technological achievement that prefaced the economic expansion and cultural migration that railroads would bring to America.

In October of 2012, Massachusetts will reach another milestone in the state’s history of rail operations. The completion of a far-reaching rail initiative will A 1934 photo of a preserved section of the Granite transform the state’s major interstate Railway in Quincy. Photo: Library of Congress freight rail corridor, expand passenger rail service through Middlesex and Worcester counties, improve air quality and ease congestion by reducing car and truck traffic on the highways. This initiative will also set the stage for reinstituting passenger service to the South Coast, and enable one of the most significant redevelopment projects in Boston’s history.

This report summarizes the elements of the In February of 2011, a new locomotive arrives at strategic rail initiative which will be South Station for commuter rail service. finalized through the October 2012 closing of an historic set of agreements between the Commonwealth and CSX Corporation, a national railroad carrier. This report also serves as a call to action for leaders in the public and private sectors across Massachusetts, who must take concrete steps to realize the transformational economic and community development opportunities that are enabled by the evolving rail system.

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111 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 2

Rail as Strategic Priority

Since taking office in 2007, improving the state’s transportation infrastructure has been a strategic priority of the Patrick-Murray Administration. The system of highways, bridges, seaports, airports and rail lines across the Commonwealth form the enabling network of the state’s economy, yet for too long had been neglected. Of all these transportation modes, the rail system in Massachusetts faced some of the greatest challenges due to antiquated infrastructure and underutilized rail lines. Despite these challenges, the Administration recognized the rail network had the greatest potential for transformational economic and community development because of existing, if underutilized, rail corridors.

On July 12, 2006, while still

Mayor of Worcester, Timothy Governor Deval Patrick and Lt. Governor Murray confer before the June Murray testified at a hearing of 2011 groundbreaking ceremony for CSX $100 million rail yard the Massachusetts Legislature’s improvement and expansion project in Worcester. Joint Committee on Transportation, advocating for a renewed focus on, and investments in, the state’s rail system. In his testimony that day, Murray said:

“Massachusetts is at an economic crossroads. We need to grow our economy in ways that help foster high-wage job creation, affordable housing, environmental protection and Smart Growth principles that enhance the quality of life in our communities. In this effort, our commuter rail system could play a vital role were it not suffering from deferred maintenance, unreliable service and insufficient access for many areas of the state. At the root of these problems is a lack of investment, a lack of coordination and a lack of leadership for rail issues at the state executive level.

“Transit-oriented development is essential to our state’s ability to grow over the long term. It is imperative for Massachusetts to develop and maintain an advanced intermodal transportation system, with robust levels of commuter and freight rail service, linking Boston, Worcester, Springfield and the major urban and suburban areas of the state. We should also be establishing better partnerships with our neighboring states to prioritize and complete regional infrastructure enhancements, and to lobby federal officials to develop an aggressive transportation funding plan to help pay for those needed rail investments.”

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112 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 3

Murray’s testimony helped to frame the guiding principles of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s rail initiatives. Taking a strategic approach from the start, the Administration created a new executive level rail division and launched the first comprehensive rail planning process for Massachusetts since the 1980s, and the first ever to be fully integrated with a multimodal freight analysis.

Following an extensive public process, the Massachusetts State Rail Plan was completed in September of 2010 and now serves as the Commonwealth's 20-year plan for enhancing freight and passenger rail transportation.

As part of the 20-year plan, since 2008, Massachusetts has strategically invested close to $1 billion in the state’s rail system through competitive grants, public funds and private sector capital. These investments, some ongoing, represent the most significant improvements in the Commonwealth’s rail system as a whole in decades.

For details on these investments, analysis of the rail system, and specific priorities for future improvements to support economic and community development the Massachusetts State Rail Plan is available online at: www.massdot.state.ma.us/transit/RailPlan.aspx.

Historic Compact

The Patrick-Murray Administration is investing in ongoing rail projects throughout the state including the Knowledge Corridor project in the Pioneer Valley, restoration of Springfield’s Union Station, and improvements on the rail line from Boston to Fitchburg. However, the ramifications of the compact with CSX are the most transformative. With Lieutenant Governor Murray leading the Administration’s team, working closely with municipal, state and federal officials, the Commonwealth successfully negotiated a complex set of agreements with CSX that will transfer ownership and control of approximately 92 miles of rail lines to the state and will allow for:  Expanding commuter rail service to the Metrowest/Worcester areas by taking ownership and control of the rail line between Framingham and Worcester.

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113 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 4

 Raising the railroad bridge clearances from Westborough to the New York State line to allow, for the first time in state history, the double-stacking of full-size freight containers on trains serving Massachusetts. This will increase freight capacity, reduce costs, and give Massachusetts companies better access to national and Asian markets.

 Making possible the eventual restoration of commuter rail service to the South Coast by taking ownership of the rail lines that run from Boston to New Bedford and Fall River.

 Relocating the CSX freight rail operations from the A crane used to transfer containers at the CSX rail yard in Worcester Beacon Park Yard in Boston to rail yards in Westborough, Worcester and West Springfield. This relocation will allow for the redevelopment of an 80+- acre parcel along the Charles River to serve as a new gateway district for the city.

The compact was finalized in two parts, beginning with an initial closing in June of 2010, which set the entire project in motion, including the permitting processes and infrastructure work needed to allow for the relocation of CSX operations. The second closing, scheduled for October of 2012 will complete the full transaction. In total, the Commonwealth will pay CSX $100 million for:

 37 miles of rail lines running south from Taunton to Fall River and New Bedford

 45 miles of the Framingham/Worcester Commuter Rail line between Boston and Worcester

 8 miles known as the Grand Junction, which runs from Allston, across the Charles River, through Cambridge, Charlestown, Everett and Chelsea

 2 miles known as the Boston Terminal Running Track which extends from Dorchester to South Boston, and including the West First Street Yard

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114 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 5

As part of this public-private partnership, CSX is investing $129 million at rail yards in Worcester, Westborough and West Springfield to expand and enhance freight services throughout the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth and CSX are working together to complete bridge work at 31 locations across the state, from the New York boarder to Worcester, to raise the clearance to allow for the double-stacking of full-size freight containers. Through this initiative, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation will raise clearances at 14 of those locations (public bridges) by investing $72 million and CSX is completing the work for the remaining sites at its own expense.

Worcester and Metrowest: Impact and Opportunities

Commuter Rail Service

Upon finalization of the CSX agreement, the Commonwealth will announce plans to immediately increase commuter rail service on the Framingham/Worcester line between Boston and Worcester. Since the restoration of limited commuter rail service to Worcester in 1994, the importance of linking New England’s two largest cities by passenger rail has been clear.

Demand is strong, and is expected to grow, as the increased service attracts more riders and as the Worcester and Metrowest areas of the state continue

to rapidly grow in population.

In addition to increased commuter rail service, through the finalized agreement with CSX, the Commonwealth will take Union Station in Worcester control of operations, dispatch and Photo: Rob Carlin maintenance of the entire rail corridor between Boston and Worcester, bringing a new public focus to improving reliability and on-time performance of the line.

With expanded, enhanced service, ridership on the line is projected to increase some 30 percent by 2030. Over 1/3 of those who ride the line now, board trains on stations west of Framingham. If all commuters who use the Framingham/Worcester line today instead

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115 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 6

drove cars to work each day, it would increase daily traffic on the Massachusetts Turnpike by approximately 8 percent.

Freight Rail Service

CSX is investing $100 million in Worcester to expand and modernize its operations there, and to allow for the relocation of the intermodal container operations now in Boston. This investment has created approximately 380 construction jobs, with 85 permanent jobs to remain at the yard when the project is completed.

Intermodal containers are the large cargo boxes that can travel by ship, rail or truck. The CSX yard in Worcester processes approximately 110,000 intermodal containers annually, and that number is expected to grow to 150,000 annually in the near future and 200,000 annually in the long term. This expansion and increased capacity further establishes Worcester as the freight rail hub for New England.

CSX has also invested $19 million to renovate and re-purpose its rail yard in Westborough for use as a TRANSFLO operation. The project has created approximately 106 construction jobs, with 8 full-time Expansion and modernization at CSX rail yard in Worcester permanent positions to remain in the yard. CSX has owned the Westborough yard for many years, and the site was used as an automotive rail terminal for decades. The TRANSFLO unit, which will be relocated to Westborough from Boston, receives bulk shipment of liquids like corn syrup, ethanol and industrial commodities that arrive on rail tankers and are transferred to tanker trucks for delivery to businesses that do not have a direct rail connection.

Impact on Economic and Community Development

The expansion and improvement of commuter rail service on the Framingham/Worcester line, coupled with the freight rail investments in Worcester and Westborough enable important opportunities for a wide range of economic and community development projects in Central Massachusetts and Metrowest communities.

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116 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 7

Transit oriented investments and Smart Growth developments are a reality. Today in Worcester, the existing commuter rail service and the prospect of 20 round-trip trains to Boston has been the major driving force in the realization of more than $500 million of mixed use development now underway or in final planning for downtown Worcester and surrounding neighborhoods. Similarly, the additional commuter rail service and improvements to crossings in downtown Framingham will help activate new and exciting development opportunities in Framingham, Ashland and other communities that are envisioned in several economic development studies completed by local planners.

Boston’s New Gateway: Impact and Opportunities

The stretch of land in Allston along the Charles River between Cambridge Street and Boston University’s Nickerson Field became an active rail yard in the 1890s when a shuttered horse racing track known as Beacon Park was sold to the Boston and Albany Railroad.

The area is known today as the Beacon Park Yard, operated by CSX. With the new compact requiring CSX to move its operations west, the future use of Beacon Park Yard will take a dramatic turn. The completion of the CSX compact opens up nearly 80 acres at Boston’s western gateway for transformative redevelopment.

CSX currently operates at Beacon Park Yard under the terms of a perpetual railroad easement. The land at the yard was owned by the former Massachusetts Turnpike Authority until 2003 when it sold the property to Harvard University for $75 million. The real estate was sold subject to the easements for existing and future rail yard operations and Then and now: two views of Beacon Park Yard from a similar vantage point. The photo above is circa 1930, courtesy of Brighton/Allston Historical Society. Current photo by: t55z on flicker.com September 2012

117 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 8

the Turnpike’s travel lanes, exit ramps and infrastructure that traverse the site.

It has been publically reported that Harvard University and CSX have reached an agreement in principle for the university (through a separate development arm) to buy the CSX rail easement and Harvard will take full control of the acreage once CSX operations have been relocated to Worcester and Westborough, and following the decommissioning and environmental analysis of the site.

The CSX relocation will be substantially completed in 2013, so now is the time for all the stakeholders concerned about the future use of the site to engage in a thorough and thoughtful planning process to spur economic and community development.

The Patrick-Murray Administration is committed to working closely with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, city leaders and all stakeholders to share information and plan for what will become one of the largest and most visible redevelopment opportunities in Boston’s history. The Beacon Park Yard is a strategic gateway for the city. More than 231,000 vehicles pass the site each day. The proximity to Boston University, Harvard University and the neighborhoods of Allston and Brighton, along with the remaining state transportation assets of the turnpike and the commuter rail lines that will continue to traverse the site, creates a critical mass for one of the state’s most significant transit- oriented, Smart Growth development projects.

South Coast: Impact and Opportunities

Fall River, New Bedford and Taunton are the only cities within 50 miles of Boston not currently served by commuter rail. The South Coast region as a whole is comprised of 31 cities and towns with a combined population of approximately 740,000. By 2030, the regional population is projected to grow to more than 900,000, making the South Coast one of the fastest-growing regions of the state. The completion of the CSX compact and the acquisition by the Commonwealth of 37 miles of track from Taunton south was the key enabling event that will allow for the eventual restoration of passenger rail service between Boston and the South Coast.

In parallel with the CSX negotiations, the Administration has worked with municipal, state and federal leaders to advance the complicated economic, community and environmental analyses required to facilitate building a project as significant as the South Coast rail initiative.

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118 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 9

After a thorough public process with more than 100 open meetings in the region, the Administration released the South Coast Rail Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan in June of 2009. As a consensus report, the Corridor Plan charts the way forward with detailed and location-specific analyses of the transit oriented development opportunities that will be catalyzed by the restoration of the rail service, and a program of supportive investments the Administration is targeting for the region.

In his cover letter releasing the Corridor Plan, Governor Deval Patrick wrote:

“To maximize the economic benefits of the South Coast Rail project it is not enough just to reestablish transit connections between the South Coast cities of Fall River, New Bedford, and Taunton with Boston. We must plan intentionally and thoughtfully to ensure this investment in transportation catalyzes job creation and housing and encourages this new development to happen in the right places to revitalize our Gateway cities and downtowns.

“The Plan calls for creating great places at the new stations – places full of vitality and diversity. By clustering jobs and homes close to the stations through transit-oriented development and “greening” the stations by encouraging renewable energy on site, new neighborhoods will be created. The Plan also identifies priorities for land protection, which will preserve the farms, fields, and forests in every city and town. Protecting working farms, cranberry bogs, habitat, rivers and wetlands is not only important for ecological reasons, but for economic reasons. This rich landscape is central to the South Coast’s quality of life and long-term competitive advantage in the economy.” On Nov. 29, 2011, MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey joined local and regional officials to celebrate the The South Coast Rail Economic Development successful completion of a $20 million project to reconstruct three structurally-deficient rail bridges in and Land Use Corridor Plan is available online at: New Bedford that are critical to moving the South Coast www.southcoastrail.com/corridor.html. Rail project forward.

All this time, effort and energy has moved the prospect of South Coast commuter rail

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119 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 10

restoration from a wishful idea to a work-in-progress. Furthermore, the restoration of rail lines in the region will enhance freight rail service across the South Coast, which could be coordinated with short-sea shipping opportunities from the region’s ports.

To continue progress on this project, the years ahead will require sustained engagement, not only from state government, but from the region’s leadership, both public and private. The Patrick-Murray Administration looks forward to working with community members, local elected officials and the state legislature in the coming months to determine how best to fund South Coast Rail and other important transportation projects.

Double-Stacking Freight Rail

The Massachusetts rail network is composed of approximately 1,153 route miles of active rail lines, supporting both passenger and freight rail services. In 2007, 17.9 million tons of freight originated, terminated or passed through Massachusetts on rail, while in that same year 239 million tons of freight traveled along Massachusetts’ highways by truck. The Commonwealth is also the freight rail gateway for New England, with nearly 40 percent of all freight rail tonnage in the region passing through Massachusetts.

For many classes of freight, rail shipment is a cost-effective and efficient alternative to trucking. Throughout most of the country, freight travels in containers that are double- stacked on flatbed rail cars. In Massachusetts, the age of the state’s rail network has been an impediment for double-stacking because of the bridges and tunnels across the state lack A CSX double-stacked freight train in New York clearance for two containers to Photo: Mike Flannery pass stacked.

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120 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 11

CSX carries the vast majority of interstate freight rail bound for Massachusetts on double-stacked freight rail cars up until its facilities in Selkirk and Syracuse, New York. Because Massachusetts has not been able to support double-stacking, the double- stacked cars are disassembled or “filleted” in New York and placed on a train one at a time so freight can travel through Massachusetts. This process adds significant time and cost to interstate freight rail service for Massachusetts.

Through the CSX agreement with Massachusetts, the Commonwealth and CSX have partnered to raise the clearance on 31 bridges from the New York State line to Worcester, allowing full scale double-stacking of containers shipped to Massachusetts. During this construction process, the state was responsible for raising clearances on publically owned bridges, while CSX lowered rail beds in other areas to allow for the 20 feet 8 inches in height needed for double-stacked shipments.

The bridge clearance work will dramatically increase the Commonwealth’s freight capacity, providing Massachusetts companies more efficient and cost effective shipment options and easing the burden of increased truck traffic on highways.

Studies indicate shipping bulk goods by rail requires less fuel per mile of tonnage hauled. Therefore, as Massachusetts increases its freight rail usage, it limits the number of trucks on the road and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. According to analysis in the Massachusetts State Rail Plan, the opportunity to double-stack freight containers on the CSX rail line, and similar strategic investments in other areas of the network over the next 20 years, will divert 296,800 truck trips from the state’s highways.

# # #

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121 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 12

Next Steps

By finalizing the agreement between CSX and the Commonwealth this October, Massachusetts overcomes the final hurdle in a long, complicated strategic public-private initiative. More importantly, however, it marks the beginning of a new era for freight and passenger rail service in Massachusetts.

It is now imperative for municipal, state and federal leadership, along with the business community and local organizations to remain engaged to fully leverage the positive economic and community development impact that will be enabled by the improving and expanded rail system.

Specifically, the Patrick-Murray Administration is committed to:

Boston

 Work closely with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, business and institutional partners, and all stakeholders to facilitate a comprehensive public planning process for the redevelopment of the Beacon Park Yard to achieve a maximum positive impact for the city and the Commonwealth.

Worcester

 Partner with public and private leadership in Worcester to help advance continued transit-oriented development around Union Station, an intermodal hub (City Square, Canal District, Shrewsbury Street Corridor etc.)  Pursue important economic growth and job creation opportunities enabled by the expansion of the CSX yard and the double-stacking capabilities in sectors including packaging, distribution, warehouse/logistics and light manufacturing at both existing and new companies.  Finalize the draft Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Worcester and the city’s business development groups to begin an aggressive and sustained business sector and industry outreach program to market new opportunities created by improved rail initiatives and promote new investment and job creation across the region.

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122 Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development 13

Framingham/Metrowest

 Collaborate with Westborough leadership, public and private, to maximize the positive impact of enhanced passenger rail service and the TRANSFLO operation.  Continue to work with Framingham officials to make infrastructure investments to mitigate downtown traffic on Routes 126 and 135.  Work with municipal officials, legislators and regional planners to develop and implement a transit-oriented economic and community development plan for downtown Framingham.

South Coast

 Partner with the elected and private sector leadership of New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton and all 31 communities in the South Coast region to help build consensus around a comprehensive transportation funding plan for Massachusetts that includes the South Coast Rail project and continue the related public investments identified in the Corridor Plan.  Continue to work with the federal legislative delegation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to finalize the South Coast Rail route location.

Western Massachusetts

 Continue to work with Western Massachusetts business organizations, elected and appointed government officials, as well as regional planning organizations to implement and fully leverage rail investments along the Knowledge Corridor rail project (http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/knowledgecorridor/)  Explore the feasibility of morning and evening MBTA commuter rail service between Springfield and Boston.

-END-

Photo credits: unless otherwise noted, photos are from the Governor’s Office

September 2012

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Alternative 21 – Freight System Enhancements

Alternative 21 is geared toward freight system enhancements to improve the movement of truck traffic. Specific recommendations include:

 Implement a signage plan on I-290 to the Worcester intermodal yards; consider planned expansion of the CSX intermodal facility on Franklin Street for signage plan;  Investigate the feasibility of removing regional through trucks that are currently routed through Kelley Square by providing a new bypass (Figure 4-21); the bypass would include upgrades to existing roadways (Winter Street), intersection reconfiguration (Posner Square, Grafton Street/Winter Street/Water Street), and new roadway alignment extending Winter Street to Madison Street/Route 122; and  Expand the tandem-truck lot at I-90/MassPike Interchange 11 (Route 122) by relocating the park-n-ride facility to I-90 Interchange 10A (Route 146).

Figure 4-21 Alternative 21 – Potential Kelley Square Bypass/signed Route 122 corridor

 Recommendation – Retain Alternative 21 for further consideration and study. Coordinate freight system enhancements with the enhancements associated with the planned expansion of the CSX intermodal facility on Franklin Street.

\\Mawatr\ts\10640.00\reports\WRMS_Final_R eport_v3ls.doc 4-32 Alternatives Development and Screening 124 125 Central Massachusetts and The City of Worcester Freight-Based Economic Development

ISSUES AND BEST PRACTICES

September 13, 2012 I NTRODUCTION About us CWS Consulting Group CWS Consulting is a member of the Investment Consulting Associates Global

Network

Locations in: • North America • Latin America • Europe

126 • Asia

Services: • Corporate Location Selection • Incentives Negotiation • Investment Advisory • Economic Development

Real estate is a strategic asset. Each and every new location decision carries cost, workforce, and other implications. We provide our clients with the insight needed to quickly build solutions which are flexible enough to evolve with the company’s changing needs.

CSX AND THE CITY OF WORCESTER C

CSX Investment in Worcester Intermodal Terminal URRENT

• 23 acre terminal expansion

• Wide span cranes ITUATION • Increasing capacity with fewer, more productive intermodal trains: Double-Stacks

• Began 1H 2011 for completion in 2013 • Continuous operation 128 • Joined to enlarged double-stack network  Implications: transformational

Source: CSX

Double-Stack Intermodal Trains Have a Major Cost Advantage ARKET

S IGNIFICANCE

129

Double-Stack has significantly lower cost: • Than single-stack intermodal • Than over-the-road trucking at longer distance

Source: University of TN

Cost Advantage is Coming to New England via Worcester ARKET

Double-Stack intermodal trains are entering New

England for the first time S IGNIFICANCE • CSX-MassDOT vertical clearance improvements bring double-stack service ending at Worcester • MassDOT TIGER grant promises double-stack

service to Ayer on NS-CP-PAR • But years later, and not direct  Implication: long term advantage at 130 Worcester

Source: MassDOT Source: CSX

Supply Chains are Looking for Fresh Cost Advantage ARKET

Asian wage differential narrowing

while transport costs rise O • Sourcing logic changing PPORTUNITY • Cost reductions sought Supply chains rethinking design • Decision factors: time to market,

delivered cost, labor content, risk • Production and distribution 131 locations subject to change Source: McKinsey  Implication: market is in flux; Worcester has a new and sustainable cost advantage

A New Case for New England Distribution and Manufacturing ARKET

Worcester has become a low cost

transportation location for: O • Inbound regional distribution for PPORTUNITY New England • Some outbound national shipping for local manufacturing

This core advantage amplified by: • Proximity to consumer markets • Access to multidirectional 132 interstate highways New England Population Density  Implication: prime opportunity to become the distribution hub of the region

HOW WILL THIS IMPACT INVESTMENT DECISIONS? L Location Process OCATION

The Location Process allows for progressive testing and narrowing of TRATEGY alternatives based on business drivers

Field Validation

134 Final Negotiations Planning and Network Location and Strategy Modeling Screening Location Selection

Cost Modeling Defined Strategy Universe of Short-List of and Evaluation Criteria Location Candidates Location Candidates

Preferred and Alternate Location(s)

Ability to Access Key Markets or Customers S TRATEGY

Interaction with Transportation Network

Labor and Workforce Increasing degree of Total Cost Environment importance

135 Availability and Cost of Suitable Facilities

Utilities

Permitting and Regulation

Tax Environment

Public Sector Assistance and Incentives

Climate and Natural Hazards

NCFRP Report 13 – Economic and Transportation Drivers Impacting Location EPORT Decisions

 Inform the public sector about the 13

complexity of the various facility types and the role they play

136  Inform public-sector planners and decision makers about key criteria that the private sector considers when siting logistics facilities,

 Enhance the potential for successful projects.

• Bring benefit to the community • Avoid impact to community • Serve private sector needs

POSSIBLE IMPACTS FOR CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS C

What Targets? APTURING

Identifying the Market Opportunity

CSX and a proactive policy on freight and industrial development would place THE Central Mass high on the list of areas with good market access, a lower cost labor

force, proximity to R&D functions, and strong infrastructure. This could have O implications for attracting: PPORTUNITY

• Freight Forwarding • Foreign Trade activities 138 • Food Production/Processing • Skilled Manufacturing • Plastics • Assembly and Customization • Support functions (both blue- and white-collar) Examining freight flows, talent base, and other factors will allow a cleaner view of the possible targets and will suggest ways in which to capture these

Landing the Opportunity APTURING

Massachusetts Freight/Rail Plan • The Freight/Rail plan – developed slightly before the CSX broke ground - already

identified several Central MA locations ideal for future growth THE

O PPORTUNITY 139

Public Sector Strategy APTURING

Benefits of Proactivity

• Diversification and revitalization of local and regional economy THE • Redevelopment and use of older industrial areas/properties

• Job and investment growth PPORTUNITY • Possible reinvigoration of local manufacturing base • Effective leverage of appropriate transportation channels • Industrial “Smart Growth” 140

Risks of Inaction • Traffic and congestion • Competition for land use, or conflicts on adjacent land uses • Safety and environmental concerns • Minimal job growth • Overreliance on warehouse sector alone without ancillary development • Little growth of local tax base • Local cost with little benefit

WORCESTER AND CENTRAL MASS NEXT STEPS S What can Worcester and Central Mass Do UGGESTED

Plan for Freight as a Key Economic Development Enabler

 Questions to ask CTIONS

• Where does Central Mass lie within the freight network?

• Which facility types and functions best match the location and characteristics of the region? 142 • What strengths do Worcester and its regional partners have that help give us a competitive edge?

• What are the benefits and costs?

 Understanding of freight location drivers = ability to plan and position effectively

 Understanding of community outcomes (both positive and negative) can lead to higher quality decisions

 Develop regional and local dialogue on the role of freight in planning, A and economic development CTIONS

 Educate and engage residents and the business community on costs, benefits, and goals for freight development

143

A  Understand the Market opportunities and pressures CTIONS

 Develop and communicate a vision for local/regional development and strategies to convert that vision into reality

 Coordinate economic development, land use, transportation planning 144

 Identify appropriate sites and areas for freight facility development

 Build effective zoning, regulatory and incentive policies

Christopher Steele [email protected] 145 Telephone: 617-314-6527

• Eric Jaffe • May 22, 2013

Reuters

In the grand scheme of urban mobility, it's easy to lose track of commercial freight movement. Commuters are the primary source of traffic coming into and out of the city, and parking causes much of the street-to-street congestion within it. Fact is, says transport scholar Genevieve Giuliano of the University of Southern California, it's so easy to forget about freight that metropolitan areas have done so for years — at their own peril.

"Any of us who live in cities and metropolitan areas are very dependent on urban freight, because that's how all of the goods and services we purchase get here," says Giuliano. "It's fascinating to me that it's never been a part of city planning."

The consequence of this historical oversight is that handling cargo has become the "newest urban transportation problem," according to Giuliano. While cities have been places of trade and exchange for as long as they've existed, planners have only recently begun to give freight its due consideration. Even the new wave of smart growth strategies — with its emphasis on reduced

146 road capacity as well as mixed-use development — has created some unintended complications for commercial movement.

"The more that you follow these types of strategies without thinking about how freight actually gets delivered, the more problems you're going to generate," Giuliano says.

Giuliano boils these problems down into three categories. The first is what she calls the "metro core" problem: essentially the congestion and double-parking that occurs in city centers when trucks aren't well-managed during the first and last mile of delivery. The second is the environmental impact of moving freight through the metro area. And the third is the hub dilemma — the additional layer of commercial traffic that accrues at international nodes like Los Angeles (for port shipping) or Chicago (for rail freight).

Recently Giuliano and some colleagues conducted an international survey of best practices in urban freight management. What they found, for the most part, was that cities outside the United States tend to be handling the problem best.

Paris, for instance, is way ahead of the curve when it comes to experimenting with potential solutions to freight congestion. The city's most ambitious program may be its model of consolidating shipments outside the metro area then shipping them into the city center for redistribution. The plan isn't perfect — for one thing, handling goods an extra time increases costs — but it does address the classic urban freight problem of partly full trucks taking up space on city roads.

147 London, meanwhile, recently established a low-emissions zone in the metro area. The zone targeted the worst environmental offenders, including heavy diesel trucks, and the early results are at least a little encouraging. One new study found a measurable change in fleet quality as well as a small improvement in air quality.

At the same time, it's unclear whether some of these progressive international strategies would transfer well to the United States. Government-imposed ideas like low-emission zones or road pricing haven't been embraced by American cities to date. What's more, says Giuliano, interstate commerce is protected so strongly at the national level that localities would have a hard time imposing any freight regulations on their own.

For that reason, Giuliano believes the most promising approach to freight problems in U.S. cities will be pacts negotiated directly with companies and operators. So even though Los Angeles can't impose regulations on ocean vessels, its port has developed a program that rewards compliance with emissions reduction and clean vehicles. And even though other cities might not be able to require electric trucks in downtown areas, they could offer attractive loading zone accommodations as a form of enticement.

"As states we can't impose regulations because of protection, so the next best thing is to have these negotiations to see what we can accomplish by providing incentives," says Giuliano. "The models we see in Europe, they're always initiated by government, but essentially they're partnerships: 'We have a problem, let's figure out how we're going to solve it.' "

148 Statewide Freight Flow Information Summary

This section contains a series of informative charts that were produced using the results of the Massachusetts statewide multimodal freight planning study that was completed in the recent past. These locally‐produced visuals enhance the findings from the statewide efforts and allow for a better understanding of the scope of freight movement. They cover commodity flows and shipping methods and are presented along with some introductory text.

149 Greater Area Freight Flows

The recently‐completed MassDOT Freight Plan revealed a great deal of current information with respect to freight flows in the Commonwealth. Much of the pertinent summarized fact is displayed in the charts and graphics in Figures 2 through 15. The many commodities which flow in and out of Massachusetts are displayed by mode of transit and my import/export status. Visuals that show a split of freight by region of origin and destination show that the Central Massachusetts area is second only to the greater Boston region with regard to shipping activity. Additionally, splits by mode of travel by region show that rail is a relatively large and growing share of the freight transport activity occurring locally, while, certainly, truck transport continues to capture the greatest share of all.

These facts and figures point out the need to keep vital road conditions maintained, and to persistently address congestion and bottlenecks, so that the lifeline of the region’s supply chain, individual trucking, is not hobbled. Ideally, trucking concerns will share the responsibility to build an efficient future by working together with planners to describe and derive best routes and methods for their transport activities.

With freight rail becoming an increasingly important and more feasible, environmentally‐ friendly way of moving goods, the need to preserve and enhance rail links and potential intermodal interface areas is seen as an important part of building an improved, modern system of transportation for goods as well as for the commuters who consume them.

150

Figure 2 Top Ten Truck Movements by Commodity in Millions of Tons, 2007

151 Figure 3 Top Ten Rail Movements by Commodity in Thousands of Tons, 2007

152 Figure 4 Top Ten Massachusetts Commodities by value in Millions of Dollars, 2007

153 Figure 5 Top Ten Massachusetts Commodities for All Modes in Millions of Tons, 2007

154 Figure 6 Top Ten Commodities Internal to Massachusetts for All Modes (Millions of Tons), 2007

155 Figure 7 Top Ten Commodities Inbound from Massachusetts for All Modes (Millions of Tons), 2007

156 Figure 8 Top Ten Commodities Outbound from Massachusetts for All Modes (Millions of Tons), 2007

157 Figure 9 Top Ten Commodities Passing Through Massachusetts for All Modes (Millions of Tons), 2007

158 Figure 10 Outbound Shipments by Region of Origin (Percent by Commodity Tonnage)

159 Figure 11 Internal Commodities by Region of Origin

160 Figure 12 Domestic Outbound Shipments and International Exports (Percent Value by Mode)

161 Figure 13 Domestic Inbound Shipments and International Exports (Percent Value by Mode)

162 Figure 14 Inbound/Outbound Shipments by Region

163 Figure 15 Top Ten Truck Origin-Destination Pairs (Millions of Tons), 2007

164 Proposed Boston MPO Freight Program November 2013

Released in November of 2013 in anticipation of inclusion in the next local UPWP, Boston’s proposed program would seek to embark on regional freight planning effort with a focus on greater area trucking activities. While prepared for consideration by the Boston MPO, it demonstrates how an ongoing, structured and funded freight planning program might be designed.

165 166 167 Rhode Island Statewide Railroad Plan: Introduction

CMRPC planning staff monitors the transportation planning activities of adjacent MPOs in the adjoining states of CT and RI as recommended by US DOT. As part of that effort, staff participated in the Advisory Committee established for the Rhode Island‐based statewide railroad study. Rhode Island aims to sustain the state’s economic competitiveness in both the local and world markets by maintaining existing railroad infrastructure while planning ongoing incremental improvements.

Conducted by the Office for Statewide Planning located in the RI DOT building in Providence, the study report’s “Introduction” is included here.

168

Rhode Island

State Rail Plan 2014

Department of Administration State Guide Plan Element 661 Division of Planning

Statewide Planning Program December 2013

169 Rhode Island State Rail Plan

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

STATE RAIL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Corey Bobba, Federal Highway Administration Paul O’Mara, Amtrak

Jeff Broadhead, Washington Regional Planning Council James Repass, National Corridors Initiative

Michael Cassidy, Blackstone Valley Partnership Rich Rydant, Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission Scott Conti, Providence & Worcester Railroad Jonathan Stevens, Office of the Governor Tina Dolen, Aquidneck Island Planning Commission Everett Stuart, RI Association of Railroad Passengers Les Fiorenzo, Federal Railroad Administration Mark Therrien, Rhode Island Public Transit Authority John Flaherty, Grow Smart RI & Coalition for Transportation Choices Katherine Trapani, Quonset Development Corporation

Martina Haggerty, City of Providence Michael Walker, Rhode Island Commerce Corporation

Stephen Jones, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Joanne Weinstock, Federal Transit Administration Authority

Paul Mission, Southeastern (Massachusetts) Regional Planning & Economic Development District

vii

170 Chapter 1 Introduction

171 Rhode Island State Rail Plan

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE RAIL SYSTEM’S ROLE IN RHODE ISLAND

Rail in Rhode Island dates back to 1832 when the New York, Providence, and Boston Railroad initiated a combined passenger rail and ferry service that connected Boston to New York along the Shoreline Corridor via Providence and Stonington, Connecticut. Almost 14 years later, in 1846, freight rail service was initiated in Rhode Island by the Providence & Worcester Railroad, which transported goods from the textile factories in the Blackstone Valley to the Port of Providence for further distribution. By the 1890s the railroads in the northeast experienced a series of consolidations and mergers resulting in the formation of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad (commonly known as the New Haven). For many years Rhode Island would have rail service provided by the New Haven. Though poor management plagued the company almost from the moment of its inception in 1892, it pioneered some innovations, such as the four-track right-of-way, that remain important parts of the modern rail infrastructure.

In-state rail transit service in Rhode Island can be traced back to 1865 when the privately-owned Union Railroad began operating a horse-railroad system. During the next decade, as demand grew, this transit system expanded into Providence’s suburbs. The electric trolley car debuted in 1889 and by the 1890s this type of trolley was operating mostly in the suburbs. The Union Railroad became the Rhode Island Company in 1902 and took on the task of linking utility companies with railway operations. Just four years later, in 1906, the aforementioned New Haven Railroad acquired the Rhode Island Company, but was later forced to divest it as a result of an anti-trust action. The resulting company was reorganized in 1921 as the United Electric Railways (UER). The UER oversaw the transit system’s daily rail trolley and bus operations in Rhode Island. At this time the state also became involved in transit, placing the system under the regulatory authority of the public utilities commission and making it eligible for certain tax exemptions. In 1926, the New England Power Company purchased the UER and a holding company, the Rhode Island Service Company, then took over the operations of the transit system, but the onset of the Great Depression in 1930 stopped service improvements. Service reductions soon followed and ridership and revenue fell.

Despite a bump in ridership and revenue as a result of gas rationing during the World Wars, it was clear by the 1950s that rail services of all kinds were in trouble, a trend which was exacerbated by the construction and expansion of the interstate highway system from the late 1950s to the late 1990s. This competition significantly reduced railroad revenues, and as a result rail facilities suffered from deferred maintenance and the quality of service declined, leading to poor conditions and inefficient operations. In an effort to save public transit in Rhode Island, the UER was reconsolidated as the United Transit Company (UTC), which actively replaced intra-state rail services with gas and diesel bus services in order to reduce costs. The result was even lower ridership and weak revenues. The replacement of UTC with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) in 1964 caused a nearly immediate halt to this trend, and began a slow climb in investment and ridership that continues through the present.

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172 Rhode Island State Rail Plan

At the same time that intra-state transit was undergoing its rough transition from rail-based private firms to publicly owned bus transit, the New Haven was undergoing a similar transition. Despite innovations like a four-track main line, the company was plagued for years by mismanagement. In 1968 the New Haven joined the massive consolidation that created the short-lived Penn Central Railway. The bankruptcy of this company in 1970 was the largest in the nation's history, and finally galvanized the federal government to enact two major pieces of legislation: the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 and the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976. These laws consolidated the nation's rail system into Conrail, which carries freight, and Amtrak, which carries passengers. Despite its checkered past, many of the New Haven's tracks and rights-of-way continue to be used in the routes of these two companies, and its use of a four-track right-of-way paved the way for the success of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor (NEC).

Since the low point of the 1970s rail passenger service has stabilized, due to federal and state actions, and investments have begun that led to vastly improved service along the NEC. While these improvements have yet to reach a truly satisfactory level, a continuing series of investments, such as the replacement of wood ties with concrete and the electrification of the main line between New Haven, Connecticut and Boston, Massachusetts, has enabled Amtrak to begin its high-speed Acela service, significantly reducing travel times between Washington, DC and Boston. Rhode Island is host to one of the two segments on the NEC between Boston and New York City in which Amtrak’s Acela trains reach travel speeds of 150 mph. The renovations of both Rhode Island’s Kingston and Westerly Amtrak stations were also completed in support of this high speed rail service by providing space for other trains to pull off the mainline, allowing Acela trains to travel through at high speeds. From any point in Rhode Island it is estimated that residents are not more than 30 miles or a 45-minute drive from a NEC intercity passenger station. From the NEC, riders can connect to any major city in the United States through Amtrak’s hub in New York City at Penn Station.

In addition, commuter rail service, although currently serving primarily the northeast portion of the state, plays a critical role in connecting Rhode Island residents to employment markets, and provides a means to access other modes of transportation such as the state’s T.F. Green Airport and the bus transit system. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has constructed several projects in recent years to support the expansion of commuter rail service in the state. In 2006, a new rail layover facility was opened in Pawtucket for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). The Pawtucket layover facility enabled Rhode Island to receive a full complement of trains to serve the Providence Station and allowed the MBTA to close its outdated layover facility in Attleboro, Massachusetts (East Junction). Commuter rail service, which continues to expand its reach in the state, provides these services in an efficient and environmentally sustainable manner.

Rail freight service in Rhode Island also continues to play a central role in the state’s economic development and growth. After surviving the bankruptcy of the region’s railroads in the 1960s and 1970s and the resulting consolidation of the rail network, the quality of rail freight service and traffic levels have both increased significantly in recent years. Much of the recent success of Rhode Island’s utilization of rail to move goods is on account of RIDOT’s completion of the Freight Rail Improvement Project (FRIP) in 2006. Construction of this project added a third, 22 mile track along the NEC from the

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173 Rhode Island State Rail Plan

junction of the Providence & Worcester Railroad’s main line at the Boston Switch in Central Falls to the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown, thereby providing a dedicated track for freight and commuter rail operations in a key corridor of Rhode Island. Improvements to the condition and capability of freight service in Rhode Island have played a direct role in the revitalization and expansion of the Ports of Providence and Davisville, and provide a competitive and cost effective means of transportation to many other businesses and industries in the State.

This State Rail Plan describes the role of Rhode Island’s passenger and freight rail system, and outlines the public benefits related to existing rail service and the need for coordinated passenger and freight rail planning in the future. In addition to the federal mandates this rail plan addresses, the plan also details current and future freight and passenger rail needs of the state’s residents and businesses.

1.2 FEDERAL MANDATE FOR STATE RAIL PLANS

The 1990 Rhode Island State Rail Plan and 1993 Rhode Island Freight Rail Plan were both approved under a prior federal process which required the development of a state plan to detail the rail system within a state’s borders including both passenger and freight rail services. This process was, however, primarily focused on the freight rail network and funding to support improvements to freight rail service, and did not address the massive economic changes that rail has undergone in the last two decades.

The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA), passed by the U.S. Congress in 2008, was written with the expressed intent of improving passenger rail service in the United States by taking a more balanced approach to state rail plans. The Act re-authorized Amtrak and appropriated funds for both Amtrak and individual states to improve rail passenger service, operations, and facilities. One of the features of the legislation is the requirement that states applying for federal rail passenger funding have an approved state rail plan. The Act also contained new rail plan requirements.

State rail plan requirements in the PRIIA legislation include the following: • An identification of rail infrastructure issues that reflects consultation with the public and relevant stakeholders • A review and inventory of all rail lines in the state and an analysis of the role of rail transportation within a multimodal environment • A statement of the state’s passenger rail service objectives for routes in the state and a description of the framework for implementing public initiatives • A statement of public financing issues for rail projects and service in the state

The expansion of both freight and passenger rail service in the Northeast since the 1990 passage of the last State Rail Plan also creates the need for the State to have an updated plan to reflect the current and future rail system both in Rhode Island and in the region. This 2014 State Rail Plan will provide an accurate guide for continued investment in and development of the state’s rail system.

This State Rail Plan was developed to comply with Chapter 227 of PRIIA and is based upon the November 2009 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) State Rail

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174 Rhode Island State Rail Plan

Planning Best Practices, and the March 2010 AASHTO Standing Committee on Rail Transportation Preliminary State Rail Plan Outline. Transportation 2035, Rhode Island’s long range surface transportation plan, the 1990 Rhode Island State Rail Plan, and the 1993 Rhode Island Freight Rail Plan served as the basis for developing the goals, objectives, policies, implementation actions, and performance measures for this plan.

1.3 COORDINATION WITH THE NATIONAL RAIL PLAN

In addition to the requirement of state rail plans, PRIIA directed the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to develop a Preliminary National Rail Plan to address the rail needs of the United States. PRIIA also directed FRA to provide assistance to states in developing their rail plans to ensure that the federal long-range National Rail Plan will be consistent with approved state rail plans. The Preliminary National Plan, published in 2009, provided objectives for rail as a means of improving the performance of the U.S. transportation system. The Preliminary National Plan’s objectives include the following:

• Increase passenger and freight performance • Integrate all transportation modes to form a more complementary transportation system • Identify projects of national significance • Provide increased public awareness

These national objectives are consistent with the views and objectives of the State of Rhode Island.

FRA, in preparing the Final National Rail Plan, will examine passenger and freight corridors running through and between states. FRA will utilize state rail plans to develop the blueprint for an efficient national rail system which meets both regional and national goals.

Rhode Island anticipates that it will provide input to the development of the Final National Rail Plan, which will help to shape policies and to define future programs, as well as supply information on state and regional level infrastructure and operating constraints which are necessary to complete a strategic, long-range plan.

This document was developed by the Rhode Island Division of Planning’s Statewide Planning Program in close coordination with Rhode Island Department of Transportation. It meets the requirements set forth in the legislation and public law, and is intended to serve as Rhode Island’s State Rail Plan. The plan represents a compendium of recent rail studies supplemented by additional analysis and investigation as required to meet federal requirements.

1.4 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GOALS

Congress enacted the multiyear federal transportation authorization, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) in July of 2012. MAP-21 includes U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant funding for new and expanded rail systems, a number of provisions to improve the condition and performance of the national freight network, and support for investments in freight- related surface transportation projects. According to the legislation, MAP-21 will:

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175 Rhode Island State Rail Plan

• Strengthen America’s highways • Establish a performance-based program • Create jobs and supports economic growth • Support the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) aggressive safety agenda • Streamline Federal highway transportation programs • Accelerate project delivery and promotes innovation

MAP-21 sets set out national goals that State’s and MPO’s must support as they craft their intermodal transportation programs. These goal areas include:

• Safety - Significantly reduce transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries. • Infrastructure Condition - Maintain transportation infrastructure in a state of good repair. • System Reliability - Improve the efficiency of the transportation system. • Congestion Reduction - Significantly reduce congestion on the NHS. • Freight Movements & Economic Vitality – Improve national freight network, strengthen rural communities ability to access national and international trade markets, and support regional economic development. • Environmental Sustainability – Enhance the performance of the transportation system while protecting and enhancing the natural environment. • Reduce Project Delivery Delays - Reduce project costs, promote jobs and the economy, and expedite the movement of people and goods by accelerating project completion through eliminating delays in the project development and delivery process, including reducing regulatory burdens and improving agencies’ work practices

These goal areas serve as the framework for Rhode Island’s State Rail Plan goals, objectives, policies, and implementation actions as well as the evaluation and listing of specific projects.

By providing information on planned and potential future rail service improvements and expansion and their related benefits, this State Rail Plan will not only meet the spirit and requirements of federal planning initiatives, but more important, it will set the direction of the state’s rail passenger and freight services for the next two decades.

Chapter 1: Introduction 1-5

176