Technical Memo #1: Infrastructure and Operations Assessment PERIOD COVERED JAN-JULY 2014 Prepared by the Olsson Associates Team Prepared for the Montana Department of Transportation 10.27.2014 Technical Memo #1 | Infrastructure and Operations Assessment TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 1. Report No. 1 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date October 27, 2014 Great Northern Corridor SWOT Analysis – Technical Memorandum #1 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. 1 Olsson Associates Parsons Brinckerhoff The Beckett Group 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. Olsson Associates th 2111 S. 67 Street, Suite 200 11. Contract or Grant No. Omaha, NE 68106 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Research Programs Type: Technical Memorandum Montana Department of Transportation Period Covered: January 2014-July 2014 2701 Prospect Avenue PO Box 201001 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 5401 Helena MT 59620-1001 15. Supplementary Notes Research performed in cooperation with the Montana Department of Transportation and the US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. 16. Abstract For the Great Northern Corridor Coalition, the Olsson Associates team is conducting a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis of the Great Northern Corridor. Technical Memorandum #1 serves as The Great Northern Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Assessment Report and provides a comprehensive description of the GNC from a freight multimodal infrastructure and operations perspective. Following are the primary GNC elements included in the report: • The existing Class I railway line operated by BNSF Railway between Chicago, Illinois and Duluth, Minnesota on the east, and Portland Oregon, Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, B.C. on the west. • Primary highways, railways, waterways and pipelines connecting with or intersecting the BNSF that serve as feeder systems or distribution systems for cargo moving across the GNC. • Intermodal facilities that support the exchange of cargo between modes within the Corridor. • Border facilities that support cargo movements on the GNC PAGE ii Technical Memo #1 | Infrastructure and Operations Assessment This memo is organized into seven primary sections: 1. A Great Northern Corridor (GNC) Overview 2. General Features of the GNC 3. Overview of Modes 4. GNC Highway System 5. GNC Port Facilities 6. GNC Railway Network 7. GNC Terminal and Other Customer Facilities 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Unrestricted. This document is available through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 21161. 19. Security Classif. (of this 21. No. of Pages 22. Price report) 20. Security Classif. (of this 88 Unclassified page) Unclassified Disclaimer Statement This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the interest of information exchange. The State of Montana and the United States assume no liability for the use or misuse of its contents. The contents of this document reflect the views of the authors, who are solely responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or official policies of MDT or the USDOT. The State of Montana and the United States do not endorse products of manufacturers. This document does not constitute a standard, specification, policy or regulation. PAGE iii Technical Memo #1 | Infrastructure and Operations Assessment Table of Contents Introduction and Purpose of Document ..................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: Great Northern Corridor (GNC) Overview ............................................................................................. 2 Chapter 2: General Features of the Great Northern Corridor ................................................................................... 3 State Demographics ............................................................................................................................................... 3 State Economies ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 Cities and Economic Centers ................................................................................................................................. 7 Tribal Lands ........................................................................................................................................................... 8 GNC “Zones of Influence” .................................................................................................................................... 8 Border Crossings .................................................................................................................................................. 10 Chapter 3: Great Northern Corridor Modes ............................................................................................................ 11 Modal Overviews ................................................................................................................................................. 11 Chapter 4: Great Northern Corridor Highway Network ......................................................................................... 19 Key Roadways ..................................................................................................................................................... 19 Operational Characteristics .................................................................................................................................. 22 Highway Freight Performance ............................................................................................................................. 31 Chapter 5: Great Northern Corridor Port Facilities................................................................................................. 34 Ports Served/Location .......................................................................................................................................... 34 Pacific Coast Port Profiles (GNC Coalition Members) ....................................................................................... 35 Inland Port Profiles (GNC Coalition Members) .................................................................................................. 37 Great Lakes Port Profiles ..................................................................................................................................... 37 Chapter 6: Great Northern Corridor Rail System .................................................................................................... 39 BNSF ................................................................................................................................................................... 41 BNSF Corridors of Commerce ............................................................................................................................ 42 BNSF GNC Mileages and Traffic ........................................................................................................................ 42 BNSF Services ..................................................................................................................................................... 43 Network ............................................................................................................................................................... 46 Crossings .............................................................................................................................................................. 54 Great Northern Corridor At-Grade Crossings ...................................................................................................... 57 Regional and Short Line Railroads ...................................................................................................................... 58 Passenger Rail Service ......................................................................................................................................... 65 PAGE iv Technical Memo #1 | Infrastructure and Operations Assessment Chapter 7: Corridor Investment Examples ............................................................................................................... 71 BNSF Corridor Investment Examples ................................................................................................................. 71 State Grant Program Examples ............................................................................................................................ 73 Federal Funding Awards ...................................................................................................................................... 73 GNC 2014 Rail TIGER Applications .................................................................................................................. 81 Chapter 8: Terminals and Multi-Modal Customer Facilities .................................................................................. 83 Intermodal (Container and Trailer) .....................................................................................................................