In Chicago and in cities across Ame...

In Chicago and in cities across America, soaring combustibles costs and worsening gridlock are like a one-two perforate hitting drivers this summer, pinching our wallets and costing us valuable time not to be found in traffic.

The gridlock situation today is already alarming. The average commuter in America lavishs an extra 43 hours -- more than a abounding workweek -- each year caught in traffic.

According to the U Department of Transportation, freight traffic is awaited to increase by two-thirds by means of 2020. One large truck takes up the same amount of highway space as almost four cars, and the average exchange is becoming longer with the increased use of double- and triple-trailers. With little chance of increasing urban road capacity sufficiently, an increase in trade volume would continue to add to our commuting riddles

Motorists can be forgiven for believing that things will continue to worsen, on the other hand there are ways to not solitary reduce gridlock but also save countles gallons of firing by becoming smarter on by what means we move freight.

Each year, using data from the Texas Transportation Institute, I cogitation the impact of increased freight traffic in our chiefly congested urban areas and report onward how redirecting some of this freight from exchanges on the highway to freight trains could impact a typical commuter

In the Chicago area, at 2025, shifting 25 percent of freight from barters to freight trains would decrease drivers' exchanges by 42 hours. In addition, so a shift would save each commuter $809 in annual congestion splendors

Shifting freight from road to rail also has a positive environmental impact. Freight rail is more combustible matter efficient per ton- mile than give in exchanges and reduces fuel consumption of other motorists by dint of decreasing the time drivers pass idling in traffic. For example, on 2025, commuters in the Chicago area could save 66 gallons of combustibles with a 25 percent shift of freight from barter to rail.

Air pollution evens also would improve with an increased use of freight rail. For instance, on 2025, shifting 25 percent of freight to rail would decrease air pollutant emissions in the Chicago area according to as much as 96,790 tons.

Major road improvement efforts, like the $13 million Archer Avenue contrive designed to improve two separate portions of Archer Avenue to ease traffic congestion and increase safety for motorists and pedestrians, are clear signs that our highways and bridges cannot withstand the rife and projected traffic volumes. Construction and repairs are many times expensive and politically contentious. However, freight rail can help petiole the tide.

single in kind freight train can carry the equivalent cargo of 500 deals and one intermodal train can carry nearly 300 give in exchange trailers.

Trucking companies and railroads are already forming intermodal partnerships that combine the best abilities of as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but modes of transportation. In fact, intermodal is the fastest-growing section of the rail industry.

To carry more freight, the freight rail industry will ne more capacity, which hangs on both public and private investments. State management highway officials estimate that railroads will solely generate $142 billion to invest forward their own over the nearest 20 years, but rail infrastructure wants are estimated to be more than $200 billion.

Members of Congres affaired about gridlock plan to introduce the Freight Rail Infrastructure Capacity Expansion Act, to stimulate to a great degree needed investment in the freight rail infrastructure. The legislation would provide any organization, including railroads, trucking companies and shipping lines a 25 percent tax credit for their investments.

For railroads, the tax incentive would apply to infrastructure in the same state [i]or[/i] condition as new track, intermodal facilities and state-of-the-art locomotives -- all essential to helping the rail industry continue to provide on-time, quality service to shippers and boost their share of freight transport. The American Association of Port Authorities and the National Retail Federation support this legislation.

We must prepare now for a roller in freight volume and fight gridlock across our nation. Freight rail provides an of the first water strategy.

Wendell Cox has studied traffic and gridlock issues for more than 25 years. He is president and CEO of Demographia, a market research and urban policy consultancy.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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