Infrastructure Council Policy Review
October Edition 2008
Illinois Chamber Infrastructure Council Hosts Congressman Mark Kirk
August 28th at the Union League Club in Chicago, some 50 members of the Chamber’s Infrastructure Council heard from Congressman Kirk about the importance of the Illinois General Assembly to pass a capital plan. The Congressman pointed out how states like Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas are ready and prepared to move on projects. These states will compete with Illinois in the next transportation bill. Illinois performance to date does not bode well for future appropriations.
The meeting also included a presentation by Mike Zahn Chairman of the Illinois Council of Operating Engineers. It was a united front with business, labor and government agencies attending the meeting.
The council’s final meeting in 2008 is scheduled for December 4th in the new conference center at the 311 S. Wacker Building in Chicago.
More Problems for Canadian National Railway Purchase
The U.S. Surface Transportation Board has temporarily halted Canadian National Railway from purchasing the EJ&E Railroad. A final study on the impact of the sale must be released before the purchase. CN had made a request to purchase the line early. CN had asked the board to approve the sale by the end of the year and promised not to increase the number of trains on the EJ&E line until a final environmental impact study was issued. CN wants to acquire the nearly 200 miles of the track so it can move trains more quickly than it does on its current lines that cross Chicago. The towns that encircle that area oppose the $300 million sale mostly because it will worsen traffic congestion and the high cost of improving grade-level crossings.
In its decision, the Board rejected CN’s argument that approving the sale and establishing the full impact of that sale were separate actions, pointing out that the board never approved a sale without a final environmental impact study, when one was required. Should the proposed sale of the EJ&E fail to win approval or fall through for other reasons, obtaining lease rights to use the tracks remains an option according to a CN spokesman. CN has approached U.S. Steel about trackage rights, but both sides are pushing for a sale. Infrastructure improvements and the freedom to design a schedule to improve efficiency on the region’s freight rail system make ownership the preferred avenue for CN.
In another blow, a congressional committee gave approval to rules that would require community impact to be considered by the feds analyzing proposed railroad mergers. The bill calls on the Surface Transportation Board to weigh positive and negative impact a rail merger could have on affected communities. As noted above, the communities surrounding the proposed purchase of the EJ&E sale are opposed.
Feds Say CN Can’t Acquire EJ&E Early
Rail Merger Bill Moves to U.S. House
Transit Woes Span the Country
Illinois is not alone in their troubles with transit funding. Some 85 percent of U.S. transit systems are reporting capacity problems, due mainly to high gas prices according to a new survey conducted by the American Public Transportation Association. 65 percent of the agencies say they don’t have funding for more service. The hefty ridership increases at the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace are what transit leaders dreamed of in the past. Now, the three agencies don’t have nearly enough trains and buses to handle the crowds. Antiquated rail signaling systems, freight congestion on commuter rail lines and crumbling viaducts require trains to go slower, making for longer travel times as more riders are forced to stand on crowded trains. Without steady state capital funding to address the problems, the transit agencies make do. Instead of providing a more comfortable ride for its customers, the CTA began removing some seats on Brown Line trains to cram more riders aboard. CTA has also announced another $40 million in internal cuts. 54 percent of transit systems said they are allowing crowding beyond local service standards and 39 percent said they are turning away passengers. 28 percent said they don’t have vehicles available to add service and 33 percent said they are delaying or cancelling planned service enhancements.
A report on the condition of America’s 600,000 bridges was also released. One out of every four U.S. bridges needs to be modernized or repaired. The American Association of State Highway & Transportation officials say it could cost $140 billion (in 2006 dollars) to make all needed repairs or upgrades immediately. Among the report’s findings: The top 10 highway interchange bottlenecks cause an average of 1.5 million truck hours of delay each year; the costs of steel, asphalt, concrete, and earthwork have risen by at least 50 percent in the past five years, forcing delays of bridge improvements and replacements; and nearly every state faces funding shortages that prevent them from the kind of ongoing preventive maintenance and replacement needed to keep their bridges sound indefinitely. The report pointed to the need for increased investment in transportation at all levels of government; support for a wide range of revenue options such as tolls, tax increases, annual road user fees, bonds, or private investment; continued commitment to research and innovation; and systemic maintenance to extend the life of bridges. Illinois’ bridges are ranked 6th in the nation in terms of sufficiency but more needs to be done to ensure that they remain safe.
Transit Woes Span the Country
Preserving and Modernizing Our Bridges
New Airport for Chicago?
A new Chicago airport or a vast expansion of one of the city’s existing airports will be necessary to keep pace with booming demand for air travel in the coming decades, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. A new airport would be on top of the ongoing $15 billion expansion at O’Hare. Chicago plays too vital a role as an aviation hub not to further upgrade airport capacity. New York and Atlanta will also need new airports or ambitious expansion projects. More than a dozen new runways have opened in the U.S. since 2000, three more opening this November, including O’Hare. FAA says that this still isn’t enough. Despite a drop in flights this year as high fuel prices cut into airline profits, the number of air travelers could double to 1 billion annually over the next decade. Newer, streamlined planes will carry fewer passengers could increase the total number of planes flying in and out of airports at an even faster rate. There have only been two major airports opening in the last 40 years and that as many as four would have to be built over the next 20 to 30 years to meet demand. New airports and runway expansions would have to happen in conjunction with implementation of a new satellite-guided air traffic system that would replace the current, radar-based system, which deploys 1950s-era radar technology.
FAA Head says Chicago Could Need New Airport
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