Summary Project Report (254 KB PDF) - Full Project Report (8 MB PDF)
A limited number of hard copies of the report are available. Please email Greg Waidley (gwaidley@engr.wisc.edu) to request a copy.
Project
Number:
02-06
P.I.
Name & Address:
Richard Stewart, Associate Professor and Director
UW-Superior,
Transportation and Logistics Research Center
PO Box 2000
301
Erlanson Hall
Superior,
WI 54880-4500
Project Objective:
The metropolitan area composed of Superior, Wisconsin; Duluth Minnesota
(the Twin Ports) and nearby cities and counties does not have a rail intermodal
terminal to provide freight intermodal service options for the region. Several fundamental studies need to be undertaken to determine the
viability of an intermodal terminal. The
research objective results will include: determination of regional sources and
characteristics of potential freight; determination of volume and flows of
potential intermodal freight using comparative analysis of three measurements:
1) Reebie data, 2) Interview data, and 3) Survey data; Analysis of regional
shipper price and service requirements in intermodal shipping; and cooperative
terminal development attributes and requirements.
Project
Abstract:
The Twin Ports have
historically been a transportation hub. At
the present time, the Twin Ports are served by 25 trucking companies, six
railroads, two airlines, and are the largest ports on the Great Lakes.
Despite being a transportation center, the Twin Ports do not have an
intermodal terminal or provide any modern intermodal service for non-bulk
freight.
The
Twin Ports appear to have significant cargo moving into and transiting the area
in part because of the community’s strategic location on the north-south
corridor of the growing North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA) routes.
Freight originating in Thunder Bay, Canada and moved to Chicago or the US
Southeast must travel through the Twin Ports on either a two lane scenic highway
or a rail route. There appears to
be the potential to transfer a portion of this Canadian cargo to a
marine/rail/truck intermodal system serving these two urban areas.
Task
Descriptions:
Task
1 – Literature review.
Task 2- Completion of 4 Case studies of intermodal terminal design to include
Green Bay or Neenah, Wisconsin’s rail ramp; Auburn, Maine; and ramps designed
in a cooperative process in Neomodal, Detroit.
The studies will include analyzing how the area was selected, the
processes used to market the service, and the design elements that have proven
critical to success.
Task
3- Determination volume and flows of regional sources of potential cargo.
Analyses will include identification of locations that could be served by
an intermodal terminal in the Twin Ports area.
Task
4 - Conduct
a shipper needs assessment survey of the target area.
Task
5 – Synthesize the Survey of Shipper’s Requirements.
Task
6 – Explore cooperative features of terminal designs and make recommendations
which best suit public and private sector users.
Milestones,
Dates: Project
Start Date: November 1, 2001
Project
End Date: October 31, 2002
Total
Budget:
$166,646.00 ($51,000
local match)
Student
Involvement:
Student assistance will be required in the survey development efforts,
and follow up surveys and postcards, and data entry.
Four students will be involved with this project from engineering and
planning programs.
Relationship
to Other
Research
Projects: Not
related to existing MRUTC research projects.
Technology
Transfer
Activities:
The
education benefits of this research will include the transfer of knowledge to
faculty and students from Tioga and industry, application of theoretical
constructs to real life situations, positive interaction with the community and
establishing an enhanced relationship between the transportation research
centers at UW-Milwaukee and UW-Superior.
Potential
Benefits
of
the Project: Benefits
to shippers: freights can be loaded at the factory into either a container or a
standard trailer and placed by mechanical equipment on and off rail cars.
Costs due to damage, pilferage and materials handling would be reduced.
Carrying large number of containers by intermodal rail transit reduce
freight costs to shippers.
Public
benefits: An intermodal terminal will encourage growth of the regional economy,
by increasing the competitive advantage for existing businesses.
The enhanced logistics will draw new businesses.
Reduced highway congestion resulting in reduced external costs including
noise and pollution; this also will reduce road deterioration.
Modal
Orientation: Intermodal
- Highway,
rail, trucking, and water.