Richard D. Stewart, Ph.D.

University of Wisconsin - Superior

(715) 394-8547

rstewart@uwsuper.edu

The objectives of this research is to determine the impact on pavement when rail freight from a short-line railroad is transferred to truck traffic.

The continued loss of rail network infrastructure and rail service throughout the US has most instances resulted in the modal shift of rail freight back to truck.  Rail freight converted to truck may have significant impact on pavement maintenance costs and activities due to the increased highway traffic volumes.  This study will investigate three short-line rail routes in Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and will determine the potential impacts of diverting rail freight flows to truck.  A logistics flow routing will be created illustrating the new truck flows by highway classification and usage.  The targeted highways current conditions and asset management techniques will be documented. A pavement maintenance model will be used to determine the incremental pavement maintenance cost per ton-mile if additional freight moved over various classes of highway and their impact on highway funding.

1. The research team will conduct a case study of a representative short line rail segment(s) in Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and Minnesota.
2.  The study will determine current freight volumes on the rail segment(s) of the selected rail routes and what the corresponding trucking volumes would be if this rail traffic were diverted to nearby roads.
3. A logistical flow analysis will be made for the increased truck movements due closure and those models will be used to assist in an examination of which roads would be impacted by the closure of the selected rail segment.
4.  The impacted roads will benchmarked for their current condition and a model developed for assessing the future maintenance costs that would result from rail traffic being diverted to trucking. 
5. The research team will utilize asset management techniques and pavement maintenance models to determine the incremental pavement maintenance cost per ton-mile of additional freight moved over various classes of highway and the impact on highway funding
6. A model showing freight variables and pavement cost and maintenance approaches will be developed as a tool for State DOT and regional planners to use as a frame of reference for future rail modal shift analyses.

Project Start Date: August 1, 2005. Project End Date: September 01, 2006; Extended to: November 30, 2007

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