In this era of transportation infrastructure decline, all roads lead to freight rail as a key part of the solution.
Today’s transportation policy discussions matter to everyone. If not addressed correctly, these issues and policies could have a major impact on every aspect of our lives.
It is no secret that U.S. highway infrastructure is decaying. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, one in four bridges is either in need of repair or cannot handle current traffic and loads. The U.S. DOT projects $85 billion is needed for system rehabilitation, $71 billion for system expansion and $18 billion for system enhancements such as safety improvements.
Given local and state budget deficits, it’s hard to feel confident these problems will be fixed before they get worse.
But Americans are depending on highways more each year. In 2007, the U.S. DOT forecast total freight tonnage would grow 61 percent by 2040. It’s unrealistic to think highway construction will keep up.
Freight rail reduces the problem by taking trucks off of highways. A single freight train can carry as much as nearly 300 trucks, and do it four times more fuel efficiently.
Unlike trucks, barges and airlines, America’s freight railroads operate almost exclusively on infrastructure we build, maintain and finance. It might surprise you that the four biggest railroads individually spend far more on their infrastructure than the vast majority of state highway agencies spend on their highways. The industry invested approximately $12 billion of private money on infrastructure in 2011.
The bottom line is this: Transportation policies that restrict our ability to compete and reduce our ability to earn a fair return will force America’s freight railroads to re-evaluate how we deploy capital and likely drive investment dollars and jobs out of the industry.