Restoration of Gulf Coast Passenger Rail Service for Sustainable and Economically Efficient Intermodal Corridor Integration
Transportation infrastructure network assets are essential to sustain public mobility, economy, society and quality of life. The Amtrak sunset service served the Mississippi Gulf Coast on its route from Miami to Los Angeles through New Orleans. Operated triweekly during nighttime hours, the Amtrak sunset service was first interrupted in 1993 after the worst rail disaster in Amtrak history. Later it was suspended during the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster due to destruction of the rail infrastructure. Currently, Amtrak coastal rail is not operational through Alabama and Mississippi, therefore taking away a valuable public transportation mode for the underserved and/or vacationers to casinos and beaches. The overall goal of this project is to evaluate economic impacts of the restoration of passenger rail service and offer intercity rail solutions. The integration of passenger/commuter rail with the auto traffic in major Mississippi Gulf Coast highway and rail corridors can ease auto travel demand on the existing highway corridors, offer economically competitive and safer travel, and reduce CO₂ emissions and air pollution. The primary objective of this project is to conduct technical feasibility and economic competitiveness evaluations of selected passenger and commuter transit alternatives to serve cities and rural communities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This project scope includes passenger mobility in the region with emphasis on the needs of Gulf Coast cities, rural communities, and government and private employers. The Mississippi DOT’s strategic planning reports indicate: (a) Most of Interstate-10 corridor has average speeds (in both directions) at or below 55 mph and (b) In the Jackson-Hattiesburg-Gulfport Corridor the majority of freight is moved by truck (91 percent) and through traffic (61 percent), which is expected to grow. The high commercial traffic volume increases general congestion on highways and safety risks to other auto commuter traffic. About nine percent of all highway fatalities in 2009 involved large trucks. Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle-mile-traveled is higher for large truck related fatality than other vehicles. Major widening of Mississippi’s I-10 and improvement along with other highway corridors are being pursued by the Mississippi DOT but there is lack of initiative to integrate with passenger rail service. Currently, the Amtrak sunset service from Miami to Los Angeles through New Orleans is not operational. It served the Gulf Coast triweekly before it was suspended during 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster. The results of this project shows possible alternatives to integrate passenger/commuter rail with the auto traffic which can ease auto travel demand on the existing road corridors, offer economically competitive and safer travel, and reduce air pollution. It is recommended that the developed approach of commuter rail study be applied by transportation agencies to assess other societal benefits, which include reduction in highway congestion and decrease in transportation related emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants.
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Supplemental Notes:
- This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program. Report date: January 2016; revised August 2016.
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Corporate Authors:
University of Mississippi, University
Center for Advanced Infrastructure Technology
University, MS United States 38677-1848National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness
Mississippi State University
479-2 Hardy Road 260 McCain Hall
Mississippi State, MS United States 39762Research and Innovative Technology Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Authors:
- Uddin, Waheed
- Sherry, Patrick
- Eksioglu, Burak
- Publication Date: 2016-8
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Edition: Final Report
- Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 130p
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Economic impacts; Feasibility analysis; Railroad commuter service; Strategic planning
- Identifier Terms: Amtrak
- Uncontrolled Terms: Passenger rail services; Service restoration
- Geographic Terms: Mississippi Gulf Coast
- Subject Areas: Passenger Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01627922
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: NCITEC Project 2013-33, UM-CAIT/2016-01
- Contract Numbers: DTRT12-G-UTC14
- Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, RITA, ATRI, USDOT
- Created Date: Feb 28 2017 3:48PM