IMPACT OF RAILROAD ABANDONMENT ON RURAL HIGHWAYS (ABRIDGMENT)

This paper addresses the problem of how a shift in transportation demand, which could result from the abandonment of a branch rail line, might affect the roads of a rural area. The paper introduces an evaluative methodology that can be used to estimate the impact of rail-service discontinuance on rural highways and bridges. Two areas in Indiana that were faced with possible loss of direct rail service were investigated with respect to the impact that abandonment would have on local highways and bridges. Results of these studies indicate that the abandonment of lightly used branch lines does not have as great an impact on rural highways as some highway and railroad interest would like to believe. Many of the rail facilities that have been proposed for abandonment in the Northeast and Midwest do not carry sufficient traffic volumes to cause significant impacts on nearby highways if service along these lines were discontinued.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1977/634/634-007.pdf
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=IMPACT+OF+RAILROAD+ABANDONMENT+ON+RURAL+HIGHWAYS+(ABRIDGMENT)&author=L.+Purnell&author=E.+Yoder&author=K.+Sinha&publication_year=1977
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Social, Economic, and Environmental Factors of Transportation. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Purnell, Lynn O
  • Yoder, Eldon J
  • Sinha, Kumares C
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 39-40
• Monograph Title: Predicting and measuring impacts of transportation systems
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 634
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abandonment; Branch lines; Bridges; Competition; Demand; Environmental impacts; Highways; Impact studies; Level of service; Railroad traffic; Railroads; Rural highways; Traffic density; Traffic volume; Transportation modes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Service
• Old TRIS Terms: Abandonment /highway/; Light density lines; Regional rail reorganization act
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Economics; Environment; Highways; Railroads; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00173187
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309026601
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 3 1978 12:00AM