Dan O’Neal, Chairman
Washington State Transportation Commission
Shifting Dynamics in Freight
 Bulk Commodities
 Competition
 West Coast Ports
 Panama Canal
 MAP 21 Freight Policy
 Inslee Jobs Agenda
 Great Northern Corridor
Study
 Trucking Challenges
 Passenger Rail Demands
Intermodal facility in Ritzville.
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National Freight Movement
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Rail Growth Over Time
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Rail Shipments by Commodity
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Rail Volume and Revenue
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Railroads by Revenue
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The BNSF System
•32,000 route miles in 28 states and
two Canadian provinces
•Over 40,000 employees
•Over 6,000 locomotives
•13,100 bridges and 87 tunnels
•Moves one-fourth of the nation’s rail
freight
•Operates over 1,400 freight trains per
day
•Serves over 40 ports
•Unlike other forms of transportation,
BNSF trains operate on an
infrastructure financed almost entirely
by the railroad
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Statewide Rail System
Nearly the entire rail network is privately owned. BNSF and Union Pacific own almost all of the
track in Washington. Amtrak and Sound Transit operate on BNSF track.
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Washington’s Rail System Today
Strengths:

Providing good mobility for existing train
volumes.
 Extensive network connects citizens and
industry.
 Supports industries that contribute $106 billion
to GDP and support
1.2 million jobs.
 Most fuel-efficient mode and produces the least
amount of carbon.
Challenges:
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Bottlenecks, constraints and access issues on
Class I system.
Delays and reliability concerns.
Deferred maintenance degrading level of service
on short-line railroads.
Access to national and global markets.
Meeting future demand.
Maintaining a safe rail system.
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Washington Rail Traffic
Inbound Rail Flows
Washington trades most with West
North Central (45%), Mountain (18%)
and East North Central region (14%)
by rail.
Outbound Rail Flows
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Bulk Commodities
There is concern that oil
and coal will displace
traditional agricultural
commodities.
 Coal Terminals
 Oil from North Dakota
 Wheat from the Palouse
 Corn and soybeans from
the Midwest
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Projected change in Washington
State commodity flows
 Research supporting
the state rail plan
anticipates
commodity rail
traffic to more than
double by 2035.
 Shipments coming
into Washington,
most for export, are
forecast to triple.
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Competition
Good News:
 2012 Port of Tacoma
container volume up 25%,
best since 2008.
On the Horizon:
 Expanded Panama Canal
opening 2015
 Port of LA --$500 million
railyard investment
 Prince Rupert -- $295
million expansion
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Moving Ahead for Progress
in the 21st Century (MAP 21)
Establish National Freight
Policy (Sec. 1115)
Establish National Freight
Network. Factors:
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Freight origins and destinations
Freight tonnage and value
Annual average daily truck traffic
Land and maritime ports of entry
Access to energy exploration and
production
 Population centers
 Network connectivity
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MAP 21
 Prioritize projects to
improve freight
movement
 Develop performance
targets for freight
 State Freight Plan
(WSDOT)
 State Freight Advisory
Committee (FMSIB)
Eligible projects may include
construction, railway-highway
grade separation, truck lanes,
intermodal connectors, and
intelligent transportation
systems.
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Inslee Jobs Agenda
Washington is most trade
dependent state in US
Major focus on freight
movement:
 Columbia River Crossing
 Puget Sound Gateway
 SR 167 connection to Port of
Tacoma
 SR 509 connection from
Port of Seattle to I-5
 Snoqualmie Pass
 Grade separation projects
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Great Northern Corridor Study
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Great Northern Corridor Study
Participants:
Montana is lead state. Others include Washington, Idaho, Oregon,
North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin. Includes many ports and
economic development agencies
Study Goals:
• Position Corridor as a national leader and a model in fostering a
culture of collaboration and coordination among transportation
alliances in eight states
• Enhance economic vitality and global competitiveness of the Region
• Support seamless integrated freight systems for the Region
• Promote freight mobility and encourage optimal modal share of
freight based on efficiency, density, and environmental sustainability
• Invest in a 21st Century transportation system for the Region to
support economic growth
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Highways of Statewide Significance
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Trucking Highlights
 Trucks carry about 70% of
the tonnage carried by all
domestic shipping modes.
 Motor carrier revenue is
estimated at $650 billion
(2009 est.)
 Commercial trucks account
for 14 % of motor vehicle
miles.
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Trucking Challenges
 Fuel Costs
 Scarcity of long-haul
truck drivers
 Weather
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Passenger Rail Demands
 Washington State has
received over $800 million
in federal grants to
improve Seattle-Portland
passenger rail service.
 Sounder Commuter Rail
now operates 9 round trip
trains daily between
Tacoma and Seattle.
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AMTRAK and Designated HighSpeed Rail Corridors
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Thank You!
www.wstc.wa.gov
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