Blueprint America

Rick Karr, Blueprint America correspondent

Rick Karr [pictured right]

– Apologies to Bob Dylan for the blog post headlines —

We focused on freight rail issues in Chicago in our story for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. But it isn’t the only place in the country where the network’s clogged and its infrastructure’s aging. Journalist Phillip Longman did a great overview of the benefits of — and problems with — freight rail earlier this year for Washington Monthly.

The plan to improve freight rail infrastructure in Chicago is called CREATE — for Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency. But, it isn’t the first freight rail improvement program in the nation to receive Federal aid — the pioneer was actually California’s Alameda Corridor which eased congestion around the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The corridor now has its own intergovernmental transportation authority.

There’s a new coalition in Washington called OneRail which is pushing for investment in both passenger and freight rail infrastructure. Members include trade groups for large and small railroads — and the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental lobby. Another green group — the Environmental Defense Fund — is also pushing for more freight rail investment, especially around New York City.

With regard to Chicago, planning group Chicago Metropolis 2020 has also done a lot of work on freight issues. So have some folks at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.