Study Shows that Freight Rail Can Reduce Gridlock on America's Highways

The seventh annual Congestion Relief Index, a study of traffic congestion in 82 major urban areas, shows that freight rail can help reduce time spent in gridlock traffic, thus saving drivers hundreds of dollars in gasoline and hours behind the wheel. If 25 percent of freight volume is shifted from trucks to rail, by 2026, commuters across the United States could each save an average of $985 in fuel costs. Even more, the shift of freight volume would save commuters 41 hours a year - an entire work week - in time spent in their cars.

"With gas prices at an all-time high, Americans can't afford to waste money and time sitting in traffic. Because one intermodal train can take nearly 300 trucks off our highways, shifting freight from trucks to trains reduces competition between commuters, drivers and freight traffic for space on the road," said Wendell Cox, author of the study and principal of Demographia, a market research and urban policy consultancy. "Freeing up space on our highways increases the flow of traffic and saves commuters' time, money and gasoline."

The study shows that a 25 percent shift of freight from trucks to rail in urban areas in the U.S. by 2026 would, on average:

• Save each commuter 41 hours a year
• Save $985 in congestion costs per commuter each year
• Save each commuter 79 gallons of fuel each year
• Reduce air pollution by nearly 920,500 tons each year

In addition to easing highway congestion, shifting freight from trucks to rail also helps the environment. Freight trains are at least four times more fuel efficient than trucks, and can move one ton of freight 436 miles on a single gallon of fuel. Since modern freight locomotives emit less nitrogen oxide and particulate matter than trucks, shifting 25 percent of freight volume from trucks to trains would decrease air pollutant emissions by 920,500 tons.

"In order to realize the full potential of freight rail in reducing highway congestion and saving commuters' time and money, we need to ensure that there is sufficient rail capacity," said Cox. "While the railroads already invest billions of dollars each year maintaining and expanding the rail network, increased public-private partnerships, as well as tax incentives, will help America meet growing demand for freight transportation and yield benefits for the entire country."

Projections by urban area if 25 percent of freight was shifted from trucks to rail by the year 2026:

Urban Area		Annual Delay Hour Savings per Commuter		Annual Gallons of Fuel Saved per Commuter		Annual Congestion Cost per Commuter		Annual Tons of Pollution
		Hours		Gallons		USD		Tons
		41		79		985		920,500
Albuquerque, NM		41		83

	$998		3,100
Albany, NY		42		80		$993		4,300
Atlanta, GA		61		133		$1,525		29,400
Allentown-Bethlethem, PA-NJ		35		66		$829		3,800
Austin, TX		44		96		$1,102		4,700
Baltimore, MD		40		77		$959		9,300
Bismarck, ND		20		34		$459		200
Bend, OR		22		39		$506		400
Boise, ID		52		99		$1,243		1,700
Boston, MA-NH		39		66		$898		15,600
Buffalo, NY		30		58		$723		6,300
Charlotte, NC		58		123		$1,423		8,500
Chicago, IL-IN-WI		42		69		$949		96,800
Charleston, SC		41		78

$969   4,100 Cincinnati, OH   42   79   $994   17,300 Cleveland, OH   72   126   $1,676   19,500 Columbus, OH   48   91   $1,138   17,100 Columbia, SC   38   73   $907   4,300 Denver, CO   40   67   $915   6,000 Des Moines, IA   38   75   $906   1,900 Detroit, MI   45   84   $1,065   42,600 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX   40   84   $976   24,900 Duluth-Superior, MN-WI   23   44   $547   400 Eugene, OR   28   51   $649   1,100 Fargo, ND   47   91   $1,122   400 Fayetteville, AR   24   48   $583   800 Fort Smith, AR   21   41

$502   500 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS   42   91   $1,046   1,900 Harrisburg, PA   40   76   $958   3,600 Hartford, CT   43   84   $1,039   6,500 Houston, TX   43   87   $1,045   21,400 Hattiesburg, MS   38   72   $896   900 Indianapolis, IN   50   107   $1,236   17,600 Jonesboro, AR   22   42   $520   200 Jackson, MS   44   95   $1,090   4,700 Jacksonville, FL   47   102   $1,164   9,200 Kansas City, MO-KS   39   73   $922   8,000 Los Angeles-OrangeCounty, CA   39   72   $920   45,600 Little Rock, AR   25   49   $603   2,600 Las Vegas, NV   86   186

d>   $1,525   29,400 Allentown-Bethlethem, PA-NJ   35   66   $829   3,800 Austin, TX   44   96   $1,102   4,700 Baltimore, MD   40   77   $959   9,300 Bismarck, ND   20   34   $459   200 Bend, OR   22   39   $506   400 Boise, ID   52   99   $1,243   1,700 Boston, MA-NH   39   66   $898   15,600 Buffalo, NY   30   58   $723   6,300 Charlotte, NC   58   123   $1,423   8,500 Chicago, IL-IN-WI   42   69   $949   96,800 Charleston, SC   41   78   $969   4,100 Cincinnati, OH   42   79   $994   17,300 Cleveland, OH   72   126   $1,676   19,500 Columbus, OH   48   91   $1,138   17,100 Columbia, SC   38   73   $907   4,300 Denver, CO   40   67   $915   6,000 Des Moines, IA   38   75   $906   1,900 Detroit, MI   45   84   $1,065   42,600 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX   40   84   $976   24,900 Duluth-Superior, MN-WI   23   44   $547   400 Eugene, OR   28   51   $649   1,100 Fargo, ND   47   91   $1,122   400 Fayetteville, AR   24   48   $583   800 Fort Smith, AR   21   41   $502   500 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS   42   91   $1,046   1,900 Harrisburg, PA   40   76   $958   3,600 Hartford, CT   43   84   $1,039   6,500 Houston, TX   43   87   $1,045   21,400 Hattiesburg, MS   38   72   $896   900 Indianapolis, IN   50   107   $1,236   17,600 Jonesboro, AR   22   42   $520   200 Jackson, MS   44   95   $1,090   4,700 Jacksonville, FL   47   102   $1,164   9,200 Kansas City, MO-KS   39   73   $922   8,000 Los Angeles-OrangeCounty, CA   39   72   $920   45,600 Little Rock, AR   25   49   $603   2,600 Las Vegas, NV   86   186   $2,132   7,800 Louisville, KY-IN   43   83   $1,031   9,200 Medford, OR   27   52   $647   800 Memphis, TN-AR   35   68   $828   6,100 Miami-West Palm Beach, FL   36   69   $858   36,600 Milwaukee, WI   51   87   $1,177   10,900 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN   41   80   $990   9,000 New Orleans, LA   51   86   $1,170   5,900 Nashville, TN   38   83   $946   6,000 New York. NY-NJ   41   68   $928   87,700 Oklahoma City, OK   36   74   $884   5,000 Omaha, NE-IA   31   60   $740   2,500 Orlando, FL   45   97   $1,113   11,600 Pittsburgh, PA   35

67   $840   12,100 Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE   37   62   $853   32,100 Phoenix, AZ   72   136   $1,710   57,600 Portland, OR   51   93   $1,201   8,800 Providence, RI-MA   32   60   $754   3,400 Rochester, NY   39   82   $963   4,500 Riverside-San Bernardino, CA   89   170   $2,112   6,700 Richmond, VA   32   68   $791   7,600 San Antonio, TX   49   95   $1,169   6,400 Sacramento, CA   52   94   $1,219   5,700 Salem, OR   34   66   $817   1,000 San Diego, CA   46   88   $1,094   11,900 Seattle, WA   40   77   $952   10,600 San Francisco-Oakland, CA

40   73   $934   15,400 Springfield, IL   13   27   $322   900 San Jose, CA   47   79   $1,075   6,300 Salt Lake City, UT   35   59   $801   3,600 St. Louis, MO-IL   51   88   $1,172   12,700 Trenton, NJ   74   144   $1,777   2,000 Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL   33   63   $781   17,400 Tucson, AZ   43   83   $1,028   4,700 Tulsa, OK   20   39   $480   3,900 Texarkana , TX-AR   49   86   $1,130   400 Virginia Beach, VA   36   69   $858   10,000 Wichita, KS   22   41   $515   1,600 Washington, DC-MD-VA   38   71   $891   22,000 Youngstown, OH   48   91   $1,140   4,900