States restrict truck traffic

[Lunican]

States restrict truck traffic
USA TODAY
By Larry Copeland
October 11, 2007

A move is on across the USA to unsnarl interstate highways where escalating truck traffic is adding to congestion and rattling drivers of passenger cars.

Truck-only lanes and a plan to divert some truck cargo to ships along the Atlantic Coast are among the initiatives getting scrutiny from state and federal agencies. About 75,000 more big rigs cruise onto already crowded highways every year.

Florida has already taken action, banning big trucks from the far left lane of Interstate 4 on a 60-mile stretch between Tampa and Orlando. Stretches of I-75 and I-95 elsewhere in Florida have similar restrictions. Elsewhere:

"Georgia, where truck traffic is likely to grow by more than 50% over the next 20 years, is considering truck-only toll lanes on parts of I-75 northwest of Atlanta and on a 20-mile stretch of the I-285 beltway that surrounds the city.

"Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio are using a $5 million federal grant to study adding truck-only lanes on I-70 from Kansas City to Columbus, Ohio.

"California, Arizona, Texas and the Gulf Coast states will use a similar grant to study segregating truck and automobile traffic on stretches of I-10.

"Tennessee is eyeing truck-only lanes on I-40.

Congress and the Bush administration are weighing private industry proposals to move some truck cargo to ships along the Atlantic Coast, potentially freeing up lanes on interstates.

The explosive growth in truck traffic is creating a nightmare for some drivers, says Gerald Donaldson, senior research director of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. "Joe Blow is terrified," he says. "There's a greater proportion of large trucks in the traffic stream than 10 years ago. & We have more older drivers than we've ever had before, and they do not like being next to large trucks."

The issue is largely one of congestion rather than safety. The percentage of U.S. highway deaths occurring in crashes involving large trucks is down slightly since 1998.

The American Trucking Associations, which represents about 40,000 trucking companies, generally does not oppose free truck-only lanes, senior vice president Tim Lynch says.

[big ben]

States restrict truck traffic
USA TODAY
By Larry Copeland
October 11, 2007
"Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio are using a $5 million federal grant to study adding truck-only lanes on I-70 from Kansas City to Columbus, Ohio.

i don't know about the other roads, but that road gets a lot of truck traffic and a lot of them avoid times when there are a lot of cars on the roads.  this means there are a lot more at night and when it's raining.  they also tend to not slow down in the rain and sometimes drive faster in the rain.  i've wondered about adding truck-only highways before, but it seems like it might cause a bigger increase in truck traffic, which would lead to more highway maintenance and building. 

[Ocklawaha]

ODOT (Oklahoma Department of Transportation) States that a single 18 wheeler passing over a freeway bridge does the same damage as 85,000 automobiles. Are any of you willing to PAY for this?

We don't need truck lanes and sure don't need to slow down the shipping with coastal truck-ships. The USA has the Worlds best freight railroad network, we should use it. Rail traffic is already at all time highs in this country but something like this could push it over the bar into some future-train system, of high-speed track. What the man on the street doesn't know is that Road-Railers (trucks that ride on rails without rail cars) are handled in the same way as the passenger trains of the pre-Amtrak era. So this equates to, improving the Road-Railer routes and facilities, and we get improved Amtrak as a bonus.

All of these storys from Washington are linked. Unless the highway lobby is successful in it's continuing campaign to blind Congress to the facts, look for the Northeast Corridor Florida Extension and other Corridor projects in the near future. What a time to talk RAIL in Jacksonville.

Ocklawaha

[Lunican]

Trucks on trains is the obvious answer. Who is going to send fast freight by boat?

[gatorback]

TOFC/COFC these are the terms.  Trailer on freight car and container on frieght car.  Steel wheels on steel rails have a hugh effeciency over sail rubber on ashtop.  Gosh, I loved it when truck traffic was diverted around the city whenever we were building the bridge.  Remember how nice that was not having those guys all over I10/I95; however, slowly but surely the trucks came back. They drive nuts.   Isn't there a law that says a truck has to maintain a certain distance...a rule often avoided going over the st. johns river in downtown jacksonville.

[Lunican]

Check out this video of Norfolk Southern's Triple Crown Road Railers.

http://www.youtube.com/v/xtgRzAxWV3U

Think about how much more efficient the railroads can move that number of trailers.

If there are 100 trailers on that train, the railroads can move them using about 5000 horsepower. If those trailers were driven by trucks, it would require about 35,000 horsepower (100 tractors at about 350 horsepower each). Not to mention 100 drivers.

[thelakelander]

Now that's what you call moving freight!

[Ocklawaha]

100 trailers and guess how many "drivers"... Damn shame that CSX cut the line between Kingsland and Savannah, as a shortline, or an all roadrailer, passenger mainline, it would have been the best and shortest. I still wonder if the corridor project will chose that route when Amtrak gets into it.

BTW, I had a similar video but couldn't get it to post here, what's the key?


Ocklawaha

[gatorback]

ha...did you also see the 35 cars and 8 charter busses waiting in each direction with their engines running for that train to pass?  What's that 0 miles/Gal?  Also, these puppys have to be split right.  Years ago a CSX train moved at 3 miles per hour.  Not sure if they improved that but we were laughed at when we suggested using hubs--like Federal Express.  Trains would go straight to the hub and be sent to their final destination.  The only reason FED-EX works is because of this model.  The rails should do this.  You see an engineer and that's about it in that video but you don't see the support crew in the yard. Guys and gals all over the place doing very hazardous yobs. ya.  I once was in a hump yard in Baltimore working on a crew system.  When I watching them rerail a car i forgot that cars were being switched and one zoomed by me without me even hearing it come.  If I was on the rail--bu-bye.  Being in the bowl rerailing is one of the most hazardous jobs at the railroad.  Go Boston!