b'20American Journal ofTransportation ajot.com(ATTRACTScontinued from page 10) stateofficialsanddepartmentsof manufacturing and shipper investmenttransportationtosetinfrastructure and traffic throughout the region. priorities by helping them understand howinfrastructureandefficiency I mportance oFI ntermodal impactson-timedeliveryandcosts. I nVestment AprojectincludedontheSt.Louis AccordingtoMaryC.Lamie,RegionalFreightwaysPriorityList Executive Vice President of Multimodalindicatestheprojecthasunanimous EnterprisesforBi-StateDevelopment,supportbyleadersintheregions andHeadoftheSt.LouisRegionalfreightindustryandhelpsraise Freightway, one of the biggest challengesawareness about the needs the project forintermodalfreighttransportationwill address.remains understanding of the importanceLamie continued, When funding the role intermodal infrastructure plays. opportunitiesbecomeavailable,the Oneofthebiggestchallengesengagementandprojectawareness isunderstandingtheimportanceofare already in place. Decision-makers intermodalinfrastructureinvestment.frombothIllinoisandMissouriare Thesupplychainisdependentonalready aware of the project benefits multimodal flexibility and accessibility.andbenefitstothefreightnetwork. CompanieswanttobeconnectedtoAll of these efforts increase project-major markets, transportation routes andfunding competitiveness making it a resources with optionality to access allNew $496 million Mississippi River vehicle bridge crossing.stronger candidate for funding.modes of transportation, Lamie said. Reportingtheprogressofthe She added, The St. Louis regionovertheMississippiRiverasitsoldproblemofsecuringfundingPriority Project List, Lamie said, The is connected to East, West, and Gulfhighest priority infrastructure project.toaddressinfrastructureinneed2025PriorityProjectsListincludes Coast ports by six Class I railroads;Railratesimpactbargerateswhenofimprovementsorexpansion.As27projectsrepresentingatotal less than a one-day truck drive to othermultiplemodesareused.Thetotalhigh-priority infrastructure needs areinvestmentof$8billion.Morethan majormanufacturingmarketsliketransportationcostandtransittimeidentifiedintheSt.Louisregion,$500millioninprojectshavebeen KansasCity,Memphis,Columbus,foracommoditytobetransportedtheSt.LouisRegionalFreightcompleted and nearly $2.3 billion in ChicagoandNashville;hometoisimpactedbytheperformanceofDevelopmentCommitteeadvocatesadditionalprojectshavebeenfully two international cargo airports; andall the modes involved with its trip.forfunding.Lamiepointedoutthatfunded,withmanyscheduledfor locatedatthemoststrategicsiteonUnderstandinghowinfrastructurethecommitteeincludesindustryconstruction. This is a valuable tool theMississippiRiver.Ifgaspricesimpactsallmodesoftransportationleadersrepresentingmanufacturing,used to advocate support and funding fluctuate, shippers want modal optionsand its relationship to on-time deliverylogistics,industrialrealestate,for multimodal transportation.and they benefit from the flexibilityhelpsaprojectbettercompeteforworkforcedevelopment,academia, tomovefreightthroughmultiplefundingandsupportstheneedforall modes of transportation, both theI ncreasedF acIlItIes aW In -W Inmodesoftransportationtruck,railsustainable funding. IllinoisandMissouriDepartmentsBuilding more intermodal facilities or barge. of TransportationandtheEast-Westtoattractmoremanufacturingand Lamieexplained,ThebargeF IndIngF undIng , s upportIng Gateway Council of Governments. shipperinvestmentwillalsolikely industryprioritizedtheMerchantss olutIons She elaborated, The Committeeattractmoreintermodalservices,so (Rail)BridgereplacementprojectWith aging hubs comes the age- worksdirectlywithlocaland(ATTRACTScontinued on page 22)'