Maritime Freight Data Collection Systems and Database To Support Performance Measures and Market Analyses

US Transportation Collectionhttps://doi.org/10.36501/0197-9191/20-0212020PDFTech ReportSriraj, P SZou, BoDirks, LiseFarazi, Nahid ParvezLewis, ElliottManzanarez, Jean PaulIllinois Center for TransportationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringIllinois. Dept. of Transportation. Bureau of ResearchUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway AdministrationIllinois Center for TransportationIllinoisUnited StatesData collectionDatabasesFreight transportationInfrastructureLiterature reviewsPerformance measurementSurveysWater transportationIllinois Marine Transportation SystemStakeholder InterviewUS Army Corps of EngineersFHWA-ICT-20-014R27-192Final Report 5/16/18\u201312/15/20The Illinois Marine Transportation System (IMTS) is a key component of the nation\u2019s inland waterway system. IMTS is comprised of 27 locks and dams, 19 port districts, more than 350 active terminals, and 1,118 miles of navigable inland waterways traversing along the borderline or within the state of Illinois. However, the infrastructure of IMTS is aging and its conditions are deteriorating. To monitor the performance of IMTS and guide infrastructure investment to enhance safety, efficiency, and reliability of the system, a comprehensive performance measurement program is needed. To this end, the objective of this project is to create an integrated, comprehensive, and maintainable database that facilitates performance measurement of maritime freight to, from, and through Illinois. To achieve this objective, a review of the literature on maritime freight transportation both in the United States and abroad was performed. To gauge practitioners\u2019 points of view, a series of phone interviews and online surveys of Illinois\u2019 neighboring state DOT officials, officials from the US Army Corps of Engineers, Illinois port district authorities, and carriers operating in Illinois was also conducted. With the findings from the literature review and an understanding of state DOT practices, the needed and available data sources for a maritime freight performance measurement program were identified. Building on all the above efforts, a first-of-its-kind PM database for IMTS was designed and developed, along with a detailed user manual, ready for IDOT\u2019s immediate use and future updates. In addition, opportunities for IDOT to use the database to conduct analysis are discussed. Key programmatic recommendations that outline the role of IDOT as a champion and as a facilitator are further included. The outcome of this project will help IDOT gain much-needed knowledge of and develop programs to improve IMTS performance, increase multimodal transportation network capacity, and expand the transportation and logistics sector of the state, which ultimately benefit the people and economy of Illinois.109