CREATE is a public-private partnership in Chicago aimed at reducing rail and road congestion. It involves 25 rail-to-road and 6 rail-to-rail separations, along with track and signal improvements costing $2.6 billion. As the nation's freight converges in Chicago, CREATE seeks to eliminate bottlenecks, improve passenger rail, boost the economy, and clean the air by reducing delays. It is supported by railroads, government agencies, and businesses that rely on efficient transportation through the region.
2. Overview
• The nation’s railroads converge in Chicago.
• As more people ship and travel by rail, the region’s tracks and
roads are close to choking.
• CREATE will reduce rail and road congestion by improving rail
property, bridges, intersections, and signals.
• CREATE is a partnership of private railroads and various
federal, state, and local government agencies.
• CREATE offers substantial benefits to the public in such areas
as economic development, agriculture, air quality, and
passenger rail.
6. Key points about CREATE:
1. CREATE = “Chicago Region Environmental &
Transportation Efficiency” Program.
2. A partnership of commercial railroads, Amtrak, the
City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, and the United
States Government.
3. Significant public benefits. . . .
9. On any given day…
• 1,200 passenger and freight trains pass
through Illinois’ 150 year old rail system…
• 37,500 rail cars traverse the region on
2,800 miles of track.
• 1/3 of U.S. rail freight is shipped through
the Chicago region.
10. The Nation’s Freight
Converges In Illinois
• It takes 36 hours to ship from Los Angeles
to Chicago, a distance of 2,000 miles.
• Yet it takes more than 36 hours to ship
through Chicago, where freight usually
travels no faster than 9 m.p.h.
12. Why does rail congestion matter
to Illinois?
• End users (such as big-box retailers):
– Must be able to receive and distribute their
goods in a predictably and timely manner.
• Farmers and manufacturers:
– Must be able to ship their goods on a timely
basis.
13. • For 3rd
-party logistic companies and
distributors like UPS:
– Bottom line depends on rail efficiency and
timeliness.
– They can operate facilities only next to timely
and reliable rail service.
Why does this matter to Illinois?
14. Illinois position as the nation’s rail and &
distribution hub depends on CREATE…
• Competition for 3rd
-party logistics is
emerging from Memphis and St. Louis…
15. What do we stand to lose?
• If the bottlenecks in freight and passenger
rail are not eliminated, Illinois is projected
to lose:
–17,000 jobs by 2020.*
–$2 billion in annual economic production
by 2020.*
*SOURCE: Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, Regional Economics Applications Laboratory,
University of Illinois, 2001.
16. With public support, CREATE will:
• Remove rail bottlenecks.
• Promote agriculture and economic development,
especially in those sectors that depend on rail.
• Improve passenger-rail service.
• Clean up our air.
• Eliminate traffic congestion at crossings.
• Reduce traffic accidents associated with rail.
17. With public support, CREATE will:
• Yield 6,000 to 13,000 new jobs.*
• Preserve 80,000 jobs in the regional
economy.*
*SOURCE: Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, Regional Economics Applications Laboratory,
University of Illinois, 2001.
18. CREATE Will Clean the Air:
• In the first year alone, CREATE will eliminate 1400 tons of nitrogen oxide,
400 tons of carbon monoxide, 100 tons of volatile organic compounds, and
51 tons of particulates
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
Ton Reduction
1400
400
100 51
NOx
CO
VOCs
Particulates
19. • 16 CREATE projects
will benefit Amtrak.
• 12 CREATE projects
will benefit METRA.
CREATE Will
Passenger Rail
Speed Up
20. CREATE Will Bring
To Agriculture
Efficiency
• CREATE will help farmers get fertilizer on time.
• CREATE will make sure that grain moves
predictably, yielding cost savings to farmers and
distributors.
• Illinois agriculture will remain competitive -
domestically and abroad.
• That’s why CREATE is endorsed by:
– Illinois Corn Growers Association
– Grain and Feed Association of Illinois
21. A little background on Illinois’ railroads:
*SOURCE: Illinois Railroad Association
• In 2007, the five largest railroads
operating in Illinois contributed…
• $76 million in IL state taxes
22. In Illinois, the railroads employ:
*SOURCE: Association of American Railroads (excludes Amtrak and Metra figures)
33
%
2%
12
%
53
% African
American
Asian
Hispanic
25. CREATE Funding
• CREATE has received financial commitments
from:
– The region’s railroads
– The federal government
– The State of Illinois’ capital plan
– The City of Chicago
– Additional federal/state capital funds associated
with high-speed and passenger rail.
26. Want more information?
Please Visit:
WWW.CREATEPROGRAM.ORG
Josephclarylaw@gmail.comJosephclarylaw@gmail.com
312-371-2444312-371-2444