America's marine highway system: delivering goods more efficiently, reducing dependence on foreign oil

To win the future, America must invest in the multi-modal transportation system that makes our livelihoods possible.  Whether its roadways, railways, or runways, how effectively we move goods and people determines how effectively our economy thrives.

And when oil prices rise dramatically and greenhouse gases threaten our environment, the link between transportation and economic strength only grows tighter.

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to speak about an increasingly crucial part of our transportation network--America's marine highways--at the North American Marine Highways and Logistics Conference.

America's marine highways will shift some of our nation's cargo traffic--particularly in areas where there are known bottlenecks--from roadways to waterways.  Since we announced our initiative a year ago, DOT's Maritime Administration (MARAD) has designated 18 marine highway corridors and awarded $215 million in TIGER grants to marine highway and port projects. 

These are essential arteries of commerce that will bypass congested roads around busy ports, reduce greenhouse gases, and create jobs for our skilled mariners and shipbuilders across the country.  

In addition to transporting goods more quickly, easily, and efficiently, our marine highway system will also save a valuable resource: fuel.

That's right; with gas prices pinching everyone, marine highways offer a fuel-efficient, cost-effective way to haul goods from one place to another.

Last week, President Obama set the goal of cutting America’s energy imports by one-third.  And he proposed that we meet this objective, in part, by reducing our transportation system’s enormous demand for oil.

Marine highways are one crucial ingredient in the President's recipe for energy independence.  They’ll help us send fewer of our hard-earned dollars overseas in a tough fiscal time.  They’ll decrease our emission of the carbon pollution that threatens our environment.  And they’ll spur economic development and support economic expansion.

That’s why I was so pleased to send America’s marine highway plan to Congress on Tuesday.  It details how marine highways fit within our larger system for moving goods.  It reflects the best ideas of the maritime industry as a whole.  And it offers a roadmap to a smarter, brighter future.

When we finish America’s fully-integrated, national marine highway system, our legacy will be more than routes on water.  It will be a country less dependent on foreign oil.  It will be a 21st century way to move people and goods.  And it will be a future that America is prepared to win.

Comments

[Mike Bima]

Excellent write-up! We support 100%. The Marine Sector is a compelling story that has positive results for all the critical measures. We have been working with MARAD and the EPA for 3 years now to address these issues. Our major focus has been to work with the fleet owners around the country to ensure they are operating EPA compliant vessels. MARAD along with the EPA will need to provide assistance to the majority of the fleet owners to ensure they are able to repower and upgrade their fleets. We believe this is a $500 M fund with 50% match from the private sector.
See our website for more details: http://djmpenginesolutions.com/

DJMP Engine Solutions, LLC
Operations Manager
Mike Bima
6203 Jamestown Rd
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C 309 264 4785
bima_mike_r@comcast.net

[Djvazquez]

The marine highways cannot hook up to the national electrical grid. If the national electrical grid is supported by renewables and green energy (and perhaps even safe nuclear) and some of our transport options - to include mass transit - are hooked up to the grid...wouldn't that be good?

[Djvazquez]

Imagine a High Speed Rail that was built with flexibility in mind. Not only would it speed passengers to a desired metropolitan hub, but it would also carry FedEx and UPS (and similar companies) packages and mail – along with other small freight items – that could enhance and add to HSR’s bottom line. It could carry fruit and vegetables quickly to large markets outside of Florida making our produce desirable.
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If you don’t build a formidable transportation infrastructure within the continental USA you can’t possibly effectively deal with exports or imports into the Florida ports that are proposed for investments.
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In the end, with 1,000,000 homes (20% of the housing stock) unoccupied in this state and plenty of money (foreign and domestic) looking for places to invest…floating people to destinations outside of the state will not get them to invest in Florida.

[Scott Tisthammer]

Let me see if I have this correct?

We're worried about marine highways, highspeed rail, buses, bike paths, congestion, yet the DOT and President Obama who ask for ideas, wants to hear from entrepreneurs, and small business refuse to listen or respond or print comments?

I have sent hundreds of messages on how to bring freight transportation, {one of the most prominent reasons for traffic conegstion, and fuel use,} into the 21st century using 21st century IT and Presidnet Obama ll about energy independence/security is MIA?

The DOT refuses to even post comments unless they are nicey, nicey, and of the same mindset as the DOT, not we the people/taxpayer paying for everything from roads to our representatives who are the reason for all our problems?

The problems we face, reason for the problem, DC polticians accepting campaign finance may be better addressed than chasing ghost?

Having worked in farming, construction, several manufacturing plants, ASE certified auto mechanic, drove truck ten years, freight broker 4 years I learned years ago band aid fixes don't work! Coming back to problems not fixed teh first time, wasting time, money, never getting to the root, source, cause will never accomplish, only compound like neg. interest the problem/expense.

DC is dysfunctional, current budget, shutdown a perfect example, state of the union, $14 trillion debt, deficit, unemployment, wars, and more make obvious the sooner we address the real problem the sooner we can move on in a professional/successful manner?????????

[Daniel Howard]

How does promoting a less fuel-efficient transportation mode reduce dependence on foreign oil? Many of these routes are duplicating existing rail lines. Rail is a more fuel-efficient transport mechanism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency_in_transportation#US_Freight_transportation

(I mean, if you believe the US Government, anyway.)

-danny

[Robert Rogers]

I know that the marine corridors have been critical to our economy here in Miami. I hope that businesses of all shapes and sizes can be given the necessary access to these resources to provide a growth in trade generally. Thanks for the information.

[The Asphalt Blogger.com]

Wow, I was so disappointed with this post.

You talk about how it will create jobs, but you neglected to talk about the jobs lost in the trucking industry.

You talked about how it would reduce our dependency on foreign oil, but this administration, that I supported financially WHILE unemployed, has only talked about a national energy plan.

Why hasn't this administration pushed to transit the trucking industry over to LNG?

Why has your cabinet stressed reducing truck drivers hours of service but have not addressed the issue of shippers & receivers holding drivers up for hours upon hours before loading or unloading them?

Why has this administration pushed for a cross border trucking program with Mexico but refuses to address the needs of it's own drivers in america?

The fact remains that no other form except airplanes can deliver freight faster to shippers and receivers who operate on a just in time logistical compacity. The issue of bottlenecked corridors comes down to urban sprawl. If you are serious about Lessing the impact of traffic jams, you will reinstate the split sleeper berth privision and allow PROFESSIONAL MOTOR VEHICLE operators the abilty to drive when needed and sleep when needed. Until the Mr. LaHood, this is nothing more than a dog and pony show.

[Michael E. Bailey]

We need to extend the life of our roads and bridges as well as relieve congestion, reduce pollution, and end dependence on foreign oil. The MarineHighway system and its interconnections with the rail network form a coordinated transportation system that will acheive these goals. Bigger heavier trucks would cause more damage to the infrastructure and create more safety problems on the roadways. The Marine Hihghway and the rail network are the way to go to move goods faster and cheaper and more efficiently. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Jennifer Brampton]

It seems like an excellent plan on all levels. Dependency on foreign owned and controlled oil is best minimized as much as possible. Good work, it's to see people looking ahead instead of just thinking of the short term.

[Virgil Stanphill]

What a great idea. Reducing oil dependency is crucial and a marine highway system could certainly help do that. And it's not like our highways aren't crowded enough already. Come to think of it - it's kind of a trade-off. I'll have to think on that one a little bit, i.e., is reducing interstate traffic and lowered dependency on oil worth what could become a dramatic increase in river traffic? I noticed the Columbia River dividing my state of Oregon and the state of Washington are included in the marine highway system. I don't know how much you know about the Pacific NW but we love our scenery up here! What kind of changes would come about as a result of the increased marine traffic?

[Sue Howe]

The Interstate I 90 bridge connecting Minnesota and Wisconsin needs replacing. This is a perfect opportunity for the USDOT to demonstrate their belief in the link between transportation, economic strength, and health by investing in a multi-modal transportation system on the Interstate 90 Dresbach Bridge.
America needs a transportation system that ends our dependence on oil, cuts pollution and provides clean, efficient, and affordable transportation options. The question needs asking, why then is an interstate bridge with a life expectancy of 100 years would we not provide future bike and pedestrian accommodations when other trail sections exist for connecting two states?
It’s time for a mega-federal step forward – toward “active transportation.” That would mean, walking and biking accepted as legitimate, viable and healthy transportation modes, worthy of priority federal support. Less dependence on oil. Obesity epidemic curbed. Greenhouse gases reduced. It’s time for the federal government to focus less on new expanded highways, and far more on safe pathways and complete streets for our towns and for the people.

[The Asphalt Blogger.com]

With all due respect Mr. Bailey, if you have any understanding of JIT Logistics, you would know that shippers and receivers do not have the compacity to store supplies to for long periods of times. Trucks are the only form of transportation that allows for product to be brought in and utilized as needed. Taking away this will only put a demand on companies to spend money on expanding facilities to store the raw product needed to create goods. Trains and ships can not deliver product across country in under 2 and a half days like trucks can. Though I agree with you that heavier loads are not safe for our highways, the current 80,000 lb weight limit is more than adequate for our nations current needs. The safe operation of out nations Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators has improved drastically over the past 14 years with a more improved safety record marked every year. Further more, the percentage of accidents involving Commercial Motor Vehicles and four wheelers and the cause of said accidents has shown that the greater percentage of said accidents has been the cause of the NON-Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator. The answer is to educate the general driving public and allow for greater flexibility for the Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator.