10:00 A.M., April 14, 2010
Task Force members are also invited to remain for a PennDOT Public Comment Meeting and Open House on Rail Freight Funding Programs following the meeting.
Commission Office
The ACP Building - 8th Floor
190 N. Independence Mall West
Philadelphia, PA
For directions Call (215) 592-1800
Please Use Sixth Street Entrance
Task Force members and friends will be welcomed and recognized. Highlights from the previous freight advisory committee meeting on January 13, 2010 will be offered for approval.
2. The I-95 Corridor Coalition's Mid-Atlantic Rail Operations Study (MAROps), Phase II
Marygrace Parker of the I-95 Corridor Coalition and Hugh Louch of Cambridge Systematics will present the findings of MAROps, Phase II. MAROps II demonstrates the increasing need for investment to enhance freight mobility to ensure a strong Mid-Atlantic region and national economy. The study examines the condition and performance of the Mid-Atlantic rail system and the benefits of investing in it. It identifies a $12 billion program of freight rail capacity and chokepoint improvements that will enable the rail system to help meet growing demand for goods movement in the region.
3. The Delaware River Port Authority: Keeping the Region Moving
DRPA CEO & PATCO President John Matheussen will provide an overview of major DRPA/PATCO capital projects underway now and planned for the future that will have an impact on truck traffic. The discussion will include short and long term lane closures for the Walt Whitman Bridge Main Span Re-decking project, information on Deck Truss Rehabilitation on the Ben Franklin Bridge, and planned structural repairs at the Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross Bridges, including Express E-ZPass.
4. The Philadelphia Union Soccer Team
Dave Debusschere, Executive Vice President and CFO, will describe the development and progress of the region’s newest professional men’s sports team, the Philadelphia Union. The Union will play their home matches in a newly constructed waterfront stadium, PPL Park. The team and stadium are central features of a $500 million revitalization, mixed-use development project in the City of Chester.
5. Regional Collaboration in Developing a National Freight Platform
The President has called for the U.S. to double its exports in the next five years. Can the Philadelphia-Camden region improve its freight transportation network to better integrate water transportation and combine multimodal freight corridor planning at the state and regional level to accommodate expanding export flows while maintaining efficient import services? This presentation by Dr. Thomas Wakeman of the Stevens Institute of Technology will examine the national and international trends that might provide the Delaware Valley region with a significant economic development opportunity.
6. Two-minute Reports
Task Force and Subcommittee chairs and Task Force members and friends will provide updates on the activities of their companies and agencies.
7. Old or New Business/Adjournment
Old or new items of business will be considered. The next scheduled meeting of the Delaware Valley Goods Movement Task Force is July 14, 2010.