Large Scale Dynamic Simulation And Optimization Tools For Chicago Freight Infrastructure And Operations

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

0125752 Ziliaskopoulos This award is to Northwestern University to support the activity described below for 36 months. The proposal was submitted in response to the Partnerships for Innovation Program Solicitation (NSF 0179). Partners The partners for this award include Northwestern University (Lead Institution), University of Illinois-Chicago Circle Urban Transportation Center, Chicago Area Transportation Study, City of Chicago, Metropolitan Planning Council, Business Leaders for Transportation, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company, Union Pacific Railway Company, Central States Trucking Company, and Roadway Express. Proposed Activities The objective of this effort is to forge an effective partnership among all major stakeholders of the intermodal freight industry in Chicago. Three interdependent research programs will be established to create a sustainable effort: (1) development of a framework with advanced quantitative decision support tools, to evaluate innovations in business process, infrastructure, and technology that streamline operations and eliminate unnecessary delays, (2) perform in-depth analyses of past, current and future trends of the intermodal freight industry by collecting and interpreting data, and (3) promotion of the use of decision support tools through educational programs for the partners. The framework with decision support tools includes a dynamic traffic simulation assignment/simulation module, a terminal operations module, and a logic module to assist in coordinated planning of all operations in the Chicago area. The in-depth analysis of past, current and future trends will include data from Illinois DOT, City of Chicago, trucking companies, rail companies, maritime and custom data, shippers, and freight industry proprietary data. Proposed Innovation Modules exist that model each sector of the intermodal transportation system, but there has not been an integrated analysis/simulation of the integrated transportation system for a city as large as Chicago. The proposed effort will incorporate data and models for each sector and integrate them in a mathematical tool for scheduling the movement of freight to minimize loss of time and efficiency for the system. Potential Economic Impact More than 60% of the US container movement go through the Chicago region. Conservative estimates predict a fourfold growth by the year 2020. This means more than 100,000 daily truck movements between rail terminals, all over existing streets and roads. Empty trucks returning to a terminal plus traffic delays taken alone will cost millions of dollars in lost revenue. An integrated computer-based scheduling tools to minimize empty trips and efficient use of the street grid will save millions. Potential Societal Impact The impact on the efficiency of movement of freight plus the reduction of unnecessary traffic on the street system in the Chicago region will have a large impact on the quality of life in the region. Loss of freight traffic because the region has reached gridlock could have a huge negative societal and economic impact.