CTS Waterways Research

Wrap Up

Center for Transportation StudiesUniversity of Missouri, St. Louis

2

Economic Evaluation of Alternatives at Current Traffic Levels

Alternative Benefits Costs

1. Existing conditions: first come, first served with exceptions.

2. Schedule appointments at locks: Using existing available information. Using real time vessel tracking.

3. Re-sequence vessels in local lock queues.

4. Re-sequence vessels in extended lock queues: Using existing available information. Using real time vessel tracking.

5. Re-sequence vessels in multiple lock queues: Using existing available information. Using real time vessel tracking.

6. System-wide traffic management using real time vessel tracking.

none none

very smallvery

smallsmall +

small very small

small small +

very large

small small

small small ++

small

small

very small

very small

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Findings Economic benefits of new traffic

management policies are likely to be small at current traffic levels.

The economic benefits accrue differentially across system users, and some users would be disadvantaged.

The costs range from very small for management policies using existing data to very large for policies utilizing sophisticated real-time vessel tracking.

Disruption of existing markets ranges from small to large.

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Findings (continued)

Real time and near-real time vessel tracking is feasible on the UMR.

Integration of tow tracking and lock scheduling is feasible.

Vessel tracking may provide collateral benefits for safety, security, environmental protection and operations.

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Implementation Issues

Data issues:- Ownership.- Accuracy and timeliness:

Current information is not always accurate. Cost increases with accuracy.

- Availability: Integration of dynamic information from locks or

other sources can be added. Availability of data for recreational vessels?

Responsibility and authority for traffic management needs to be clarified.

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Recommendation

At current traffic levels, new traffic management policies such as appointment and scheduling systems are not recommended because of the small economic benefits they would create relative to the potential large disruptions they would create in existing markets.

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Recommendation (continued)

Implementation of expensive vessel tracking systems for lockage management is not cost effective at this time; however, vessel tracking for safety, security, environmental protection and operations may merit implementation.

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1 “Review of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Restructured Upper Mississippi-Illinois Waterway Feasibility Study” Prepublication Copy, 2004.

Implementation

According to the National Academies of Science:- “…creating a useful nonstructural

traffic management system on the UMR-IWW is not a simple matter…”1

- “The challenges associated with implementing nonstructural measures should not be taken lightly ”1