Rail issues are important policy issues for Illinois

On Wednesday, March 7, I had the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., to participate in this year's Railroad Day on Capitol Hill. I was proud to join rail representatives from around the country and lend the voice of the Illinois International Port District to the Railroad Day agenda.

We in Illinois are fortunate because our congressional delegation understands the importance of infrastructure to the economy and to quality of life in the U.S. They know that Illinois is uniquely positioned within the U.S. as a hub for all modes of transportation. In fact, a recent report by the Brookings Institution described Chicagoland as "a freight powerhouse."

Six of the largest U.S. railroads have a presence in Chicagoland and multiple smaller, short-line railroads help move freight through the city as well, handling half of all U.S. rail movements. This massive rail presence, along with the network of roads and waterways that help feed the rail network and one of the nation's largest cargo airports help drive a significant manufacturing sector, as well. More than any other, the Chicago metro area, "optimizes a vast network of local supply chains to source raw materials to support a strong advanced manufacturing sector that requires immediate access to transportation channels."

For the Illinois International Port District, the role of rail is critical. We have rail running directly to the port, along with access to Interstate highways. This makes the Illinois International Port District attractive to companies looking to move goods in and out of Chicago. No Great Lakes port can match Chicago's rail service and this is helping us thrive. In 2017, our revenue increased 11.6 percent.

More importantly, rail service helps the companies moving goods in and out of Chicago compete in the global marketplace. That means more jobs in the Chicagoland area and it means that consumers save money on the goods they need. Plus, every ton of freight that moves by rail saves taxpayers money because the nation's large freight railroads use their own private dollars to maintain and grow their network.

Since 1981, U.S. freight railroads have spent and invested $660 billion of private capital into their 140,000-mile network. That is why shippers can move nearly twice as much freight for the same price (adjusted for inflation) as they could in 1980. It is how innovations in technology have made railroads more efficient than ever and it is why recent years have been the safest years on record.

These standout investments, coupled with the economic weight of goods movement and the critical role railroads play in connecting the Illinois International Port District shippers to the global marketplace, made it an easy for the Port to participate in Railroad Day.

Railroad issues are port issues and goods movement issues are important public policy issues. Fortunately, Illinois members of Congress know this well.

Clayton Harris III, is the Executive Director of the Illinois International Port District.