Registration is now available for the September 2 Talking Freight Seminar. Please note that this is the first of two seminars that will be held in September. Information about the second seminar, to be held September 16, will be sent soon.

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Date/Time: September 2, 2020 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET

 

Topic: Inland Waterways – Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities

 

Registration: https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/fpd/talking_freight/index.htm

 

Description and Presentations: The inland waterway system of the United States, utilizing barges and ships on the navigable waterways within the country, is often overlooked when evaluating the U.S. freight transportation system, due in part to the fact it is managed and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rather than state DOTs or MPOs/RPOs.  However, those waterways often play a key role in the transport of bulk items, such as agricultural products, coal, and timber, allowing those products to be shipped more cheaply, benefitting the producers of those materials.  To a much greater degree than other freight transportation modes, inland waterways are vulnerable to changing weather conditions, particularly flooding or drought conditions.  Additionally, inland waterways are funded via the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, which generally speaking does not provide all the funding needed to maintain the waterway system.  These issues make maintaining and improving inland waterways challenging from a maintenance perspective.  During times when the waterways cannot be used, their unavailability puts more pressure on the nearby railroad and highway infrastructure to handle the additional traffic, which illustrates the inland waterways’ importance for freight transportation and commerce.

 

This webinar will discuss how the inland waterway system is used to accommodate freight transportation shipments, and examine some of the issues and challenges associated with maintaining the system and enabling it to function in an effective manner.

 

Using Barges on the Inland Waterway System

This presentation will discuss barge operations on inland waterways, including which customers they serve, what challenges they face when dealing with inland waterway operational issues, and what opportunities they provide in enhancing the overall freight transportation system.

SPEAKER:

• Marty Hettel, American Commercial Barge Line, Vice President of Government Affairs

 

Maintaining and Enhancing the Inland Waterway System

This presentation will examine the infrastructure and maintenance needs on the U.S. inland waterway system, including the general operational challenges with keeping inland waterways open and the specific challenges faced when conditions reduce the ability of the system to function at peak efficiency.

SPEAKER:

• Tom Heinold, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, Operations Division Chief

 

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If you have not yet participated in Talking Freight, I encourage you to do so. These monthly seminars, sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration, are held via web conference, which means that you view the PowerPoint presentations over the Internet while listening to the presenters over your computer or the telephone. There is no cost involved and you do not have to leave your desk to participate. More information about Talking Freight is available at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/fpd/talking_freight/index.htm Links to past presentations and recordings are available on http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/freightplanning/talking.htm.

 

Talking Freight seminars are eligible for 1.5 AICP Certification Maintenance Credits (for AICP members). In order to receive credit, you must attend the full seminar and login to the seminar with your full name or type your full name into the chat area during the seminar if you are in a room with a group of people. Visit the AICP web site for more information about AICP Certification Maintenance Credits.

 

In addition, those who are interested can obtain a certificate for 1.5 PDH hours.

 

If you have any questions about the webinar content, please contact Chip Millard, FHWA Freight Office, at 202-366-4415 or [log in to unmask]. If you have any questions about the technology aspects of the webinar, please contact Jennifer Symoun, Toxcel, 703-754-0248, [log in to unmask].

 

 

Jennifer Symoun, PMP | toXcel

Business Manager and Director, Communications and Outreach

Office: 703-754-0248 (x8208)

[log in to unmask] | toxcel.com