Reports - Mississippi Renewal

THE GOVERNOR’S COMMISSION REPORT | 29A:Because of aphenomenonknown as“inducedtraffic.”When planners add capacity,such as new lanesto a multi-lane highway,the expansion changesdrivers’ behavior. Thosewho had been takingother routes, traveling atoff-peak times, or choosingother means of transportationabandon alternativesto take advantage of thenew, higher capacity ofthe old highway. Congestionbuilds rapidly—morerapidly than the populationgrowth on whichtransportation planningis often based, and thenew lanes become asclogged during peaktimes as they ever were.This is why wider roadsdon’t necessarily leadto better traffi c fl ow.Source: Governor’sCommission. Mississippi Renewal Forum.Final Team Reports. Transportation.“Building a 21st Century TransportationSystem for the Gulf Coast.” 19 Oct. 2005..others will require millions of dollars inrepairs. 5Damage to facilities at the Port ofPascagoula is estimated to be approximately$10 million of insurable damagewith approximately $2 to 3 million ofuninsurable damage and extra expense.Repairs were underway to return thepublic facilities to approximately 80percent of pre-Katrina operations bythe end of December. 6The Port in Pascagoula supported reliefefforts by returning basic services tooperation by September 9, allowing thehospital ship USNS Comfortto berthat the Port where approximately 2,000persons received medical treatment.In addition, emergency modificationswere made to allow the berthing of thecruise ship Holiday, which continues toprovide shelter to approximately 1,600Coast residents. Likewise, preparationswere under way to receive shipmentsof building materials beginning in December.7At Port Bienville Industrial Park inHancock County, Katrina caused anestimated $70 million in damages toindustries and companies. These companiesemployed approximately 1,250people, not including subcontractors andsuppliers. Three companies employingapproximately 200 people have ceasedoperations since Katrina and show noindication of resuming operations. CSXRailroad lost 38 miles of track and 11bridges that resulted in termination ofrail service for rail-dependent industrieswithin Port Bienville. As a result, theseindustries turn to other means of commercialtransportation at costs increasedby approximately 30 percent to 40 percent.8 Even though the damage sustainedby the Port Bienville IndustrialPark tenants was significant, the Port’swharves were not damaged, and the canalsystem serving the Port received aminimal amount of silting.RecommendationsCSX Rail LineThe location of the CSX east-westrail line was at the forefront of publicdebate on the Coast long before the arrivalof the economic boom from gamingand long before Hurricane Katrina.For decades local elected officials, communityleaders, businesses, and residentshave unsuccessfully engaged in efforts tosecure the removal and relocation of therail line and its rail operations. The vastmajority of the CSX rail traffic constitutes“thru freight trains,” trains thatpass through the Coast without stoppingand serving local industries, withlimited service to the Port of Bienvilleand the Port of Pascagoula. Problems associatedwith the rail line became morepronounced as the casinos fueled economicgrowth along the Coast and increasedtraffic congestion and gridlock.With 170 grade crossings along theCSX rail line in the three coastal counties,the risks to motorists and pedestrianshave increased with the traffic. FromJanuary 2000 through August 2005, 90grade crossing accidents involving CSXtrains were reported to the FederalRailroad Administration. 9 In additionto the dangers, the noise and other annoyancesassociated with the trains aredetrimental to development of neighborhoodsnear the rail line.Discussions have been underwaybetween CSX and the Commissionfocusing on the joint goal of movingthe rail line and/or relocating CSX railoperations, and CSX has advised theCommission that it will evaluate all optionsto make this move a reality. Relocationof the rail line would eliminate