Restructuring Freight Transportation in Chicago

Several alternative plans are reviewed which would restructure the freight transportation network serving the Chicago metropolitan region. These qualitative proposals are the initial output of a comprehensive planning program for freight facilities developed by the staff of the Chicago Area Transportation Study. Further research now being conducted will provide a basis for quantifying and testing forecasts and plans for freight facilities. The goal of the program can be summarized as planning for a balanced urban freight transportation system. The method of achieving that goal is to utilize the tools and techniques developed in the past for forecasting urban highway and transit needs. These tools would supplement the planning conducted by other government and private investors for urban freight facilities.