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re: this article written by Alby Gallun: The fate of a massive TDL industrial park planned in Joliet rests largely in the hands of the governor. Read it: https://buff.ly/2L8Zbqe
The project: A company wants to pay to build a bridge over I-53 in Elwood and Joliet to connect its proposed Transportation-Distribution-Logistics hub to BNSF's intermodal yard.
The article: The legalities of doing that, Elwood's resistance, and trying to get Gov. involved.
The article: The legalities of doing that, Elwood's resistance, and trying to get Gov. involved.
The article is fascinating because it forces a look at the TDL (cargo) developments and land use in Will County.
You can see in this satellite image the BNSF intermodal yard and massive warehouses/distribution centers in a business park called CenterPoint.
You can see in this satellite image the BNSF intermodal yard and massive warehouses/distribution centers in a business park called CenterPoint.
NorthPoint wants to build "Compass Global Logistics" hub NE of the blue map marker (which represents where the bridge would go).
A lot of the truck traffic is to ferry containers between the intermodal yard and the warehouses. The bridge would keep trucks off local roads.
A lot of the truck traffic is to ferry containers between the intermodal yard and the warehouses. The bridge would keep trucks off local roads.
The only company warehouses in the satellite image (which is the southern CenterPoint business park) that I recognize are Walmart and Georgia-Pacific (which makes lumber & toilet paper).
Elwood is outlined in red, and the bridge would be at the big intersection on the right.
Elwood is outlined in red, and the bridge would be at the big intersection on the right.
There are three nearby Amazon warehouses (red markers). The purple marker in the center is the BNSF intermodal yard, and the blue marker again represents where the bridge would be built.
The expanse of this area is massive...
Here, the map is moved up a little north to show the Union Pacific intermodal yard (center), and a CN intermodal yard (north).
The previous 2 Amazon facilities are on the left, and 2 more are in the green circle and in the satellite image.
Here, the map is moved up a little north to show the Union Pacific intermodal yard (center), and a CN intermodal yard (north).
The previous 2 Amazon facilities are on the left, and 2 more are in the green circle and in the satellite image.
These two satellite photos are at the same scale and I've drawn a box around the Old Post Office to show the scale of distribution centers.
The DC shown is one of two that Amazon has right at this particular location (Laraway Rd & Route 53).
The DC shown is one of two that Amazon has right at this particular location (Laraway Rd & Route 53).
NorthPoint, the company that wants to build the bridge and the Compass hub, is also building an industrial park on the east side of Lake Calumet in Chicago.
They predict the bridge will reduce truck traffic on local roads by 40%.
They predict the bridge will reduce truck traffic on local roads by 40%.
You'll have to read the article to understand the politics. https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/nimby-battle-could-be-turning-point-more-ways-one
The municipality of Elwood has a very freight-heavy future because it's sandwiched between two intermodal yards where 1.52 million containers* were lifted off of trains in 2018.
*Representing 3.31 million TEUs
*Representing 3.31 million TEUs
By way of comparison, the Port of Long Beach handled 7.75 million TEUs in its FY2018-2019.
Container statistics sources...
Chicagoland via CMAP: https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/documents/10180/19427/FacilityLiftCountANALYSIS_final2018_20191120.pdf/5f02b1e0-7397-1f60-9cf0-a7c6c486b5cc
Port of Long Beach: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/port-report-long-beach-moves-record-number-of-containers-in-september
Chicagoland via CMAP: https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/documents/10180/19427/FacilityLiftCountANALYSIS_final2018_20191120.pdf/5f02b1e0-7397-1f60-9cf0-a7c6c486b5cc
Port of Long Beach: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/port-report-long-beach-moves-record-number-of-containers-in-september
TDL (industry jargon for distribution centers and all of the support industries and workers in the centers and moving things between centers) affects urban areas also. https://twitter.com/ChiBuildings/status/1339975987363274753
More on the incoming Amazon facility in Bridgeport. https://twitter.com/BridgeportAlly/status/1336845369628651521
And I think the thread comes to an end...We have tools to help people locate TDL infrastructure and distribution centers with our Transportation Snapshot. https://announcekit.app/chicago-cityscape/new-feature-updates/amazon-facilities-added-to-transportation-snapshot-Jxwju
